51ST ANNIE AWARDS SHOWCASE: 'ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE' DOMINATES AMIDST DIVERSE ANIMATION HONORS
The 51st Annie Awards celebrated the best in animation with a glittering ceremony at UCLA's Royce Hall, marking a night where "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" emerged as the standout winner. The sequel from Sony Pictures Animation not only clinched the prestigious Best Feature award but also led the pack with a total of seven wins. This achievement mirrors the success of its predecessor, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," at the 2019 Annies, reinforcing its position as a frontrunner for the upcoming Animated Feature Oscar.
Historically, the Annie Awards have been a reliable predictor of Oscar success in the animated feature category. Since the introduction of the Best Animated Feature Oscar in 2002, a significant number of Annie winners for Best Feature have gone on to win the Oscar, with last year's "Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio" continuing this trend. "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" excelled in various categories, including Directing, Music, Production Design, Character Design, FX, and Editing, showcasing the breadth of its acclaim.
Competing closely in the film categories were "The Boy and the Heron" by Gkids and Netflix's "Nimona," each securing two awards. "Nimona," with the highest nominations at nine, won for Writing and Voice Acting, courtesy of Chloë Grace Moretz's performance. "The Boy and the Heron" received accolades for Best Storyboarding and Character Animation, highlighting director Hayao Miyazaki's creative vision. Additionally, "Robot Dreams" from Arcadia Motion Pictures was recognized as Best Feature – Independent, positioning these films as strong contenders for the Academy Award alongside "Spider-Verse" and Disney/Pixar's "Elemental."
It was a notable year for the Annies as it marked the first time in over three decades that no Disney or Pixar film competed for the top prize. Both "Elemental" and other nominees like "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" and "Suzume" did not secure any awards.
On the television front, Netflix's "Blue Eye Samurai" dominated with six awards, excelling in Writing, Editing, FX, Character Design, Production Design, and Best TV/Media for Mature Audiences. Disney Television Animation's "Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur" and Lucasfilm's "Star Wars: Visions" were also celebrated, winning three and two Annies respectively.
Courtesy of Lucas Films
The ceremony not only honored contemporary achievements but also paid tribute to lifetime accomplishments in the field. Winsor McCay Awards for career achievement were presented to the legendary animator-director Charlotte “Lotte” Reiniger (posthumously), Studio Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi, and National Film Board animator and producer Marcy Page. The evening also recognized the Artists of Walt Disney Animation with a special achievement award, and the charitable impact of BRIC Foundation co-founders Alison Mann and Nicole Hendrix was celebrated with the June Foray Award. The Ub Iwerks Award for technical achievement was posthumously awarded to John Oxberry, acknowledging his contributions to the industry.
The 51st Annie Awards not only highlighted the exceptional talent within the animation industry but also set the stage for upcoming accolades, including the Academy Awards, further cementing the importance of animation in the broader landscape of film and entertainment.
Courtesy of Sony Pictures via Everett Collection
Here’s the complete list of winners:
BEST FEATURE
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Sony Pictures Animation
BEST FEATURE – INDEPENDENT
Robot Dreams
Arcadia Motion Pictures
BEST DIRECTION – FEATURE
Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Sony Pictures Animation
BEST DIRECTION – TV/MEDIA
Paul Young
Star Wars: Visions
Episode: Screecher’s Reach
Lucasfilm Ltd. / Cartoon Saloon
BEST STORYBOARDING – FEATURE
Hayao Miyazaki
The Boy and the Heron
Studio Ghibli / Distributed by Gkids
BEST STORYBOARDING – TV/MEDIA
Ben Juwono
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
Episode: Goodnight Moon Girl
Disney Television Animation / Cinema Gypsy Productions
