49th Annual Annie Award Nominations Announced

ASIFA-Hollywood has just released nominations for its 49th Annual Annie Awards recognizing the year’s best in the field of animation. This year, the ceremony is scheduled to return live, in-person on Saturday, February 26, 2022 at UCLA’s Royce Hall.

Leading the pack is Walt Disney Animation Studios with 10 nominations for its animated feature, Raya and the Last Dragon, followed by 9 for its other animated feature, Encanto. Luca, from Pixar, and The Mitchells vs. The Machines, from Sony Pictures Animation / Netflix, follow closely with 8 nominations each.

Those four movies, along with Illumination’s Sing 2, are all nominated for Best Animated Feature. Best Animated Feature-Independent, spotlighting features with a much smaller distribution footprint than major studio releases, include Belle (Studio Chizu/Distributed by GKIDS); Flee (Final Cut For Real, Sun Creatures, Vivement Lundi!, MostFilm, Mer Film, VICE, Left HandFilms, Participant); Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko (STUDIO 4°C / Distributed by GKIDS); Pompo the Cinephile (CLAP Animation Studio/Distributed by GKIDS); and The Summit of the Gods (Julianne Films, Folivari and Mélusine Productions Present in co-production with France 3 Cinéma and Auvergne-Rhône- Alpes Cinéma in association with Wild Bunch in association with Palatine Etoile 17, Cinémage 14, Indéfilms 8 for Netflix).

“In spite of everything or maybe because of what we and the world around us have been through for nearly two years, we all want to return to some sort of normal,” remarked Frank Gladstone, Annies executive producer. “2021 brought another increase in Annie Awards submissions, ASIFA memberships and ongoing sponsorships, so we are planning to return to UCLA’s Royce Hall for an in-person event with all the trimmings. It is our job to celebrate our community and our accomplishments… and we will continue to fulfill that mission!"

The Annie Awards cover 36 categories and include Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Feature-Independent, Special Productions, Sponsored Films, Short Subjects, Student Films and Outstanding Individual Achievements, as well as the honorary Juried Awards.

Juried Awards will be presented during the ceremony, honoring unparalleled achievement and exceptional contributions to animation. The Winsor McCay Award in recognition of lifetime or career contributions are being presented to three recipients – Ruben Aquino, legendary Disney animator; Lillian Schwartz, computer animation pioneer; and Toshio Suzuki, prolific Studio Ghibli producer.

The June Foray Award for significant and benevolent or charitable impact will be awarded to Renzo & Sayoko Kinoshita, influential animation filmmakers and founders of the Hiroshima International Animation Festival.

The Ub Iwerks Award for technical advancement will be presented to Python Foundation, promoting, protecting and advancing the open-source Python programming language, and facilitating the growth of the diverse Python community; and The Special Achievement Award recognizing unique and outstanding achievement not recognized within the existing award category structure will be presented to Glen Vilppu, artist and author internationally known for teaching and training animation professionals. The Certificate of Merit for service to the art and industry will be presented to Evan Vernon.

This year’s sponsors and advertisers include: Platinum Level – Cartoon Network/Warner Bros. Animation, DreamWorks Animation, LA Times, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Variety and Walt Disney Animation Studios/Pixar Animation Studios; Gold Level – Disney TV Animation and Illumination Entertainment; Silver Level – The Animation Guild LATSE Local 839, Pixar Animation Studios, Sony Pictures Animation and Walt Disney Animation Studios; Bronze Level – Epic Game, GKIDS and Skydance Animation; and Education/Nonprofit Level – Sheridan College.

ASIFA-Hollywood is the world’s first and foremost professional organization dedicated to promoting the Art of Animation and celebrating the people who create it. Today, ASIFA-Hollywood, the largest chapter of the international organization ASIFA, supports a range of animation activities and preservation efforts through its membership. Current initiatives include the Animation Archive, Animation Aid Foundation, animated film preservation, animation open source support, special events, classes and screenings.  

Created in 1972 by veteran voice talent June Foray, the Annie Awards have grown in scope and stature for the past four decades. For information regarding the Annie Awards, please visit https://annieawards.org/.

