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‘Raya and the Last Dragon,’ ‘Encanto’ Lead Annie Awards Nominations

The Disney movies “Raya and the Last Dragon” and “Encanto” led all films in nominations for the 49th Annie Awards, which are given out by ASIFA-Hollywood to honor the best in animated entertainment.

In something of a surprise, “Raya” led the field with 10 nominations, followed by “Encanto” with nine. Pixar’s “Luca” and Sony Animation/Netflix’s “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” each received eight nominations.

In the Best Feature category, the nominees were “Encanto,” “Luca,” “Raya,” “The Mitchells” and Universal/Illumination’s “Sing 2,” which did not receive any other nominations.

In the Best Indie Feature category, which usually supplies one or two Oscar nominees, Annies voters singled out “Belle,” “Flee,” “Future Favors,” “Pompo the Cinephile” and “The Summit of the Gods.” “Belle” received five total nominations and “Flee” received four, while the other three were nominated only in that category.

Other films with multiple nominations were “Vivo,” with five, and “Ron’s Gone Wrong,” with two.

The films that were nominated for best film, best director and best writing were “Belle,” “Flee,” “Luca” and “The Mitchells vs. the Machines.”

Overall, Disney dominated the film nominations with 21 noms, plus eight more for its sister animation studio, Pixar. Two Sony Pictures Animation films distributed by Netflix received 13 nominations. In the TV categories, Netflix was by far the leading company, with “Arcane” leading all shows with nine nominations, followed by “Maya and the Three” with seven and “Love, Death + Robots” with five.

The Annie Awards have been handed out since 1972, initially to give lifetime-achievement honors and then, beginning in 1992, to honor the best animated films of the year. In the 20 years since the Academy Awards created a category for animated features, more than 93% of the Oscar nominees in the category have first been nominated for Annie Awards in either the Best Feature or Best Indie Feature category. No film has ever won the Oscar without first being nominated for an Annie.

At present, the Annie Awards are scheduled to take place at an in-person event on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022 at Royce Hall on the UCLA campus.

The honorary awards to be presented during the show include the Winsor McCay Award to Disney animator Ruben Aquino, computer animation pioneer Lillian Schwartz and Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki; the June Foray Award to animators and Hiroshima International Animation Festival founders Renzo and Sayoko Kinoshita; the Ub Iwerks Award to the Python Foundation; the Special Achievement Award to artist and author Glen Vilppu; and the Certificate of Merit to Evan Vernon.

Here is the complete list of nominations. Additional information, including the names of nominees and production and distribution companies in each category, can be found at www.annieawards.org/nominations.

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”
   Episode: “Twelve Angry Birds”
“Muppet Babies”
   Episode: “Gonzo-Rella”
“ODO”
   Episode: “Doddle Song”
“Stillwater”
   Episode: “Crossing Over” / “Kind of Blue”
“Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum”
   Episode: “I Am Ella Fitzgerald”

Best TV/Media – Children
“Amphibia”
   Episode: “True Colors”
“Carmen Sandiego”
   Episode: “The Himalayan Rescue Caper”
“Dug Days”
   Episode: “Science”
“Maya and the Three”
   Episode: “The Sun and the Moon”
“We the People”
   Episode: “Active Citizenship”

Best TV/Media – General Audience
“Arcane”
   Episode: “When These Walls Come Tumbling Down”
“Bob’s Burgers”
   Episode: “Fingers-loose”
“Love, Death + Robots”
   Episode: “Ice”
“Star Wars: Visions”
   Episode: “The Duel”
“Tuca & Bertie”
   Episode: “The Dance”

Best Student Film
“A Film About A Pudding”
“HOPE”
“I Am a Pebble”
“Night of the Living Dread”
“Slouch”

Best FX – TV/Media
“Arcane”
   Episode: “Oil and Water”
“Castlevania”
   Episode: “The Endings”
“Maya and the Three”
   Episode: “The Sun and the Moon”
“Shaun The Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas”
   Episode: “Broadcast Special”
“Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans”
   Episode: “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”
   Episode: “The Monster You Created”
“Love, Death + Robots”
   Episode: “All Through the House”
“Namoo”
   Episode: “Namoo Animated Short”
“Ultra City Smiths”
   Episode: “The Little Baby Hand Pinky Grip”
“We the People”
   Episode: “Active Citizenship”

