ASIFA-Hollywood announced nominations today for its 49th Annual Annie Awards, recognizing the year’s best in the field of animation. The ceremony will return live and in person to UCLA’s Royce Hall on February 26.
“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!”
This year’s Best Animated Feature nominations are Encanto (Walt Disney Animation Studios), Luca (Pixar Animation Studios), Raya and the Last Dragon (Walt Disney Animation Studios), Sing 2 (Illumination) and The Mitchells vs. the Machines (Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix).
Best Animated Feature – Independent, spotlighting movies with a much smaller distribution footprint than major studio releases, are: 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).
When it comes to totting up the feature films with the most nominations, Raya and the Last Dragon proves the new generation of Disney Princess is not to be trifled with, taking 10 nominations, followed closely by its studio sibling Encanto with nine — both pictures notably feature a strong teen girl protagonist and take inspiration from diverse cultures. Pixar’s Luca ties for third place with Sony’s The Mitchells vs. the Machines with eight each, while indie gems Belle and Flee both scored five nods, as did SPA/Netflix’s musical adventure Vivo.
The top performers are a great turnout for Netflix episodic animation, as the streamer/producer/distributor continues to gain award season ground year on year. The stylish League of Legends series Arcane has nine nominations, followed by Jorge Gutierrez’s vibrant homage to Mesoamerican myth Maya and the Three with seven and lauded adult anthology Love, Death + Robots with five.
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.
- 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.
The 49th Annie Awards will be held live on Saturday, February 26, 2022 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. Pre-reception and Red Carpet at 4:30 p.m., followed by the ceremony at 7 p.m. and after party immediately following the ceremony.
Visit www.annieawards.org for more information. Read on for additional category nominees:
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 “Twelve Angry Birds” | Laughing Wild, Higher Ground Productions, Wonder Worldwide, Netflix
Muppet Babies “Gonzo-Rella” | OddBot Inc
Odo “Doddle Song” | Sixteen South and Letko
Stillwater “Crossing Over / Kind of Blue” | Scholastic Entertainment / Gaumont / Polygon Pictures in association with Apple
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum “I Am Ella Fitzgerald” | 9 Story Media Group / Brown Bag Films
Best TV/Media – Children
Amphibia “True Colors” | Walt Disney Television Animation
Carmen Sandiego “The Himalayan Rescue Caper” | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing and DHX Media for Netflix
Dug Days “Science” | Pixar Animation Studios
Maya and the Three “The Sun and the Moon” | A Netflix Series
We the People “Active Citizenship” | Laughing Wild, Higher Ground Productions, Netflix
Best TV/Media – General Audience
Arcane |When These Walls Come Tumbling Down” | A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix
Bob’s Burgers “Fingers-loose” | 20th TV/ Bento Box Animation
Love, Death + Robots “Ice” | Blur Studio for Netflix
Star Wars: Visions “The Duel” | Kamikaze Douga
Tuca & Bertie “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, U.K.
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 “Oil and Water” | A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix | FX Production Company: Fortiche Productions | Guillaume Degroote, Aurélien Ressencourt, Martin Touzé, Frédéric Macé, Jérôme Dupré, Tam Lu, Adam Deats, Sam Deats, Alexander Feigin, Graham Wiebe, Pradeep Mynam, Michael Sun, Sergen Eren, Jim Lewis, Greg Lev, Brandon Tyra, Prakash D’Cunha, Vincent Chou, Chen Ling
Castlevania “The Endings” | Frederator Studios for Netflix | FX Production Company: Powerhouse Animation Studios
Maya and the Three “The Sun and the Moon” | A Netflix Series | FX Production Company: Tangent Animation Studios
Shaun The Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas | Aardman for Netflix | FX Production Company: Aardman
Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans | DreamWorks Animation | FX Production Company: DreamWorks Animation, CGCG Inc. and Original Force Ltd.