The full list of nominations in all categories is shown below:

Best Feature

• Encanto - Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Luca - Pixar Animation Studios
• Raya and the Last Dragon - Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Sing 2 - Illumination
• The Mitchells vs. The Machines - Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix

Best Indie Feature

• Belle - Studio Chizu / Distributed by GKIDS
• Flee - Final Cut For Real, Sun Creature, Vivement Lundi !, MostFilm, Mer Film, VICE, Left HandFilms, Participant
• Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko - STUDIO 4ºC / Distributed by GKIDS
• Pompo the Cinephile - CLAP Animation Studio / Distributed by GKIDS
• The Summit of the Gods - Julianne Films, Folivari and Mélusine Productions Present In co-production with France 3 Cinéma and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma in association with Wild Bunch in association with Palatine Etoile 17, Cinémage 14, Indéfilms 8 for Netflix

Best Special Production

• For Auld Lang Syne - WildBrain Studios in association with Apple
• La Vie de Château - Films Grand Huit in association with Miyu Productions
• Mum Is Pouring Rain - Laïdak Films & Dandelooo
• Namoo - Baobab Studios
• The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf - STUDIO MIR for Netflix

Best Short Subject

• Bestia - Trebol 3 Producciones, MALEZA Estudio
• Easter Eggs - Animal Tank / Brecht Van Elslande
• MAALBEEK - Films Grand Huit Films à Vif
• Night Bus - Joe Hsieh Independent Production
• Steakhouse - Finta Film, Fabian & Fred, RTV Slovenija, Miyu Productions

Best Sponsored

• A Future Begins - Nexus Studios
• Fleet Foxes – Featherweight - Sing-Sing
• The Good Guest Guide to Japan - Airbnb / Chromosphere
• Tiptoe & The Flying Machine - Nexus Studios
• Wandavision - "Don't Touch that Dial" Title Sequence - Titmouse Inc.

Best TV/Media - Preschool

• Ada Twist, Scientist - Episode: Twelve Angry Birds - Laughing Wild, Higher Ground Productions, Wonder Worldwide, Netflix
• MUPPET BABIES - Episode: GONZO-RELLA - ODDBOT INC
• ODO - Episode: Doddle Song - Sixteen South and Letko
• Stillwater - Episode: Crossing Over / Kind of Blue - Scholastic Entertainment / Gaumont / Polygon Pictures in association with Apple
• Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum - Episode: I am Ella Fitzgerald - 9 Story Media Group / Brown Bag Films

Best TV/Media - Children

• Amphibia - Episode: True Colors - Walt Disney Television Animation
• Carmen Sandiego - Episode: The Himalayan Rescue Caper - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing and DHX Media for Netflix
• Dug Days - Episode: Science - Pixar Animation Studios
• Maya and the Three - Episode: The Sun and the Moon - A Netflix Series
• We the People - Episode: Active Citizenship - Laughing Wild, Higher Ground Productions, Netflix

Best TV/Media - General Audience

• Arcane - Episode: When These Walls Come Tumbling Down - A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix
• Bob's Burgers - Episode: Fingers-loose - 20th TV/ Bento Box Animation
• Love, Death + Robots - Episode: Ice - Blur Studio for Netflix
• Wars: Visions - Episode: The Duel - Kamikaze Douga
• Tuca & Bertie - Episode: The Dance - The Tornante Company

Best Student Film

• A Film About A Pudding - Student Director: Roel Van Beek - Student Producer: Jack Pollington - School: National Film and Television School, UK
• HOPE - Student Director: Ryoma Leneuf & Gabriel Martinez - Student Producer: Nicolas Daguin, Guillaume Uchoa, Arthur Bollia, Benjamin Autour - School: New3dge
• I Am A Pebble - Student Director: Yasmine Bresson and Maxime Le Chapelain - Student Producer: Coline Moire - School: ESMA
• Night of the Living Dread - Student Director: Ida Melum - Student Producer: Danielle Goff - School: National Film and Television School, UK
• Slouch - Student Director: Michael Bohnenstingl - Student Producer: Michael Bohnenstingl - School: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH

Best FX - TV/Media

• Arcane - Episode: Oil and Water - Production Company: A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix - FX Production Company: Fortiche Productions - Guillaume Degroote, Aurélien Ressencourt, Martin Touzé, Frédéric Macé, Jérôme Dupré
• Castlevania - Episode: The Endings - Production Company: Frederator Studios for Netflix - FX Production Company: Powerhouse Animation Studios - Tam Lu, Adam Deats, Sam Deats
• Maya and the Three - Episode: The Sun and the Moon - Production Company: A Netflix Series - FX Production Company: Tangent Animation Studios - Alexander Feigin, Graham Wiebe, Pradeep Mynam, Michael Sun, Sergen Eren
• Shaun The Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas - Episode: Broadcast Special - Production Company: Aardman for Netflix - FX Production Company: Aardman - Jim Lewis
• Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans - Episode: Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans - Production Company: DreamWorks Animation - FX Production Company: DreamWorks Animation, CGCG Inc. and Original Force Ltd. - Greg Lev, Brandon Tyra, Prakash Dcunha, Vincent Chou, Chen Ling

