This weekend the great and the good of the animation world assembled-
virtually- to celebrate the last year in animation.
ASIFA-Hollywood's 49th Annual Annie Awards had shifted to a virtual
event, due to the pandemic but it was just as keenly anticipated as any other
year.
It was a phenomenal night for Sony Pictures Animation and
Netflix. The major winner in the feature category was
The Mitchells Vs The Machines which took eight awards, including
Best Feature, Direction and Writing. In the TV/media category
Netflix and Riot Games/Fortiche's Arcane was the major winner with nine wins
including Best TV/Media for General Audience, Direction and
Writing. Jorge Guitterez's Maya And The Three also took two
awards, Best TV/Media for Children and Music.
Disney had 29 nominations across all categories, compared to
Netflix's whopping 54. Raya And The Last Dragon was the single most
nominated feature with 10 nods, but it was entirely shut out on the night.
Encanto was the second most nominated, and it won three awards (for
Character Animation, Storyboarding and Music) out of
nine.
Outside of the major studios, the Best Indie Feature went to
Flee. Baobab Studios' Namoo won Best Special Production and the
Best Short Subject went to Bestia. Incidentally, the winner is
also the only short film that overlaps with this year's Oscar nominations for
Animated Short.
This year's Winsor McCay Lifetime Achievement awards were
awarded to Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki,
computer animation pioneer Lillian Schwartz and legendary
Disney animator Ruben Aquino. The June Foray Award for significant and benevolent or charitable impact went
to Hiroshima Animation Festival
founders Renzo and Sayoko Kinoshita. The Ub Iwerks Award for technical achievement honoured the Python Foundation. The Special
Achievement Award went to Glen Vilppu and the Certificate Of
Merit to Evan Vernon.
The Annie Awards will be back in 2023 for their historic 50th iteration. The
full list of winners and nominees are listed below.
49th ANNIE Awards Winners
Best Feature
Encanto
Luca
Raya and the Last Dragon
Sing 2
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Best Feature (Independent)
Belle
Flee
Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko
Pompo the Cinephile
The Summit of the Gods
Best Special Production
For Auld Lang Syne
La Vie de Château
Mum Is Pouring Rain
Namoo
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf
Best Short Subject
Bestia
Easter Eggs
MAALBEEK
Night Bus
Steakhouse
Best Sponsored
A Future Begins
Fleet Foxes – Featherweight
The Good Guest Guide to Japan
Tiptoe & The Flying Machine
Wandavision – “Don’t Touch that Dial” Title Sequence
Best TV/Media – Preschool
Ada Twist, Scientist
Muppet Babies.
ODO
Stillwater
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum
Best TV/Media – Children
Amphibia
Carmen Sandiego
Dug Days
Maya and the Three
We the People
Best TV/Media – General Audience
Arcane
Bob’s Burgers
Love, Death + Robots
Star Wars: Visions
Tuca & Bertie
Best Student Film
A Film About A Pudding
HOPE
I Am A Pebble
Night of the Living Dread
Slouch
Best FX – TV/Media
Arcane
Castlevania
Maya and the Three
Shaun The Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas
Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans
Best FX – Feature
Belle
Encanto
Raya and the Last Dragon
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Vivo
Best Character Animation – TV/Media
Arcane
Love, Death + Robots Episode: All Through the House
Namoo
We the People
Best Character Animation – Feature
Encanto
Luca
Raya and the Last Dragon
The Boss Baby: Family Business
Wish Dragon
Best Character Animation – Live Action
Flora & Ulysses
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
The Suicide Squad
The Tomorrow
Y: The Last Man
Best Character Animation – Video Game
Disney Wonderful Worlds
It Takes Two
Kena: Bridge of Spirits
Madrid Noir
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Best Character Design – TV/Media
Arcane
Batman: The Long Halloween
Kid Cosmic
Maya and the Three Episode
Yuki 7
Best Character Design – Feature
Luca
Raya and the Last Dragon
Ron’s Gone Wrong
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Vivo
Best Direction – TV/ Media
Amphibia – Jenn Strickland, Kyler Spears
Arcane – Pascal Charue, Arnaud Delord, Barthelemy Maunoury
Crossing Swords – John Harvatine, Brad Schaffer, Ethan Marak
Hilda and the Mountain King – Andy Coyle
Maya and the Three Episode – Jorge R. Gutierrez
Best Direction – Feature
Belle – Mamoru Hosoda
Encanto – Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Charise Castro Smith
Flee – Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Kenneth Ladekjaer
Luca – Enrico Casarosa
The Mitchells vs. The Machines – Mike Rianda, Jeff Rowe
Best Music – TV/ Media
Blush
Hilda and the Mountain King
Maya and the Three
Mila
Mira, Royal Detective
Best Music – Feature
Encanto
Luca
Poupelle of Chimney Town
Raya and the Last Dragon
Vivo
Best Production Design – TV/Media
Arcane
Arlo the Alligator Boy Episode: Broadcast Special
Love, Death + Robots Episode: Ice
Maya and the Three
Yuki 7
Best Production Design – Feature
Belle
Raya and the Last Dragon
Ron’s Gone Wrong
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Vivo
Best Storyboarding – TV/Media
Arcane
Invincible
Kid Cosmic
Love, Death + Robots
The Ghost and Molly McGee
Best Storyboarding – Feature
Encanto
Raya and the Last Dragon
Spirit Untamed
The Addams Family 2
Vivo
Best Voice Acting – TV/Media
Arcane – Ella Purnell
Arlo the Alligator Boy – Michael J. Woodard
Centaurworld – Parvesh Cheena
DC Super Hero Girls – Kemberly Brooks
Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans – Charlie Saxton
Best Voice Acting – Feature
Encanto – John Leguizamo
Encanto – Stephanie Beatriz
Luca – Jack Dylan Grazer
Raya and the Last Dragon – Kelly Marie Tran
The Mitchells vs. The Machines – Abbi Jacobson
Best Writing – TV/ Media
Arcane
Maya and the Three
Muppet Babies
The Mighty Ones
Tuca & Bertie
Best Writing – Feature
Belle
Flee
Luca
Raya and the Last
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Best Editorial – TV/ Media
Amphibia
Arlo the Alligator Boy
Love, Death + Robots
Tom and Jerry in New York
What If…?
Best Editorial – Feature
Encanto
Flee
Luca
Raya and the Last Dragon
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
