52nd Annie Awards: 'Wild Robot' & 'Arcane' Sweep Categories, 'Flow' Wins Best Indie & Writing Prizes

The 52nd Annie Awards (annieawards.org), the animation trade’s premiere celebration of the craft introduced by ASIFA-Hollywood, have been held Saturday night at UCLA’s Royce Hall. Winners have been revealed for 32 competitors classes overlaying characteristic movie, tv, occasion programming, shorts, VFX, video games and extra.

Making good on its domination of the nominations announcement, DreamWorks Animation’s The Wild Robot gained 9 awards — probably the most potential, as two of its 10 nominations have been each within the voice performing for characteristic movie race. The critically acclaimed pic (which can be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature) got here away with Best Feature, Direction (Chris Sanders), Character Animation, Character Design, Production Design, Voice Acting (for Lupita Nyong’o as ROZ) and extra.

The Wild Robot © 2024 DreamWorks Animation. All Rights Reserved.

Latvian indie Flow (Dream Well / Take Five / Sacrebleu / distributed by Sideshow and Janus Films), which gained the Golden Globe for animated characteristic and is at present nominated for 2 Oscar classes (animation and worldwide characteristic), took the Best Feature – Independent prize, in addition to Best Writing for director Gintz Zilbalodis and Matiss Kaza.

Netflix, which had probably the most nominations of any studio general, loved an epic comeback by video game-based drama Arcane (Riot / Fortiche), which swept the sequence classes and gained all seven of the awards it was nominated for. The second and ultimate season returns triumphant, having taken dwelling 9 awards out of 9 nominations on the Annies three years in the past.

Other a number of award-winners have been the Netflix film Orion and the Dark, produced by DreamWorks, which gained Best Special Production and Writing for TV/Media; Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Disney Channel), winner of Best TV for Children and Character Design – TV/Media; and Pixar’s Dream Productions (Disney+), winner of the Limited Series and Voice Acting – TV/Media (for Paula Pell) classes.

Best Short went to Nina Gantz’s Oscar-nominated Wander to Wonder, and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was awarded the prize for character animation in a live-action image.

As beforehand introduced, the Juried Awards have been bestowed upon Aaron Blaise, Eunice Macaulay and Normand Roger (Winsor McCay Award); Women in Animation (June Foray Award); Alberto Menache (Ub Iwerks Award); and the guide Directing at Disney: The Original Directors of Walt’s Animated Films (Special Achievement Award).

Among the sudden surprises of the night was a fireplace alarm that interrupted the present about 8:45 p.m., which led to the livestream being dropped and the attendees having to evacuate Royce Hall for a 15-minute “intermission.” According to the organizers, the interruption was the results of a fireplace alarm emergency.

During the occasion, ASIFA-Hollywood government director Aubry Mintz introduced the launch of AnimAID, a fundraiser for the L.A. wildfire reduction, with an preliminary objective of $225,000 to. The marketing campaign be adopted by an animation artwork public sale in partnership with Sotheby’s, and extra occasions to lift a a lot larger objective of $5,000,000 for crucial funds. After the ceremony, it was introduced that greater than $107,000 had been raised. To donate to this necessary trigger, go to www.asifa-hollywood.org/animaid

The full checklist of winners follows; for full nominee data, see our previous post:

Flow [Dream Well / Sacrebleu / Take Five]

BEST FEATURE

WINNER: The Wild Robot – DreamWorks Animation
Inside Out 2 – Pixar Animation Studios
Kung Fu Panda 4 – DreamWorks Animation
That Christmas – Locksmith Animation for Netflix
Ultraman: Rising – Netflix Presents in affiliation with Tsuburaya Productions
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl – Aardman and Netflix

BEST FEATURE – INDEPENDENT

WINNER: Flow – Sacrebleu Productions, Take Five, Dream Well Studio
Chicken for Linda! – Dolce Vita Films, Miyu Productions, Palosanto Films, France 3 Cinéma. Distributed by GKIDS
Kensuke’s Kingdom – Paramount Pictures
Look Back – Studio Durian. Distributed by GKIDS
Mars Express – Everybody on Deck, Je Suis Bien Content, Distributed by GKIDS
Memoir of a Snail – Snails Pace Films / Arenamedia