Best FX - Feature

• Belle - Production Company: Studio Chizu / Distributed by GKIDS - FX Production Company: Studio Chizu / Digital Frontier - Ryo Horibe, Yohei Shimozawa
• Encanto - Production Company: Walt Disney Animation Studios - FX Production Company: Walt Disney Animation Studios - Alex Moaveni, Dimitre Berberov, Bruce Wright, Scott Townsend, Dale Mayeda
• Raya and the Last Dragon - Production Company: Walt Disney Animation Studios - FX Production Company: Walt Disney Animation Studios - Peter De Mund, Cong Wang, Robert Bennett, Joel Einhorn, Debbie Carlson
• The Mitchells vs. The Machines - Production Company: Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix - FX Production Company: Sony Pictures Imageworks - Christopher Logan, Man-Louk Chin, Devdatta Nerurkar, Pav Grochola, Filippo Maccari
• Vivo - Production Company: Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix - FX Production Company: Sony Pictures Imageworks - Martin Furness, Lucy Maxian, Nachiket Pujari, Theodor Vandernoot, Stephanie Molk

Best Character Animation - TV/Media

• Arcane - Episode: The Monster You Created - A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix - Léa Chervet
• Love, Death + Robots - Episode: All Through the House - Blur Studio for Netflix - Dan Gill
• Namoo - Episode: Namoo Animated Short - Baobab Studios - Jon Paul Brower
• Ultra City Smiths - Episode: The Little Baby Hand Pinky Grip - Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, Elephant Pictures, AMC Studios - Ghazal Tahernia
• We the People - Episode: Active Citizenship - A Netflix Original Series / Higher Ground Productions - Stephen Loveluck

Best Character Animation - Feature

• Encanto - Walt Disney Animation Studios - Dave Hardin
• Luca - Pixar Animation Studios - Tarun Lak
• Raya and the Last Dragon - Walt Disney Animation Studios - Jennifer Hager
• The Boss Baby: Family Business - Dreamworks Animation - Ravi Kamble Govind
• Wish Dragon - Netflix Presents A Columbia Pictures, Beijing Sparkle Roll Media Corporation, Tencent Pictures, Base Media Presentation / A Sony Pictures Animation Production - Ketan Adikhari

Best Character Animation - Live Action

• Flora & Ulysses - Production Company: Disney - FX Production Company: Framestore - Thomas Becker, Daniel Cavalcante, Philipp Winterstein, Victor Dinis, Thiago Martins
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - Production Company: Marvel Entertainment - FX Production Company: Weta Digital - Karl Rapley, Sebastian Trujillo, Richard John Moore, Merlin Bela Wassilij Maertz, Pascal Raimbault
• The Suicide Squad - Production Company: Warner Bros., Pictures - FX Production Company: Framestore - Meena Ibrahim, Alvise Avati, Nicholas Cabana, Adam Goldstein, Lea Vera Toro
• The Tomorrow War - Production Company: Paramount Pictures - FX Production Company: Weta Digital - Carmelo Leggiero, Cajun Hylton, Michel Alencar Magalhaes, Florent Limouzin, Dave Clayton
• Y: The Last Man - Production Company: FX Productions - FX Production Company: Industrial Light & Magic - Industrial Light & Magic Animation Team

Best Character Animation - Video Game

• Disney Wonderful Worlds - Ludia
• It Takes Two - Hazelight Studios - Hazelight Animation Team
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits - Ember Lab - Ember Lab Animation Team
• Madrid Noir - Atlas V No Ghost - Aziz Kocanaogullari
• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart - Insomniac Games - Insomniac Games

Best Character Design - TV/Media

• Arcane - Episode: Some Mysteries Better Left Unsolved - A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix - Evan Monteiro
• Batman: The Long Halloween Part One - Episode: Broadcast Special - Warner Bros. Animation - Otto Schmidt
• Kid Cosmic - Episode: The Rings of Power - A Netflix Original Series - Craig McCracken
• Maya and the Three - Episode: The Sun and the Moon - A Netflix Series - Jorge R. Gutierrez
• Yuki 7 - Episode: They Called Her Number Seven – Chromosphere - Keiko Murayama

Best Character Design - Feature

• Luca - Pixar Animation Studios - Deanna Marsigliese
• Raya and the Last Dragon - Walt Disney Animation Studios - Ami Thompson
• Ron's Gone Wrong - Locksmith Animation Ltd/ 20th Century Studios - Julien Bizet
• The Mitchells vs. The Machines - Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix - Lindsey Olivares
• Vivo - Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix - Joe Moshier

