The International Animated Film Society (ASIFA-Hollywood) announced the nominees and honorees for the 50th annual Annie Awards. As in previous years, CalArts’ alums and faculty were recognized by the industry for their outstanding work.
In the Best Feature category, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, directed by Joel Crawford (Film/Video BFA 06), and Wendell & Wild, directed by Henry Selick (Film/Video MFA 77), received nominations. Selick also earned a Best Direction – Feature nomination for the film.
In the Best Indie Feature Category, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On earned a nod, with Dean Fleischer Camp, CalArts alum Kirsten Lepore, and CalArts faculty Stephen Chiodo also earning nominations in the Best Direction – Feature category.
In the Best Student Film category, Michelle Cheng (Film/Video 24) earned a nomination for her short film “Birdsong.”
The Winsor McCay Awards for exceptional contributions to animation will be presented to CalArtians— Oscar winner and Pixar CCO Pete Docter (Film/Video BFA 90) and TV series creator Craig McCracken (Film/Video 92)—along with Evelyn Lambart (posthumously) from the National Film Board of Canada.
The June Foray Award for charitable impact will be awarded to historian and CalArts faculty Mindy Johnson.
Additional CalArtians nominees include:
- Eric Anderson (Film/Video BFA 11) was nominated in the Best Character Animation – Feature category for Disney and Pixar’s Turning Red.
- Emily Brundige (Film/Video MFA 12) was nominated for Best Writing – TV/Media for the Big Nate episode “The Legend of the Gunting.”
- Emily Dean (Film/Video 13) was nominated for Best Storyboarding – TV/Media for the Love Death + Robots episode “The Very Pulse of the Machine.”
- Jasmin Lai (Film/Video BFA 12) was nominated for Best Production Design – TV/Media for “Mall Stories – Atilla the Grilla,” a short written and directed by fellow CalArtian Elizabeth Ito (Film/Video BFA 04).
- Patrick McHale (Film/Video BFA 06) was nominated for Best Music – Feature for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.
- Lissa Treiman (Film/Video BFA 07) was nominated for Best Direction – TV/Media for the Baymax! episode “Sofia.”
- Nate Wragg (Film/Video 05) was nominated for Best Production Design – Feature for the aforementioned Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
The 50th Annual Annie Awards ceremony takes place on Saturday, Feb. 25 at UCLA’s Royce Hall in Los Angeles.
