Annie Awards 2021 Nominations | Hollywood Reporter
Soul and Wolfwalkers lead the Annie Awards feature nominations with 10 apiece. They are followed by Onward and Over the Moon, with seven apiece, and The Croods: A New Age and The Willoughbys, with six apiece.
Disney/Pixar’s jazz-themed Soul, directed by Pete Docter and co-directed by Kemp Powers, is nominated for best animated feature, while Wolfwalkers, the Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart-helmed Apple original Irish fantasy produced by Cartoon Saloon and Melusine with domestic theatrical distribution from GKIDS, is nominated for best independent animated feature. Both movies scored nominations for directing, character animation, character design, FX, music, production design, storyboarding and writing. Soul is additionally nominated for editing while Wolfwalkers earned it’s tenth nom for voice acting (Eva Whittaker as Mebh).
Also nominated for best feature are Onward, The Croods: A New Age, The Willoughbys and Trolls World Tour. The best independent animated feature category also includes nominees A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Calamity Jane, On-Gaku: On Sound and Ride Your Wave.
The category for an independent animated film was added to the event in 2015. In four of the last five years, the winner of the best animated feature category went on to win the Oscar for best animated feature.
This year, Soul’s Oscar shortlisted music earned an Annie nomination for Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste.
Several of the animated shorts that have been shortlisted for Academy Awards consideration also received Annie nominations. Dreamworks Animation’s To: Gerard received two noms, for editing and production design; Magic Light Pictures’ The Snail and the Whale earned one nom, for best special production; and Netflix’s If Anything Happens I Love You received one nom for editing.
The Annie Awards for animation will be presented by ASIFA-Hollywood during a virtual ceremony on April 16. The complete list of nominations follows.
Best Feature
Soul, Pixar Animation Studios
The Croods: A New Age, DreamWorks Animation
The Willoughbys, Netflix Presents A Bron Animation Production in association with Creative Wealth Media
Trolls World Tour, DreamWorks Animation
Best Indie Feature
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Studiocanal and Aardman present in association with Anton Capital Entertainment An Aardman Production for Netflix
Calamity Jane, Maybe Movies
On-Gaku: Our Sound, Rock’n Roll Mountain, Tip Top
Ride Your Wave, Science SARU
Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine
Best Special Production
Libresse / Bodyform – #Womb Stories, Chelsea Pictures
Nixie & Nimbo, Hornet
Shooom’s Odyssey, Picolo Pictures
The Snail and the Whale, Magic Light Pictures
Filles Bleues, Peur Blanche, Miyu Productions
KKUM, open the portal
Souvenir Souvenir, Blast Production
The Places Where We Live (Cake), FX Productions and FX
World of Tomorrow Episode Three: The Absent Destinations of David Prime, Don Hertzfeldt
Best Sponsored
Erste Group ‘Edgar’s Christmas’, Pasion Animation Studios
The Last Mile, Nexus Studios
There’s a Monster in my Kitchen, Cartoon Saloon, Mother
Travel the Vote, Hornet
Best TV/Media – Preschool
Buddi Episode: Snow, Unanico Group
Muppet Babies Episode: Wock-a-bye-Fozzie, Oddbot / Disney Junior
Stillwater Episode: The Impossible Dream / Stuck in the Rain, Apple / Gaumont / Scholastic