Best Direction - TV/Media

• Amphibia - Episode: True Colors - Walt Disney Television Animation - Jenn Strickland , Kyler Spears
• Arcane - Episode: The Monster You Created - A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix - Pascal Charue, Arnaud Delord, Barthelemy Maunoury
• Crossing Swords - Episode: Tent Pitching - Stoopid Buddy Stoodios in association with Sony Pictures Television - John Harvatine, Brad Schaffer, Ethan Marak
• Hilda and the Mountain King - Episode: Broadcast Special - Hilda Productions Limited, a Silvergate Media Company, Netflix Inc. and Mercury Filmworks - Andy Coyle
• Maya and the Three - Episode: The Sun and the Moon - A Netflix Series - Jorge R. Gutierrez

Best Direction - Feature

• Belle - Studio Chizu / Distributed by GKIDS - Mamoru Hosoda
• Encanto - Walt Disney Animation Studios - Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Charise Castro Smith
• Flee - Final Cut For Real, Sun Creature, Vivement Lundi !, MostFilm, Mer Film, VICE, Left HandFilms, Participant - Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Kenneth Ladekjær
• Luca - Pixar Animation Studios - Enrico Casarosa
• The Mitchells vs. The Machines - Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix - Mike Rianda, Jeff Rowe

Best Music - TV/Media

• Blush - Episode: Broadcast Short Film - Apple Original Films and Skydance Animation - Joy Ngiaw
• Hilda and the Mountain King - Episode: Broadcast Special - Hilda Productions Limited, a Silvergate Media Company, Netflix Inc. and Mercury Filmworks - Ryan Carlson
• Maya and the Three - Episode: The Sun and the Moon - A Netflix Series - Tim Davies, Gustavo Santaolalla
• Mila - Episode: Broadcast Short Film - PepperMax Films, Pixel Cartoon, IbiscusMedia, Cinesite, Aniventure - Flavio Gargano
• Mira, Royal Detective - Episode: The Eid Mystery - Wild Canary Animation - Amritha Vaz, Matthew Tishler, Jeannie Lurie

Best Music - Feature

• Encanto - Walt Disney Animation Studios - Lin-Manuel Miranda, Germaine Franco
• Luca - Pixar Animation Studios - Dan Romer
• Poupelle of Chimney Town - Yoshimoto Kogyo Co., Ltd. - Youki Kojima, Yuta Bandoh
• Raya and the Last Dragon - Walt Disney Animation Studios - James Newton Howard, Jhené Aiko
• Vivo - Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix - Alex Lacamoire, Lin-Manuel Miranda

Best Production Design - TV/Media

• Arcane - Episode: Happy Progress Day! - A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix - Julien Georgel, Aymeric Kevin, Arnaud Baudry
• Arlo the Alligator Boy - Episode: Broadcast Special - Netflix Presents A Ryan Crego Film - Israel Sanchez, Margaret Wuller, Michelle Haejung Park, Kayla Jones, Tania Franco
• Love, Death + Robots - Episode: Ice - Blur Studio for Netflix - Robert Valley
• Maya and the Three - Episode: The Sun and the Moon - A Netflix Series - Jorge R. Gutierrez, Paul Sullivan, Gerald de Jesus, Richard Chen
• Yuki 7 - Episode: They Called Her Number Seven – Chromosphere - Chromosphere (Team Name)

Best Production Design - Feature

• Belle - Studio Chizu / Distributed by GKIDS - Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Alice Dieudonné, Almu Redondo, Maria Pareja
• Raya and the Last Dragon - Walt Disney Animation Studios - Paul Felix, Mingjue Helen Chen, Cory Loftis
• Ron's Gone Wrong - Locksmith Animation/ 20th Century Studios - Aurélien Predal, Till Nowak, Nathan Crowley
• The Mitchells vs. The Machines - Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix - Lindsey Olivares, Toby Wilson, Dave Bleich
• Vivo - Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix - Carlos Zaragoza, Wendell Dalit, Andy Harkness

Best Storyboarding - TV/Media

• Arcane - Episode: When These Walls Come Tumbling Down - A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix - Simon Andriveau
• Invincible - Episode: Where I Really Come From - Amazon Studios - Jay Baker
• Kid Cosmic - Episode: The Big Win - A Netflix Original Series - Justin Nichols
• Love, Death + Robots - Episode: Pop Squad - Blur Studio for Netflix - Jennifer Yuh Nelson
• The Ghost and Molly McGee - Episode: All Systems No - Walt Disney Television Animation - Johnny Castuciano

