Summary
- The 51st annual Annie Awards ceremony was held in Los Angeles on February 18, 2024.
- Studio Ghibli’s ‘The Boy and the Heron,’ directed by Hayao Miyazaki, won two award categories.
- ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ won the highest “Best Feature Film award.”
The Annie Awards are highly regarded and presented annually by the Los Angeles branch of the International Animated Film Association (ASIFA-Hollywood). Initially, these awards were established to recognize lifetime or career achievements in animation. However, since 1992, they have also honored individual works.
Recently, the 2024 Annie Awards took place live, and several films, such as ‘The Boy and the Heron,’ ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,’ and many others, were named as winners.
Studio Ghibli’s ‘The Boy and the Heron,’ directed by Hayao Miyazaki, won two award categories at the 51st annual Annie Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on February 18.
The film secured victories in two significant categories- Best Character Animation and Best Storyboarding. Makoto Shinkai’s film, ‘Suzume,’ was also nominated for both awards.
Takeshi Honda, the animation director for the Miyazaki movie, won the “Best Character Animation” trophy and expressed hope that Miyazaki would start preparations for the following work.
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ won the highest award for “Best Feature Film,” along with other awards such as Best Music, Best FX, Best Production Design, and Best Direction.
The Japanese movie ‘Kimitachi wa Do Ikiruka’ was nominated in seven categories at the Annies Awards. Despite not winning the “Best Feature” award, the film’s triumph is remarkable.
Composer Joe Hisaishi received the “Winsor McCay Award” for his invaluable contributions to animation. In a heartfelt video message, he expressed his joy at the recognition, emphasizing the vital role of music in animation and films.
The ‘In Memoriam Segment’ of the Japanese anime industry professionals honored Takahiro Kimura, Ippei Kuri, Leiji Matsumoto, Osamu Tezuka, and Nizo Yamamoto.
Despite receiving seven nominations, Makoto Shinkai’s movie “Suzume no Tojimari” (“Suzume”) failed to secure any awards. Nevertheless, it continues to captivate audiences worldwide. It was truly amazing to witness the many deserving films that won awards, and we hope that their legacy will live on forever.
About “The Boy and The Heron”
“The Boy and The Heron” (Kimitachi wa Dō Ikiru ka) is an anime film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. The story is inspired by the novel of the same name by Genzaburo Yoshino, first published in 1937 and set in pre-war Japan.
The novel tells the story of Copper, a fifteen-year-old boy who lives in Tokyo, watches thousands of people every day and wonders about anything and everything. After his father’s death, he goes on a journey of philosophical enlightenment and uses his knowledge to determine the best way to live!
Source: Annie Awards’ Twitter
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