The Annies

ASIFA has announcements:

BURBANK, CA (November 28, 2016) – The International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, announced nominations today for its 44th Annual Annie Awards™ recognizing the year’s best in the field of animation.

(Find a complete list of nominations here).

This year’s Best Animated Feature nominations include: Finding Dory (Pixar Animation Studios), Kubo and the Two Strings (Laika), Kung Fu Panda 3 (DreamWorks Animation), Moana (Walt Disney Animation Studios) and Zootopia (Walt Disney Animation Studios).

Nominees in the Annies™ newest category, Best Feature-Independent, spotlighting features with a much smaller distribution footprint than major studio releases, include: Long Way North (Sacrebleu Productions, Maybe Movies, Norlum Studios, France 3 Cinéma and 2 Minutes), Miss Hokusai (Production I.G.), My Life As A Zucchini (Rita Productions, Blue Spirit Productions, Gebeka Films, KNM), The Red Turtle (Studio Ghibli, Wild Bunch, Why Not Productions) and Your Name (CoMix Wave Films).

“Once again, this year has seen another increase in Annie submissions, and a continuing and broadening interest from not only the animation community, but also the film industry in general, “ said ASIFA's executive director, Frank Gladstone. “We are ever mindful that the Annie Awards have become an early and welcomed addition into the 'Award Season' mainstream.” ...

The Annie Awards cover 36 categories and include Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Feature-Independent, Special Productions, Commercials, Short Subjects, Student Films and Outstanding Individual Achievements, as well as the honorary Juried Awards. The winners will be announced at a black tie ceremony on Saturday, February 4, 2017 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. A pre-reception and press line begins at 5:00 pm with the awards ceremony following at 7:00 pm. A post-show celebration immediately follows the ceremony. All events will be held at Royce Hall.

"It has turned out to be an especially successful year for animation on movie screens, on broadcast and cable TV, for new streaming networks, in games and VR," said ASIFA-Hollywood President, Jerry Beck. "I really believe we are in a new 'golden age', as outstanding examples of the art form - whether hand drawn, CG, stop motion or mo-cap – are represented by this years Annie nominees."

The Juried Awards honoring career achievement and exceptional contributions to animation will also be presented. Three Winsor McCay recipients have been selected by the ASIFA-Hollywood Board of Directors – legendary animator Dale Baer; independent animation champion Caroline Leaf; and influential anime director Mamoru Oshii, for their career contributions to the art form; The Ub Iwerks Award will go to Google Spotlight’s Virtual Reality Platform for technical advancement; Life, Animated, a documentary about animation's effect on one young autistic man's journey will receive this year's Special Achievement Award; and the June Foray Award will be given to Bill & Sue Kroyer for their career-long benevolent, public-spirited influence within the animation community. Certificate of Merit awards will be presented to Leslie Ezeh, ASIFA-Hollywood volunteer coordinator and Gary Perkovac, ASIFA-Hollywood's office manager. ...

The Nominees (Partial List)

Best Animated Feature

Finding Dory - Pixar Animation Studios

Kubo and the Two Strings - LAIKA

Kung Fu Panda 3 - DreamWorks Animation

Moana - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Zootopia - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Best Animated Feature - Independent

Long Way North - Produced by Sacrebleu Productions, Maybe Movies, Norlum Studios, France 3 Cinéma and 2 Minutes

Miss Hokusai - Production I.G

My Life As A Zucchini - Rita Productions, Blue Spirit Productions, Gebeka Films, KNM

The Red Turtle - Studio Ghibli – Wild Bunch – Why Not Productions

Your Name. - CoMix Wave Films

Best Animated Special Production

Audrie & Daisy - A production of AfterImage Public Media in association with Actual Films for Netflix

Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Scroll - DreamWorks Animation

Little Big Awesome - Titmouse, Inc. / Amazon Studios

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life - CBS Films/J.P. Entertainment/Participant Media

Pear Cider and Cigarettes - Massive Swerve Studios and Passion Pictures Animation

Best Animated Short Subject

Blind Vaysha - National Film Board of Canada

Deer Flower - Studio ZAZAC

Path Title Sequence - Acme Filmworks

Pearl - Google Spotlight Stories/Evil Eye Pictures

Piper - Pixar Animation Studios ...


JURIED AWARDS

Winsor McCay Award – for their career contributions to the art of animation

Dale Baer
Caroline Leaf
Mamoru Oshii
Ub Iwerks Award – for technical advancement in the art of animation

Google Spotlight’s Virtual Reality Platform

Special Achievement Award

Life, Animated

June Foray Award – for their significant and benevolent or charitable impact on the art and industry of animation

Bill & Sue Kroyer

Certificate of Merit

Leslie Ezeh
Gary Perkovac