10 Animated Shorts Move Ahead In 2011 Oscar Race

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 10 animated short films will advance in the voting process for the 84th Academy Awards.

Press Release from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Beverly Hills, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 10 animated short films will advance in the voting process for the 84th Academy Awards. Forty-four pictures had originally qualified in the category.

The 10 films are listed below in alphabetical order by title, with their production company:

* "Dimanche/Sunday," Patrick Doyon, director (National Film Board of Canada) * "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore," William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg, directors (Moonbot Studios LA, LLC) * "I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat," Matthew O'Callaghan, director and Sam Register, executive producer (Warner Bros. Animation Inc.) * "La Luna," Enrico Casarosa, director (Pixar Animation Studios) * "Luminaris," Juan Pablo Zaramella, director (JPZtudio) * "Magic Piano," Martin Clapp, director and Hugh Welchman, producer (BreakThru Films) * "A Morning Stroll," Grant Orchard, director and Sue Goffe, producer (Studio AKA) * "Paths of Hate," Damian Nenow, director (Platige Image) * "Specky Four-Eyes," Jean-Claude Rozec, director and Mathieu Courtois, producer (Vivement Lundi!) * "Wild Life," Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby, directors (National Film Board of Canada)

The Short Films and Feature Animation Branch Reviewing Committee viewed all the eligible entries for the preliminary round of voting in screenings held in New York and Los Angeles.

Short Films and Feature Animation Branch members will now select three to five nominees from among the 10 titles on the shortlist. Branch screenings will be held in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in January 2012.

The 84th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

ABOUT THE ACADEMYThe Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world's preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

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Five of the short listed films screened as part The Animation Show of Shows, the traveling selection of the year's best animated short films, curated and presented by Acme Filmworks founder Ron Diamond. THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE, LA LUNA, LUMINARIS, PATHS OF HATE AND WILD LIFE were part of the show in addition to Jose Miguel Riberio's JOURNEY TO CAPE VERDE, Claudius Gentinetta and Frank Braun's SCHLAF, Verena Fels' MOBILE and Georges Schwizgebel's ROMANCE.