Best Storyboarding - Feature

• Encanto - Walt Disney Animation Studios - Jason Hand
• Raya and the Last Dragon - Walt Disney Animation Studios - Luis Logam
• Spirit Untamed - DreamWorks Animation - Gary Graham
• The Addams Family 2 - Jackal Group / Glickmania - Steven Garcia
• Vivo - Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix - Carlos Romero

Best Voice Acting - TV/Media

• Arcane - Episode: When These Walls Come Tumbling Down - A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix - Ella Purnell (Jinx)
• Arlo the Alligator Boy - Episode: Broadcast Special - Netflix Presents A Ryan Crego Film - Michael J. Woodard (Arlo)
• Centaurworld - Episode: Johnny Teatimes Be Best Competition: A Quest for the Sash - A Netflix Original Series / Sketchshark Productions - Parvesh Cheena (Zulius)
• DC Super Hero Girls - Episode: #EnterNightSting - Warner Bros. Animation - Kimberly Brooks (Bumblebee, NightSting)
• Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans - Episode: Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans - DreamWorks Animation - Charlie Saxton (Toby Domzalski)

Best Voice Acting - Feature

• Encanto - Walt Disney Animation Studios - John Leguizamo (Bruno)
• Encanto - Walt Disney Animation Studios - Stephanie Beatriz (Mirabel)
• Luca - Pixar Animation Studios - Jack Dylan Grazer (Alberto Scorfano)
• Raya and the Last Dragon - Walt Disney Animation Studios - Kelly Marie Tran (Raya)
• The Mitchells vs. The Machines - Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix - Abbi Jacobson (Katie Mitchell)

Best Writing - TV/Media

• Arcane - Episode: The Monster You Created - A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix - Christian Linke, Alex Yee
• Maya and the Three - Episode: Chapter 4: The Skull – Netflix - Silvia Olivas, Jorge R. Guitterez
• Muppet Babies - Episode: Gonzo-Rella - OddBot Inc. - Ghia Godfree
• The Mighty Ones - Episode: Berry's Pet Threat - DreamWorks Animation - Jillian Goldfluss, Erica Jones, Nicolette Wood
• Tuca & Bertie - Episode: Planteau - The Tornante Company - Lisa Hanawalt

Best Writing - Feature

• Belle - Studio Chizu - Mamoru Hosoda
• Flee - Final Cut For Real, Sun Creature, Vivement Lundi !, MostFilm, Mer Film, VICE, Left HandFilms, Participant - Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Amin Nawabi
• Luca - Pixar Animation Studios - Jesse Andrews, Mike Jones
• Raya and the Last Dragon - Walt Disney Animation Studios - Qui Nguyen, Adele Lim
• The Mitchells vs. The Machines - Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix - Mike Rianda, Jeff Rowe

Best Editorial - TV/Media

• Amphibia - Episode: True Colors - Walt Disney Television Animation - Jennifer Calbi , Julie Anne Lau , Yoonah Yim , Andrew Sorcini , David Vasquez
• Arlo the Alligator Boy - Episode: Broadcast Special - Netflix Presents A Ryan Crego Film - Steve Downs
• Love, Death + Robots - Episode: Pop Squad - Blur Studio for Netflix - Julian Clarke, Matt Mariska, Valerian Zamel, Brian Swanson, Ky Kenyon
• Tom and Jerry in New York - Episode: Billboard Jumble - Warner Bros. Animation - Michael D'Ambrosio, Jeff Small
• What If...? - Episode: What If…Ultron Won? - Marvel Studios - Joel Fisher, Graham Fisher, Sharia Davis, Basuki Juwono, Adam Spieckerman

Best Editorial - Feature

• Encanto - Walt Disney Animation Studios - Jeremy Milton, John Wheeler, Pace Paulsen, Brian Estrada
• Flee - Final Cut For Real, Sun Creature, Vivement Lundi !, MostFilm, Mer Film, VICE, Left HandFilms, Participant - Janus Billeskov Jansen
• Luca - Pixar Animation Studios - Catherine Apple, Jason Hudak, Jennifer Jew, Tim Fox, David Suther
• Raya and the Last Dragon - Walt Disney Animation Studios - Fabienne Rawley, Shannon Stein, Todd Fulkerson, Rick Hammel, Brian Millman
• The Mitchells vs. The Machines - Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix - Greg Levitan, Collin Wightman, T.J. Young, Tony Ferdinand, Bret Allen

Source: ASIFA-Hollywood

Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.