Best FX – Feature
Belle | Studio Chizu / Distributed by GKIDS | FX Production Company: Studio Chizu / Digital Frontier. Ryo Horibe, Yohei Shimozawa
Encanto | Walt Disney Animation Studios | Alex Moaveni, Dimitre Berberov, Bruce Wright, Scott Townsend, Dale Mayeda
Raya and the Last Dragon | Walt Disney Animation Studios | Peter De Mund, Cong Wang, Robert Bennett, Joel Einhorn, Debbie Carlson
The Mitchells vs. the Machines | Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix | FX Production Company: Sony Pictures Imageworks | Christopher Logan, Man-Louk Chin, Devdatta Nerurkar, Pav Grochola, Filippo Maccari
Vivo | 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 “The Monster You Created” | A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix | Léa Chervet
Love, Death + Robots “All Through the House” | Blur Studio for Netflix | Dan Gill
Namoo | Baobab Studios | Jon Paul Brower
Ultra City Smiths “The Little Baby Hand Pinky Grip” | Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, Elephant Pictures, AMC Studios | Ghazal Tahernia
We the People “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
Best Character Animation – Video Game
Disney Wonderful Worlds | Ludia
It Takes Two | Hazelight Studios
Kena: Bridge of Spirits | Ember Lab
Madrid Noir | Atlas V No Ghost | Aziz Kocanaogullari
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart | Insomniac Games
Best Character Design – TV/Media
Arcane “Some Mysteries Better Left Unsolved” | A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix | Evan Monteiro
Batman: The Long Halloween Part One | Warner Bros. Animation | Otto Schmidt
Kid Cosmic | The Rings of Power | A Netflix Original Series | Craig McCracken
Maya and the Three “The Sun and the Moon” | A Netflix Series | Jorge R. Gutierrez
Yuki 7 “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 “True Colors” | Walt Disney Television Animation | Jenn Strickland, Kyler Spears
Arcane “The Monster You Created” | A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix | Pascal Charue, Arnaud Delord, Barthelemy Maunoury
Crossing Swords “Tent Pitching” | Stoopid Buddy Stoodios in association with Sony Pictures Television | John Harvatine, Brad Schaffer, Ethan Marak
Hilda and the Mountain King | Hilda Productions Limited, a Silvergate Media Company, Netflix Inc. and Mercury Filmworks | Andy Coyle
Maya and the Three “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 | Apple Original Films and Skydance Animation | Joy Ngiaw
Hilda and the Mountain King | 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 | PepperMax Films, Pixel Cartoon, Ibiscus Media, Cinesite, Aniventure | Flavio Gargano
Mira, Royal Detective “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 “Happy Progress Day!” | A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix | Julien Georgel, Aymeric Kevin, Arnaud Baudry
Arlo the Alligator Boy | Netflix Presents A Ryan Crego Film | Israel Sanchez, Margaret Wuller, Michelle Haejung Park, Kayla Jones,
Tania Franco
Love, Death + Robots “Ice” | Blur Studio for Netflix | Robert Valley
Maya and the Three “The Sun and the Moon” | A Netflix Series | Jorge R. Gutierrez, Paul Sullivan, Gerald de Jesus, Richard Chen
Yuki 7 “They Called Her Number Seven” | Chromosphere
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 “When These Walls Come Tumbling Down” | A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix | Simon Andriveau
Invincible “Where I Really Come From” | Amazon Studios | Jay Baker
Kid Cosmic “The Big Win” | A Netflix Original Series | Justin Nichols
Love, Death + Robots “Pop Squad” | Blur Studio for Netflix | Jennifer Yuh Nelson
The Ghost and Molly McGee “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 “When These Walls Come Tumbling Down” | A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix | Ella Purnell
Arlo the Alligator Boy | Netflix Presents A Ryan Crego Film | Michael J. Woodard
Centaurworld “Johnny Teatimes Be Best Competition: A Quest for the Sash” | A Netflix Original Series / Sketchshark Productions | Parvesh Cheena
DC Super Hero Girls “#EnterNightSting” | Warner Bros. Animation | Kimberly Brooks
Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans | DreamWorks Animation | Charlie Saxton
Best Voice Acting – Feature
Encanto | Walt Disney Animation Studios | John Leguizamo
Encanto | Walt Disney Animation Studios | Stephanie Beatriz
Luca | Pixar Animation Studios | Jack Dylan Grazer
Raya and the Last Dragon | Walt Disney Animation Studios | Kelly Marie Tran
The Mitchells vs. the Machines | Sony Pictures Animation for Netflix | Abbi Jacobson
Best Writing – TV/Media
Arcane “The Monster You Created” | A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix | Christian Linke, Alex Yee
Maya and the Three “Chapter 4: The Skull” | Netflix | Silvia Olivas, Jorge R. Guitterez
Muppet Babies “Gonzo-Rella” | OddBot Inc. | Ghia Godfree
The Mighty Ones “Berry’s Pet Threat” | DreamWorks Animation | Jillian Goldfluss, Erica Jones, Nicolette Wood
Tuca & Bertie “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 “True Colors” | Walt Disney Television Animation | Jennifer Calbi, Julie Anne Lau, Yoonah Yim, Andrew Sorcini, David Vasquez
Arlo the Alligator Boy | Netflix Presents A Ryan Crego Film | Steve Downs
Love, Death + Robots “Pop Squad” | Blur Studio for Netflix | Julian Clarke, Matt Mariska, Valerian Zamel, Brian Swanson, Ky Kenyon
Tom and Jerry in New York “Billboard Jumble” | Warner Bros. Animation | Michael D’Ambrosio, Jeff Small
What If…? “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
