Following the nominations announcement for the 96th Academy Awards early this morning, reactions from this year’s esteemed nominees for the best animated feature and short film Oscars are sharing the celebratory enthusiasm for these well-acknowledged directors and producers. Here’s what they have to say:
Best Animated Feature
“Thank you [The Academy] for this incredible honor. Proud of the Passionate work our Pixar crew did to bring Fire and Water to life.”
— Peter Sohn, director (via X)
Nimona
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to receive this Oscar nomination for Nimona! They say it takes a village, but in the case of the tumultuous journey of getting Nimona to the screen, it took many villages over eight years. This nomination is such a wonderful celebration of the hard work, passion, and belief so many people had in making this film a reality, and an incredible acknowledgment of typically underserved communities in animation, especially the LGBTQ+ community. For seeing the power in this story of acceptance and the need to be seen for your true self, we want to thank the Academy for recognizing that this film was truly a labor of love.”
— Nick Bruno & Troy Quane, directors
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
“Coming in as new directors for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, we were entrusted with continuing to tell Miles’ story in our own style and worked diligently alongside the many artists and production crew to bring something truly unique and original to the Spider-Verse. We are elated for our work on this film to be acknowledged by the Academy and are thankful to our entire crew for going on this adventure with us.”
— Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers & Justin K. Thompson, directors
Best Animated Short Film
“I’m overwhelmed with joy and gratitude, this is such an incredible honor! It means the world to me that the film’s call for hope and compassion receives such an extraordinary opportunity to resonate with a wide audience, especially now. I share this remarkable moment with my beloved Letter to a Pig team, who poured their talents, hearts, and souls into each and every single frame of this independent production — Thank you!!!”
— Tal Kantor, director
“I’m deeply honored by this nomination, it’s been a long dream of mine to reach this accomplishment. During these tough times, Letter to a Pig has been a beacon of hope and a source of happiness, to me, and I hope for everyone as well. I feel immensely privileged to be part of the incredible team behind this production, hailing from all over the world. I want to thank The Hive Studio team, my partners at Miyu Productions, and our guides and mentors of this campaign at the Animation Showcase.”
— Amit Gicelter, producer
War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko
“We are deeply honored and grateful to receive this prestigious nomination from the Academy. The outpouring of love and support for the film in the past weeks, has been truly heartwarming. This recognition is not just an accolade for us, but an opportunity to amplify the anti-war message that John Lennon and Yoko Ono shared with the world over 50 years ago. In a world grappling with the anguish of multiple wars, we hope the attention sparks meaningful reflection, challenges the industry of war and inspires change.
“A huge thanks to Sean Ono Lennon, our creative partner in this journey to bring this story to screen. Also, without the collective support of our partners at Peter Jackson’s WetaFX, Lightstorm Entertainment and Epic Games, short films like these do not get made, so we’re deeply grateful for their contributions as well. It should also go without saying, our families have been pillars of strength throughout this nearly two-year odyssey, lifting us with their love and unwavering support.”
— Dave Mullins, writer-director & Brad Booker, producer
“Thanks to the fabulous script, brilliant animators, and talented Tim Blake Nelson this film has been nominated. Filmmaking is often a wild, tenuous ride but I’m so honored to be on that journey with my gorgeous/talented husband.”
Best Visual Effects
Godzilla Minus One
“I was in tears. It was a great achievement for Japanese VFX!
“I was told that I could upload [this reaction video].”
— Koji Matsunaga, VFX artist (via X)
涙でた。
日本のVFXにとって快挙だね！アップしていいと言われたので。 pic.twitter.com/y5vzzwTGK0
— Koji Matsunaga (@sonicpower1970) January 23, 2024
