Netflix’s investment in animation has paid off in a big way, as the streamer picked up a whopping 52 nominations at the 49th Annie Awards. Following behind is Disney, which received 29 bids between its film and TV projects.
Taking place on Feb. 26, 2022 at UCLA’s Royce Hall and presented by the Los Angeles branch of the International Animated Film Association, the Annie Awards recognize excellence in cinema and television.
Netflix picked up nine nominations for “Arcane,” its series based on Riot Games’ online multiplayer game “League of Legends.” The hit film from Sony Pictures Animation “The Mitchells vs. The Machines” earned eight nods, and Netflix’s own limited series “Maya and the Three,” directed by Jorge Gutierrez, has seven.
While Disney lagged behind Netflix for total nominations, the studio’s “Raya and the Last Dragon” led all content with 10 nominations, followed by its studio sibling “Encanto,” which picked up nine.
Both “Raya” and “Encanto” were nominated for best feature, along with “The Mitchells vs. The Machines,” Pixar’s “Luca” and Illumination’s “Sing 2.” Indie power distributor GKIDS has three films up for independent feature: “Belle,” “Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko” and “Pompo the Cinephile.” Other independent feature nominees include Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s “Flee” and Patrick Imbert’s “The Summit of the Gods.”
“Arcane” is nominated in the general audience TV/media category along with “Love, Death + Robots,” “Bob’s Burgers,” “Star Wars: Visions” and “Tuca & Bertie,” which was canceled by Netflix in 2019 but got a second life on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim.
Children’s TV/media nominees include “Amphibia,” “Carmen Sandiego,” “Dug Days,” “Maya and the Three” and “We the People.” Competing in the preschool TV/media category are “Ada Twist, Scientist,” “Muppet Babies,” “ODO,” “Stillwater” and “Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda is a double nominee for feature music. He’s recognized with Germaine Franco for “Encanto” as well as for his work on Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix’s “Vivo” alongside Alex Lacamoire. Other music nominees are Dan Romer for “Luca,” Youki Kojima and Yuta Bandoh for “Poupelle of Chimney Town” and James Newton Howard and Jhene Aiko for “Raya and the Last Dragon.”
Nominees for feature directing are Mamoru Hosoda for “Belle”; Jared Bush, Byron Howard and Charise Castro Smith for “Encanto”; Jonas Poher Rasmussen and Kenneth Ladekjaer for “Flee”; Enrico Casarosa for “Luca”; and Mike Rianda and Jeff Rowe for “The Mitchells vs. The Machines.”
Held virtually in 2021, the Annies are scheduled for a live ceremony at UCLA next year. “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 kind of normal,” said Annies executive producer Frank Gladstone. “We are planning to return for an in-person event with all the trimmings. It is our job to celebrate our community and our accomplishments.”
In addition to the 36 award categories, the Annies will honor achievements with juried awards. Disney animator Ruben Aquino, computer pioneer Lillian Schwartz and Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki with receive the Winsor McCay Award for lifetime achievement. The June Foray Award for charitable contributions to the animation industry will go to filmmakers Renzo and Sayoko Kinoshita, founders of the Hiroshima International Animation Festival, while the Python Foundation will be honored with the Ub Iwerks Award for technical advancement for its open-source Python programming language. Artist and author Glen Vilppu will receive a special achievement award for his work teaching a generation of animation professionals, and a certificate of merit for service to the art and industry of animation will go to Evan Vernon.
The complete list of nominees follows:
Best Feature
Encanto
Luca
Raya and the Last Dragon
Sing 2
The Mitchells vs. The Machines
Best Indie Feature
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
