40th Annual Annie Award Nominations – Ceremony On February 2

The International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, announced nominations today for its 40^th Annual Annie Awards™ recognizing the year’s best in the field of animation. The Annie Awards cover 30 categories and include Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Special Production, Commercials, Short Subjects and Outstanding Individual Achievements.

The slate of nominations for Best Animated Features this year includes: Brave (Pixar Animation Studios), Frankenweenie (The Walt Disney Studio), Hotel Transylvania (Sony Animation Studios), ParaNorman (Focus Features), Rise of the Guardians (DreamWorks Animation), The Pirates! Band of Misfits (Aardman Animations), The Rabbi’s Cat (GKIDS), and Wreck-It Ralph (Walt Disney Animation Studios).

“I am very exited about this year’s slate of nominees!” remarked ASIFA-Hollywood president, Frank Gladstone. “We had more submissions to choose from this year than for any prior year in Annie Award history, running the gamut from big studio features to indie films, television series to internet shows, games, shorts and, for the first time, student films, all showcasing the huge variety of venues, creativity, technical innovation, and story-telling that our art form has to offer.” Created in 1972 by veteran voice talent June Foray, the Annie Awards have grown in scope and stature for four decades.

Winners will be announced at the 40^th Annual Annie Awards ceremony on Saturday, February 2, 2013 at UCLA’s Royce Hall, in Los Angeles, CA.

Juried awards honoring career achievement and exceptional contributions to animation will also be awarded. Three Winsor McCay recipients have been selected by the ASIFA-Hollywood Board of Directors – Oscar Grillo, Terry Gilliam and Mark Henn for their career contributions to the art of animation; June Foray Award – Howard Green for his significant and benevolent or charitable impact on the art and industry of animation; and Ub Iwerks – Toon Boom Animation/Toon Boom Animation Pipeline for technical advancements that make a significant impact on the art or industry of animation.

For up-to-the minute information on the Annie Awards, please visit www.annieawards.org. And, for information on ASIFA-Hollywood, please visit www.asifa-hollywood.org