BEST TV/MEDIA – LIMITED SERIES
Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire
Episode: Enkai
Triggerfish & Blinkink
BEST TV/MEDIA – MATURE
Blue Eye Samurai
Episode: Pilot: Hammerscale
A Netflix Series / 3 Arts Entertainment and Blue Spirit Productions
BEST TV/MEDIA – CHILDREN
Hilda
Episode: Chapter 8: The Fairy Isle
Hilda Productions Limited, a Silvergate Media Company, Netflix Inc. and Mercury Filmworks
BEST TV/MEDIA – PRESCHOOL
Ghee Happy
Episode: Navagraha
Ghee Happy Studio
BEST WRITING – FEATURE
Robert L. Baird, Lloyd Taylor
Nimona
Annapurna Animation for Netflix
BEST WRITING – TV/MEDIA
Amber Noizumi
Blue Eye Samurai
Episode: The Tale of the Ronin and the Bride
A Netflix Series / 3 Arts Entertainment and Blue Spirit Productions
BEST VOICE ACTING – FEATURE
Chloë Grace Moretz (character: Nimona)
Nimona
Annapurna Animation for Netflix
BEST VOICE ACTING – TV/MEDIA
Diamond White (character: Lunella Lafayette / Moon Girl)
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
Episode: Moon Girl Landing
Disney Television Animation / Cinema Gypsy Productions
BEST EDITORIAL – FEATURE
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Editorial Team
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Sony Pictures Animation
BEST EDITORIAL – TV/MEDIA
Yuka Shirasuna
Blue Eye Samurai
Episode: The Tale of the Ronin and the Bride
A Netflix Series / 3 Arts Entertainment and Blue Spirit Productions
BEST FX – FEATURE
Pav Grochola, Filippo Maccari, Naoki Kato, Nicola Finizio, Edmond Boulet- Gilly
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Sony Pictures Animation
FX: Sony Pictures Imageworks
BEST FX – TV/MEDIA
Thomas Decaens, Karl Burtin, Laurent Bretonniere
Blue Eye Samurai
Episode: All Evil Dreams and Angry Words
A Netflix Series / 3 Arts Entertainment and Blue Spirit Productions
FX: Blue Spirit
BEST CHARACTER ANIMATION – FEATURE
Takeshi Honda
The Boy and the Heron
Studio Ghibli Distributed by Gkids
BEST CHARACTER ANIMATION – TV/MEDIA
Alex Bard
Blue Eye Samurai
Episodes: 101, 104 and 106
A Netflix Series / 3 Arts Entertainment and Blue Spirit Productions
BEST CHARACTER ANIMATION – LIVE ACTION
Fernando Herrera, Chris Hurtt, Nathan McConnel, Daniel Cabral, Chris McGaw
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Marvel Studios
FX: Framestore
BEST CHARACTER ANIMATION – VIDEO GAME
Insomniac Games Animation Team
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Insomniac Games
BEST CHARACTER DESIGN – FEATURE
Jesús Alonso Iglesias
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Sony Pictures Animation
BEST CHARACTER DESIGN – TV/MEDIA
Jose Lopez
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
Episode: The Beyonder
Disney Television Animation / Cinema Gypsy Productions
BEST MUSIC – FEATURE
Daniel Pemberton, Metro Boomin
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Sony Pictures Animation
BEST MUSIC – TV/MEDIA
Markus Wormstorm, Nadia Darries, Dineo du Toit
Star Wars: Visions
Episode: Aau’s Song
Lucasfilm Ltd. / Triggerfish
BEST SPONSORED
“Video Games” by Tenacious D
Pinreel Inc
BEST SPECIAL PRODUCTION
Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie
WildBrain Studios in association with Apple
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – FEATURE
Patrick O’Keefe, Dean Gordon
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Sony Pictures Animation
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN – TV/MEDIA
Toby Wilson, James Wilson, Emil Mitev
Blue Eye Samurai
Episode: The Great Fire of 1657
A Netflix Series / 3 Arts Entertainment and Blue Spirit Production
BEST SHORT SUBJECT
War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko
ElectroLeague
BEST STUDENT FILM
The Little Poet
Student director: Justine King
School: California Institute of the Arts
Previously Announced
The Winsor McCay Award for Lifetime or Career Contributions
Charlotte “Lotte” Reiniger (posthumous)
Joe Hisaishi
Marcy Page
The June Foray Award (Significant and benevolent or charitable impact)
BRIC Foundation (Alison Mann and Nicole Hendrix, co-founders)
The Ub Lwerks Award (Technical advancement affecting the animation industry)
John Oxberry (posthumous)
The Special Achievement Award (Unique and outstanding achievement not recognized within the existing award category structure)
The Artists of Walt Disney Animation
