"Cars" takes the flag at Annie Awards
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Pixar's "Cars" was named best animated feature at the 34th annual Annie Awards, handed out Sunday at the Alex Theater in Glendale.
But ASIFA-Hollywood, the Burbank-based chapter of the International Animated Film Society, presented "Flushed Away," from DreamWorks Animation and Aardman Animations, with more trophies than any other film.
A tale of London sewer dwellers, "Flushed" earned honors in five categories: Scott Cegielski took the prize for animated effects; Gabe Hordos, feature character animation; Pierre-Olivier Vincent, feature production design; Ian McKellen, feature voice acting for the character of Toad; and Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais, Christopher Lloyd, Joe Keenan and Will Davies, feature writing. In addition, "Flushed Away the Game," from D3 Publisher of America, was named best animated video game.
DreamWorks' "Over the Hedge," in which woodland creatures clash with suburbia, picked up three awards, including feature directing laurels for Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick. They also earned trophies for Nicolas Marlet for feature character design and Gary Graham for feature storyboarding.
In addition to being named best animated feature, "Cars" won the prize for best feature music for Randy Newman's score.
DreamWorks, with eight wins, dominated the feature awards, while Cartoon Network, with four nods, led the TV pack.
The award for best animated TV production went to the Cartoon Network's "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends." "Bambi II," from DisneyToon Studios, was named best home entertainment production. A United Airlines commercial titled "Dragon," from Duck Studios, was honored as best animated TV commercial. Blue Sky Studios' "No Time for Nuts," which also is nominated for an Academy Award, was the winner in the best animated short subject contest.
Other winners in the TV categories were character animation, Yu Jae Myung, "Avatar," Nickelodeon; character design, Mike Kunkel, "The Life & Times of Juniper Lee," Cartoon Network; directing, Giancarlo Volpe, "Avatar," Nickelodeon; music, James L. Venable and Jennifer Kes Remington, "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends"; production design, Martin Ansolabehere, "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends"; storyboarding, Li Hong, "The X," Nickelodeon; voice acting, Eartha Kitt, "The Emperor's New School," Walt Disney Television Animation; and writing, Ian Maxtone-Graham, "The Simpsons," Gracie Films/Fox.
Winsor McCay Awards, recognizing career achievements, were presented to Bill Plympton, Genndy Tartakovsky and Andreas Deja. Stephen Worth received the June Foray Award for benevolent contributions to the art and industry of animation.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