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 War”
“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”
   Episode: “Some Mysteries Better Left Unsolved”
“Batman: The Long Halloween Part One”
   Episode: “Broadcast Special”
“Kid Cosmic”
   Episode: “The Rings of Power”
“Maya and the Three”
   Episode: “The Sun and the Moon”
“Yuki 7”
   Episode: “They Called Her Number Seven”

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”
   Episode: “True Colors”
“Arcane”
   Episode: “The Monster You Created”
“Crossing Swords”
   Episode: “Tent Pitching”
“Hilda and the Mountain King”
   Episode: “Broadcast Special”
“Maya and the Three”
   Episode: “The Sun and the Moon”

Best Direction – Feature
“Belle”
“Encanto”
“Flee”
“Luca”
“The Mitchells vs. The Machines”

Best Music – TV/Media
“Blush”
   Episode: “Broadcast Short Film”
“Hilda and the Mountain King”
   Episode: “Broadcast Special”
“Maya and the Three”
   Episode: “The Sun and the Moon”
“Mila”
   Episode: “Broadcast Short Film”
“Mira, Royal Detective”
   Episode: “The Eid Mystery”

Best Music – Feature
“Encanto”
“Luca”
“Poupelle of Chimney Town”
“Raya and the Last Dragon”
“Vivo”

Best Production Design – TV/Media
“Arcane”
   Episode: “Happy Progress Day!”
“Arlo the Alligator Boy”
   Episode: “Broadcast Special”
“Love, Death + Robots”
   Episode: “Ice”
“Maya and the Three”
   Episode: “The Sun and the Moon”
“Yuki 7”
   Episode: “They Called Her Number Seven”

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”
   Episode: “When These Walls Come Tumbling Down”
“Invincible”
   Episode: “Where I Really Come From”
“Kid Cosmic”
   Episode: “The Big Win”
“Love, Death + Robots”
   Episode: “Pop Squad”
“The Ghost and Molly McGee”
   Episode: “All Systems No”

Best Storyboarding – Feature
“Encanto”
“Raya and the Last Dragon”
“Spirit Untamed”
“The Addams Family 2”
“Vivo”

Best Voice Acting – TV/Media
Ella Purnell, “Arcane”
   Episode: “When These Walls Come Tumbling Down”
Michael J. Woodard, “Arlo the Alligator Boy”
   Episode: “Broadcast Special”
Parvesh Cheena. “Centaurworld”
   Episode: Johnny Teatimes Be Best Competition: A Quest for the Sash”
Kimberly Brooks, “DC Super Hero Girls”
   Episode: “#EnterNightSting”
Charlie Saxton, “Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans”
   Episode: “Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans”

Best Voice Acting – Feature
John Leguizamo, “Encanto”
Stephanie Beatriz, “Encanto”
Jack Dylan Glazer, “Luca”
Kelly Marie Tran, “Raya and the Last Dragon”
Abbi Jacobson, “The Mitchells vs. The Machines”

Best Writing – TV/Media
“Arcane”
   Episode: “The Monster You Created”
“Maya and the Three”
   Episode: “Chapter 4: The Skull”
“Muppet Babies”
   Episode: “Gonzo-Rella”
“The Mighty Ones”
   Episode: “Berry’s Pet Threat”
“Tuca & Bertie”
   Episode: “Planteau”

Best Writing – Feature
“Belle”
“Flee”
“Luca”
“Raya and the Last Dragon”
“The Mitchells vs. The Machines”

Best Editorial – TV/Media
“Amphibia”
   Episode: “True Colors”
“Arlo the Alligator Boy”
   Episode: “Broadcast Special”
“Love, Death + Robots”
   Episode: “Pop Squad”
“Tom and Jerry in New York”
   Episode: “Billboard Jumble”
“What If…?”
   Episode: “What If…Ultron Won?”

Best Editorial – Feature
“Encanto”
“Flee”
“Luca”
“Raya and the Last Dragon”
“The Mitchells vs. The Machines”