Orion and the Dark [ Netflix / DreamWorks Animation © 2023]

BEST SPECIAL PRODUCTION

WINNER: Orion and the Dark – DreamWorks Animation
A Bear Named Wojtek – The Illuminated Film Company and Filmograf
Mog’s Christmas – Lupus Films
Tabby McTat – Magic Light Pictures
Yuck! – Ikki Films & Iliade et Films

BEST SHORT SUBJECT

WINNER: Wander to Wonder – Circe Films, Kaap Holland Film, Les Productions de Milou, Beast Animation, Blink Industries & Pictanovo
Beautiful Men – Animal Tank, Miyu Productions & Ka-Ching Cartoons
In the Shadow of the Cypress – Barfak Animation Studio
Ruthless Blade – IDEOMOTOR Culture Media Co., Ltd.
The Swineherd – Fleng Entertainment and Tumblehead Productions

BEST SPONSORED

WINNER: Fuzzy Feelings (Apple) – Passion Pictures Hungry Man
feelslikeimfallinginlove (Coldplay) – Blinkink
Moonlit Bamboo Forest (Genshin Impact) – Passion Paris Production, HoYoFair
Natlan Impressions Trailer – “Blaze to Natlan” – BUCK
Welcome to the City of Love (BBC – Paris Olympics) – Nexus Studios

BEST TV/MEDIA – PRESCHOOL

WINNER: The Tiny Chef Show “Tiny Chef’s Spooky Stump Spectacular” – Imagine Entertainment, Tiny Chef Productions and Nickelodeon Productions
Disney Jr.’s Ariel “Crystal Cavern Caper”
– Wild Canary, Disney Branded Television
Gabby’s Dollhouse “Pandy’s Bad Day” – DreamWorks Animation
Jessica’s Big Little World “Jessica’s Picnic” – Cartoon Network Studios
Wonder Pets: In the City “Save Tate?”– A Nickelodeon Production in affiliation with Apple

Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur — Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

BEST TV/MEDIA – CHILDREN

WINNER: Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur “The Molecular Level” – Flying Bark Productions, Disney Television Animation, Disney Branded Television
Gremlins: The Wild Batch “Never Use Double Negatives” – Warner Bros. Animation
Jurassic World: Chaos Theory “Batten Down the Hatches” – DreamWorks Animation
Primos “Summer of Tater Luna” – Disney Television Animation, Disney Branded Television
WondLa “Ruins” – Skydance Animation in affiliation with Apple

BEST TV/MEDIA – MATURE

WINNER: Bob’s Burgers “They Slug Horses, Don’t They?” – twentieth Television Animation
Solar Opposites “The What If?! Device” – twentieth Television Animation
South Park: The End of Obesity – MTV Entertainment Studios
The Great North “Aunt Misbehavin’ Adventure” – twentieth Television Animation
The Second Best Hospital within the Galaxy “The Land of Sex and Death” – Amazon MGM Studios, Titmouse Studios

BEST TV/MEDIA – LIMITED SERIES

WINNER: Dream Productions “Night to Remember” – Pixar Animation Studios
Iwájú “Tola” – Walt Disney Animation Studios
LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy “Part Three” – Lucasfilm Ltd.
Moon Girl’s Lab “Moon Girl Saves the Moon” – Disney Television Animation, Disney Branded Television
My Adventures with Superman “Pierce the Heavens, Superman!” – Warner Bros. Animation

BEST STUDENT FILM

WINNER: Adiós – Student Director: José Prats
Student Producer: Bernardo Angeletti
School: National Film and Television School
El Ombligo de la Luna – Gobelins
Pear Garden – Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH, Animationsinstitut
Polliwog – Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH, Animationsinstitut
Turmspringer – Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH, Animationsinstitut

Adiós [National Film and Television Shcool]

BEST FX – TV/MEDIA

WINNER: Arcane “The Dirt Under Your Nails” – A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix
FX Production Company: Fortiche Studio
- Guillaume Degroote, Aurélien Ressencourt, Adam Bachiri, Guillaume Zaouche,
  Jérôme Dupré
Dream Productions “A Night to Remember” – Pixar Animation Studios
Secret Level “Warhammer 40,000: And They Shall Know No Fear” – Amazon MGM Studios, Blur Studio Inc.
Secret Level “Dungeons & Dragons: The Queen’s Cradle” – Amazon MGM Studios, Blur Studio Inc.
Secret Level “Crossfire: Good Conflict”– Amazon MGM Studios, Blur Studio Inc.