The Adventures of Paddington Episode: Paddington Digs a Tunnel to Peru, Blue-Zoo Animation Studio and Nickelodeon Animation Studio
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: I am Madam President Episode: I am Madam President, 9 Story Media Group, Brown Bag Films
Best TV/Media – Children
Hilda Episode: Chapter 9: The Deerfox, Silvergate Media for Netflix
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Episode: Finale Part 4: Rise, Nickelodeon Animation Studio
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Episode: Heart Part 2, DreamWorks Animation
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Episode: Shattered, Lucasfilm Animation
Victor And Valentino Episode: The Lonely Haunts Club 3: La Llorona, Cartoon Network Studios
Best TV/Media – General Audience
Close Enough Episode: Logan’s Run’d/Room Parents, Cartoon Network Studios
Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal Episode: Coven Of The Damned, Cartoon Network Studios
Harley Quinn Episode: Something Borrowed, Something Green, Eshugadee Productions in association with Warner Bros. Animation
Rick and Morty Episode: The Vat of Acid Episode, Rick and Morty LLC
The Midnight Gospel Episode: Mouse of Silver, Titmouse Animation for Netflix
Best Student Film
100,000 Acres of Pine, Student director: Jennifer Alice Wright
School: The Animation Workshop
Coffin, Student director: Yuanqing Cai, Nathan Crabot, Houzhi Huang, Mikolaj Janiw, Mandimby Lebon, Théo Tran Ngoc School: Gobelins, l’école de l’image
La Bestia, Student director: Marlijn Van Nuenen, Ram Tamez, Alfredo Gerard Kuttikatt School: Gobelins, l’école de l’image
Latitude du printemps, Student director: Sylvain Cuvillier, Chloé Bourdic, Théophile Coursimault, Noémie Halberstam, Ma?lis Mosny, Zijing YeSchool: Rubika
O Black Hole!, Student director: Renee Zhan Student producer: Jesse Romain
School: National Film and Television School, UK
Best FX for TV/Media
Fast & Furious: Spy Racers Episode: Sirocco Fire ExplosionDreamWorks Animation, Chris Browne, Brand Webb, Russell Richardson, Ardy Ala, Reggie Fourmyle
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous Episode: Welcome to Jurassic World, DreamWorks Animation, Emad Khalili, Ivan Wang
Lamp Life Episode: Lamp Life, Pixar Animation Studios, Greg Gladstone, Keith Daniel Klohn, Matthew Wong
Tales of Arcadia: Wizards Episode: Killahead, Part Two, DreamWorks Animation, Greg Lev, Igor Lodeiro, Brandon Tyra, Cui Wei, Ma Xiao
Transformers: War For Cybertron Trilogy (Siege) Episode: Episode 6, Rooster Teeth Productions for Netflix, Masanori Sakakibara
Best FX for Feature
Over the Moon, Ian Farnsworth, Brian Casper, Reinhold Rittinger, Zoran Stojanoski, Jennifer Lasrado
Soul, Tolga Göktekin, Carl Kaphan, Hiroaki Narita, Enrique Vila, Kylie Wijsmuller
The Croods: A New Age, Amaury Aubel, Domin Lee, Alex Timchenko, Andrew Wheeler, Derek Cheung
Trolls World Tour, Zachary Glynn, Landon Gray, Youxi Woo, John Kosnik, Doug Rizeakos
Wolfwalkers, Kim Kelly, Leena Lecklin, Frédéric Plumey, Almu Redondo, Nicole Storck
Best Character Animation – TV/Media
Alien Xmas, Netflix Presents Fairview Entertainment / Sonar Entertainment / Chiodo Bros. Productions, Kim Blanchette
BoJack Horseman Episode: Good Damage, Tornante Productions, LLC for Netflix, James Bowman
Cosmos: Possible Worlds Episode: Vavilov, Starburns Industries, Dan MacKenzie
Hilda, Silvergate Media for Netflix, David Laliberté
Lamp Life Episode: Lamp Life, Pixar Animation Studios,Lucas Fraga Pacheco
Best Character Animation – Feature
The Croods: A New Age, Rani Naamani
