WALL-E may be the frontrunner among animated films this awards season, but it doesn’t seem to be the case with the recently-concluded Annie Awards.  The premier award given to animated films, headed by the International Animated Film Society, gave 15 out of 24 honors to Kung Fu Panda, the DreamWorks Animation film centering on a panda fulfilling his destiny of becoming a kung fu master.

It was a surprise even among the organization’s members themselves.  Many expected the Disney/Pixar release, or the Israeli animated documentary Waltz with Bashir, to go home with the Best Animated Feature award; both films won best film honors, animated or otherwise, during the awards season.  Panda’s haul was a surprise even to John Stevenson, the film’s co-director, something clearly illustrated in his expletive-filled acceptance speech.

Among Panda’s honors include those for music, direction, effects, and voice acting, taken home by Dustin Hoffman.  Among other honorees include television shows Robot Chicken and Avatar: The Last Airbender, and lifetime honors to Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park, Pixar honcho John Lasseter, and Beavis and Butthead creator Mike Judge.


-Henrik Batallones, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Variety
(Image courtesy of DreamWorks Animation)