BEST FX – FEATURE

WINNER: The Wild Robot – DreamWorks Animation
- Derek Cheung, Michael Losure, David Chow, Nyoung Kim, Steve Avoujageli
Kung Fu Panda 4 – DreamWorks Animation
Moana 2– Walt Disney Animation Studios
Ultraman: Rising – Netflix Animation; Industrial Light & Magic
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl – Aardman and Netflix

BEST CHARACTER ANIMATION – TV/MEDIA

WINNER: Arcane – A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix
Dream Productions – Pixar Animation Studios
In the Know – Peacock Original in affiliation with Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio
Group, Bandera, ShadowMachine
Star Trek: Lower Decks – CBS’s Eye Animation Productions, Titmouse, Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment
The Patrick Star Show “Something Stupid This Way Comes” – Screen Novelties / Nickelodeon Animation Studios

BEST CHARACTER ANIMATION – FEATURE

WINNER: The Wild Robot – DreamWorks Animation
Inside Out 2 – Pixar Animation Studios
Kung Fu Panda 4– DreamWorks Animation
Moana 2 – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl – Aardman and Netflix

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes [20th Century Studios / Wētā FX]

BEST CHARACTER ANIMATION – LIVE ACTION

WINNER: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes – twentieth Century Studios
FX Production Company: Wētā FX
- Christian Kickenweitz, Aidan Martin, Allison Orr, Radiya Alam, Howard Sly
Better Man– Footloose Productions, VicScreen, Partizan, Facing East Entertainment, Rocket Science, Lost Bandits – FX Production Company: Wētā FX
Gladiator II– Paramount – FX Production Company: Framestore LTD
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire – Legendary Entertainment – FX Production Company: Wētā FX
House of the Dragon Season 2– Warner Bros. – FX Production Company: Wētā FX

BEST CHARACTER ANIMATION – VIDEO GAME

WINNER: Neva – Nomada Studio
- Nomada Studio Animation Team
#BLUD – Exit 73 Games, LLC.
Asgard’s Wrath 2 – Sanzaru Games
Diesel Legacy – Maximum Entertainment
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II– Ninja Theory

BEST CHARACTER DESIGN – TV/MEDIA

WINNER: Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur “The Molecular Level” – Disney Television Animation, Cinema Gypsy Productions
Dream Productions – Pixar Animation Studios
Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld – A Netflix Series
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Nickelodeon Animation Studios and Point / Grey Pictures
X-Men ’97 – Marvel Studios

BEST CHARACTER DESIGN – FEATURE

WINNER: The Wild Robot – DreamWorks Animation
Inside Out 2 – Pixar Animation Studios
Scarygirl – Highly Spirited and Like A Photon Creative
Spellbound – Netflix Presents / Skydance Animation Presents a Skydance Animation Film
That Christmas – Locksmith Animation for Netflix

BEST DIRECTION – TV/MEDIA

WINNER: Arcane “The Dirt Under Your Nails” – A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix
- Arnaud Delord, Pascal Charrue, Bart Maunoury
Big City Greens the Movie: Spacecation – Disney Television Animation, Disney Branded Television
Bob’s Burgers “They Slug Horses, Don’t They?” – twentieth Television Animation
Tabby McTat – Magic Light Pictures
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles “The Pearl” – Nickelodeon Animation Studios and Point / Grey Pictures

BEST DIRECTION – FEATURE

WINNER: The Wild Robot – DreamWorks Animation
Chicken for Linda! – Dolce Vita Films, Miyu Productions, Palosanto Films, France 3 Cinéma. Distributed by GKIDS
Flow – Take Five, Sacrebleu Productions, Dream Well Studio
That Christmas – Locksmith Animation for Netflix
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl – Aardman and Netflix

BEST MUSIC – TV/MEDIA

WINNER: Arcane “The Dirt Under Your Nails” – A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix
- Ryan Jillian Santiago, Alexander Seaver, Simon Wilcox
Big City Greens the Movie: Spacecation – Disney Television Animation, Disney Branded Television
Hazbin Hotel – Amazon MGM Studios, A24, Bento Box Entertainment
Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld – A Netflix Series
WondLa– Skydance Animation in affiliation with Apple