The Willoughbys, Andrés Bedate Martin
Wolfwalkers, Emmanuel Asquier-Brassart
Best Character Animation – Live Action
The Christmas Chronicles 2, Netflix Presents A 26th Street Pictures / Wonder Worldwide Production, FX Production Company: Weta Digital, Nick Stein, Caroline Ting, Sebastian Trujillo, David Yabu, Paul Ramsden
The Madalorian, Production Company: Lucasfilm, FX Production Company: Image Engine, Nathan Fitzgerald, Leo Ito, Chris Rogers, Eung Ho Lo, Emily Luk
The Umbrella Academy 2, Production Company: UCP for Netflix, FX Production Company: Weta Digital, Aidan Martin, Hunter Parks, Craig Young, Viki Yeo, Krystal Sae Eua
Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made, Production Company: Walt Disney Pictures FX Production Company: Framestore, Anders Beer, Marianne Morency, Hennadii Prykhodko, Sophie Burie, Cedric Le Poullennec
Best Character Animation – Video Game
League of Legends, Riot Games, Jose “Sho” Hernandez, Lana Bachynski , Christopher Hsing, Matthew Johnson, Jason Hendrich
Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales, Insomniac Games, Brian Wyser, Michael Yosh, Danny Garnett, David Hancock
Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Moon Studios, Xbox Game Studios iam8bit, Jim Donovan, Warren Goff, Boris Hiestand, Kim Nguyen, Jason Martinsen
The Last of Us Part II, Naughty Dog Jeremy Yates, Eric Baldwin, Almudena Soria, Michal Mach, August Davies
Best Character Design – TV/Media
Amphibia Episode: The Shut-In!, Disney TV Animation, Joe Sparrow
BNA, Episode: Runaway Raccoon Trigger / Netflix, Yusuke Yoshigaki
Craig of the Creek, Cartoon Network Studios, Danny Hynes
Looney Tunes Cartoons, Warner Bros. Animation, Jim Soper
The Owl House Episode: Young Blood, Old Souls, Disney Television Animation, Marina Gardner
Best Character Design – Feature
Soul, Daniel López Muñoz
The Croods: A New Age, Joe Pitt
The Willoughbys, Craig Kellman
Trolls World Tour, Timothy Lamb
Wolfwalkers, Federico Pirovano
Best Direction – TV/Media
Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal “Plague Of Madness,” Genndy Tartakovsky
Great Pretender, “Case 1_1: Los Angeles Connection,” Hiro Kaburagi
Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart, “Mao Mao’s Nakey,” Titmouse / Cartoon Network Studios, Michael Moloney
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles “Battle Nexus NYC,” Nickelodeon Animation Studio,Alan Wan
The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse, “Hard to Swallow,” Disney Television Animation,Eddie Trigueros
Calamity Jane, Rémi Chayé
Soul, Pete Docter, Kemp Powers
Wolfwalkers, Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart
Best Music – TV/Media
Blood of Zeus “Escape or Die,” Powerhouse Animation Studios for Netflix, Paul Edward-Francis
Mira Royal Detective “The Great Diwali Mystery,” Wild Canary / Disney Junior Amritha Vaz, Matthew Tishler, Jeannie Lurie
Star Trek: Lowe Decks “Crisis Point,” CBS’s Eye Animation Productions, Titmouse; Secret Hideout; and Roddenberry Entertainment, Chris Westlake
Star Wars; the Clone Wars: “Victory and Death,” Lucasfilm Animation Kevin Kiner
The Tiger That Came to Tea, Lupus Films, David Arnold, Don Black
Best Music – Feature
Onward, Mychael Danna, Jeff Danna
Over the Moon, Steven Price, Christopher Curtis, Marjorie Duffield, Helen Park
Soul, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste
The Willoughbys, Mark Mothersbaugh, Alessia Cara, Jon Levine, Colton Fisher
Wolfwalkers, Bruno Coulais, Kíla
Best Production Design – TV/Media
