Category: Awards

The British Academy of Film & Television Artists have announced the nominations for the 2001 Orange British Academy Film Awards. Visual spectacle ruled the list with GLADIATOR and CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON receiving 14 nominations each. Both films garnered nominations in the outstanding film, screenplay, music and visual effects categories. Joining the Roman romp and romantic fantasy for best special effects are THE PERFECT STORM, VERTICAL LIMIT and CHICKEN RUN.

Nickelodeon has announced the nominations for its 14th Annual Kids' Choice Awards. Receiving nods for Favorite Voice From An Animated Movie were Mel Gibson (CHICKEN RUN), Kevin Kline (THE ROAD TO EL DORADO), Susan Sarandon (RUGRATS IN PARIS) and David Spade (THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE). Vying for Favorite Cartoon are Nick's HEY ARNOLD!, Cartoon Network's THE POWERPUFF GIRLS, Nick's RUGRATS and Fox's THE SIMPSONS. Best movie nods went to effects heavy flicks CHARLIE'S ANGELS, THE GRINCH and THE NUTTY PROFESSOR II: THE KLUMPS along with live-action comedy BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the short list of films being considered for the Visual Effects Oscar. The seven films chosen were CAST AWAY, DINOSAUR, DR. SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, GLADIATOR, HOLLOW MAN, THE PERFECT STORM and X-MEN. Fifteen-minute clip reels from each of the seven films will be screened for the Visual Effects Award Nominating Committee on February 7. The members will then pick three of the seven films for nominations. Those nominations will be announced on Tuesday, February 13, at 5:30 am.

The U.S. Recording Academy's premiere recording awards, the Grammys, have put out their list of nominees and several nods have gone to tunes from cartoons. Competing in the Best Musical Album For Children category are "More Songs From Pooh Corner" by Kenny Loggins and "Woody's Roundup Featuring Riders In The Sky" by Riders In The Sky. The FANTASIA/2000 soundtrack received a nod for Outstanding Compilation Soundtrack Album For A Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media.

The Golden Globe Awards, given out by the Hollywood Foreign Press, have always been kind to animated features. And this year is no exception. DreamWorks/Aardman's CHICKEN RUN has garnered itself a nomination for best musical or comedy. It competes against the live-action films ALMOST FAMOUS, BEST IN SHOW, CHOCOLAT and O' BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? Last year, TOY STORY 2 took home the same prize. Disney's THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE made an appearance in the very Disneyfied category of best original song for "My Funny Friend and Me." F/X films received nods in several categories also.

The Holland Animation Film Festival concluded its five-day festival with the presentation of its awards. This year's event was the first to hand out an award for independent animation films. With this competition, the festival sets out to promote the short, artistic animation film, and, as a result, encourage media attention toward independent animation. This year's student jury included: Joan Ashworth (animation filmmaker, England), Henk Beumers (animation filmmaker, the Netherlands) and Menno de Nooijer (animation filmmaker, the Netherlands).

On Saturday, November 11, 2000, ASIFA-Hollywood held their 28th annual Annie Award ceremony. This year's big winner was TOY STORY 2 with five awards, including the nod for outstanding theatrical feature. Emmy Award winners Rob Paulsen and Maurice LaMarche, the voices of the now infamous Warner Bros. duo Pinky and the Brain, hosted the ceremony. For television, MICKEY MOUSEWORKS and the special OLIVE, THE OTHER REINDEER both tied with two prizes each. In addition, last year's winner for outstanding primetime show, THE SIMPSONS, took home the award once again.

The 2000 Awards Ceremony and Closing Night Party of the 17th Annual Chicago International Children's Film Festival was held Sunday, October 22, 2000 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Mayer Education Center. The event was hosted by director/actor Harold Ramis (BEDAZZLED, GROUNDHOG DAY, GHOSTBUSTERS). The Chicago International Children's Film Festival is the largest competitive festival of films for children in North America. This year's Festival screened 210 films from over 40 countries, including 36 world premieres. Below is a list of the animation winners.

The Walt Disney Co. has announced the recipients of the 2000 Disney Legends Awards in honor of individuals whose work has made a significant and lasting impact on the Disney legacy. Grace Bailey will posthumously receive the honor for a 40-year Disney career in which she served as head of the Ink and Paint department. Harriet Burns was the studio's first woman Imagineer and a pioneer in designing and building prototypes for Disney's theme park attractions. Joyce Carlson was a studio inker, who went on to build prototypes of IT'S A SMALL WORLD and other theme park attractions.

The British Academy of Film & Television Arts has announced its nominations for the third annual interactive entertainment awards. Three nods, for the technical innovation, learning and childrens awards, went out to the Lego & Steven Spielberg Moviemaker Set, which gives kids a virtual production studio in a box. In the learning category, the Moviemaker Set is up against the SCOTTISH WRITERS and STAR WARS MATHS JABBAS GAME GALAXY CD-Roms. In the childrens category, the Moviemaker Set will be competing against Cartoon Network U.K.

Taking place from Thursday, September 21 Sunday, September 24, 2000 in Abruzzo, Italy, the Matita Film Festival (MFF) awarded its grand prize to Britains Ruth Lingfords PLEASURES OF WAR for its courage, stylistic coherence and the quality of animation, included within a strict narrative structure. Marie Paccous ME, THE OTHER won the student grand prize for its harmony, stylistic unity and technical quality of the animation. MFF's goal is to highlight the independent spirit, while not neglecting entertainment issues.

On Tuesday, September 26, 2000, the board of governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences established a new Oscar awards category for best animated feature. The first award could be presented as early as the 74th Annual Academy Awards in March 2002. The category will exist only in years that have eight or more films deemed eligible for the category. To be eligible, an animated feature must be at least 70 minutes in length, "primarily animated" and meet the other general requirements for feature film eligibility.