BEST MUSIC – FEATURE

WINNER: The Wild Robot – DreamWorks Animation
Kensuke’s Kingdom – Lupus Films
Piece by Piece – i’m OTHER, TREMOLO in affiliation with The LEGO Group, Pure Imagination
Studios and Tongal
That Christmas – Locksmith Animation for Netflix
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl – Aardman and Netflix

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – TV/MEDIA

WINNER: Arcane “The Dirt Under Your Nails” – A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix
- Arnaud-Loris Baudry, Julien Georgel, Faustine Dumontier, Charlotte O’Neil
Dream Productions – Pixar Animation Studios
Orion and the Dark – DreamWorks Animation
Silly Sundays – Cartoon Saloon
WondLa – Skydance Animation in affiliation with Apple

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – FEATURE

WINNER: The Wild Robot – DreamWorks Animation
- Raymond Zibach, Ritchie Sacilioc
Inside Out 2 – Pixar Animation Studios
That Christmas – Locksmith Animation for Netflix
Ultraman: Rising – Netflix Presents in affiliation with Tsuburaya Productions
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl – Aardman and Netflix

BEST STORYBOARDING – TV/MEDIA

WINNER: Arcane “Killing Is a Cycle” – A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix
Invincible Fight Girl – Cartoon Network Studios
Jurassic World: Chaos Theory – DreamWorks Animation
Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin – WildMind Studios in affiliation with Apple
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles– Nickelodeon Animation Studios and Point / Grey Pictures

BEST STORYBOARDING – FEATURE

WINNER: Despicable Me 4 – Illumination
Moana 2 – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie – Nickelodeon Animation
Spellbound – Netflix Presents / Skydance Animation Presents a Skydance Animation Film
That Christmas– Locksmith Animation for Netflix

BEST VOICE ACTING – TV/MEDIA

WINNER: Dream Productions “Out of Body” – Pixar Animation Studios
- Paula Pell (Character: Paula)
Bob’s Burgers (x2) – twentieth Television Animation
Hazbin Hotel – Amazon MGM Studios, A24, Bento Box Entertainment
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Nickelodeon Animation Studios and Point / Grey Pictures

BEST VOICE ACTING – FEATURE

WINNER: The Wild Robot – DreamWorks Animation
- Lupita Nyong’o (Character: Roz)
Chicken for Linda! – Dolce Vita Films, Miyu Productions, Palosanto Films, France 3 Cinéma. Distributed by GKIDS
Inside Out 2 – Pixar Animation Studios
The Wild Robot – DreamWorks Animation
Transformers One – Paramount Animation

BEST WRITING – TV/MEDIA

WINNER: Orion and the Dark – DreamWorks Animation
Craig of the Creek – Cartoon Network Studios
Jessica’s Big Little World – Cartoon Network Studios
The Simpsons – A Gracie Films Production in Association with twentieth Television Animation
Yuck! – Ikki Films & Iliade et Films

BEST WRITING – FEATURE

WINNER: Flow – Take Five, Sacrebleu Productions, Dream Well Studio
- Gints Zilbalodis, Matīss Kaža
Inside Out 2 – Pixar Animation Studios
Kensuke’s Kingdom – Paramount Pictures
Memoir of a Snail – Snails Pace Films / Arenamedia

BEST EDITORIAL – TV/MEDIA

WINNER: Arcane “Pretend Like It’s the First Time” – A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix
- Nazim Meslem, Gilad Carmel, Roberto Fernandez
Creature Commandos – Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios
Jurassic World: Chaos Theory – DreamWorks Animation
Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur – Disney Television Animation, Cinema Gypsy Productions
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
– Nickelodeon Animation Studios and Point / Grey Pictures

BEST EDITORIAL – FEATURE

WINNER: The Wild Robot – DreamWorks Animation
- Mary Blee, Collin Erker, Orlando Duenas, Lucie Lyon, Brian Parker
Inside Out 2 – Pixar Animation Studios
Moana 2 – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Ultraman: Rising – Netflix Presents in affiliation with Tsuburaya Productions
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl – Aardman and Netflix