Baba Yaga, Baobab Studios, Glenn Hernandez, Matthieu Saghezchi
Shoom’s Odyssey, Picolo Pictures, Julien Bisaro,
The Adventures of Paddington “Paddington And Halloween,” Blue-Zoo Animation Studio and Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Negar Bagheri
To: Gerard, DreamWorks Animation, Raymond Zibach
Trash Truck, Glen Keane Productions for Netflix, Eastwood Wong, Sylvia Liu, Elaine Lee, Tor Aunet, Lauren Zurcher
Best Production Design – Feature
Onward, Noah Klocek, Sharon Calahan, Huy Nguyen, Bert Berry, Paul Conrad
Soul, Steve Pilcher, Albert Lozano, Paul Abadilla, Bryn Imagire
The Willoughbys, Kyle McQueen
Trolls World Tour, Kendal Cronkhite Shaindlin, Timothy Lamb
Wolfwalkers, María Pareja, Ross Stewart, Tomm Moore
Best Storyboarding – TV/Media
Archibald’s Next Big Thing “Baritone Tea Part 1,” DreamWorks Animation, Ben McLaughlin
Big City Greens “Cheap Show,” Walt Disney Television Animation, Kiana Khansmith
Looney Tunes Cartoons, Warner Bros. Animation, Andrew Dickman
Mortal Combat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge, Warner Bros. Animation, Milo Neuman
Shoom’s Odyssey, Picolo Pictures, Julien Bisaro
Best Storyboarding – Feature
Earwig and the Witch, Studio Ghibli, Goro Miyazaki
Over the Moon, Glen Keane
The Croods: A New Age, Evon Freeman
Wolfwalkers, Guillaume Lorin
Best Voice Acting – TV/Media
Dragons Rescue Riders “Hunt for the Golden Dragon,” DreamWorks Animation
It’s Pony “Episode 107,” Blue-Zoo Animation and Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Jessica DiCicco (Annie)
Phones and Ferb the Movie “Candace Against the Universe,” Walt Disney Television Animation & Disney+, Ashley Tisdale (Candace)
Tales of Arcadia: Wizards, “Our Final Act,” DreamWorks Animation, David Bradley (Merlin)
ThunderCats Roar! “ThunderSlobs,” Warner Bros. Animation, Patrick Seitz (Mumm-Ra, Tygra)
Best Voice Acting – Feature
Earwig and the Witch, Vanessa Marshall (Bella Yaga)
Onward, Tom Holland (Ian Lightfoot)
Over the Moon, Robert G. Chiu (Chin)
The Croods: A New Age, Nicolas Cage (Grug)
Wolfwalkers, Eva Whittaker (Mebh Óg MacTíre)
Best Writing – TV/Media
Big Mouth “The New Me,” Netflix, Andrew Goldberg, Patti Harrison, Andrew Goldberg
Craig of the Creek, Cartoon Network Studios, Jeff Trammell, Tiffany Ford, Dashawn Mahone, Najja Porter
Fancy Nancy, “Nancy’s New Friend,” Disney Television Animation, Krista Tucker, Andy Guerdat, Matt Hoverman, Laurie Israel, Marisa Evans-Sanden
Harley Quinn, “Something Borrowed, Something Green,” Eshugadee Productions in association with Warner Bros. Animation, Sarah Peter
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, “Heart Part 2,” DreamWorks Animation, Noelle Stevenson
Best Writing – Feature
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Mark Burton, Jon Brown
Onward, Dan Scanlon, Jason Headley,Keith Bunin
Over the Moon, Audrey Wells
Soul, Pete Docter, Mike Jones, Kemp Powers
Wolfwalkers, Will Collins
Cops and Robbers, Brandon Terry, Ezra Dweck, Del Spiva
Hilda Episode: Chapter 9: The Deerfox, John McKinnon
If Anything Happens I Love You, Gilbert Films / Oh Good Productions for Netflix, Peter Ettinger, Michael Babcock
Lamp Life Episode: Lamp Life, Serena Warner
To: Gerard, James Ryan
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Sim Evan-Jones, Adrian Rhodes
Calamity Jane, Benjamin Massoubre
Onward, Catherine Apple, Anna Wolitzky, Dave Suther
Soul, Kevin Nolting, Gregory Amundson, Robert Grahamjones, Amera Rizk
The Willoughbys, Fiona Toth, Ken Schretzmann