‘Kung Fu Panda 2’ Leads Annie Award Nominations

Nominations for the 39th Annual Annie Awards were announced on Monday by the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood. Recognizing the year’s best in the field of animation, the Annie Awards cover 28 categories and include Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Special Production, Commercials, Short Subjects and Outstanding Individual Achievements.

This year, DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 2  leads the pack with 12 nods. Dreamworks Animation also picked up nine nominations for their Puss in Boots and Paramount’s Rango also took nine nods. Pixar’s Cars 2 received seven nominations and Disney’s Winnie the Pooh grabbed eight.

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Winnie the Pooh, however, did not receive a nomination for the night’s top award, Best Animated Feature, while the other top nominees did. (See the complete list of nominees for Best Animated Feature below.) DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon took home the top prize at the 2011 event.

“We are really excited about the expanded list of nominations this year…in all 28 categories,” said Frank Gladstone, president, ASIFA-Hollywood.  “All of the major animation studios are represented, as are some of the independent productions from Europe and South America. This certainly is a testament to the wide reach and appeal of animation and the people who create it.”

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The 2011 Annie Award winners will be announced at the 39th Annual Annie Awards ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, at UCLA’s Royce Hall, in Los Angeles, CA.

The Nominees for Best Animated Feature:

A Cat in Paris – Folimage
Arrugas (Wrinkles) – Perro Verde Films, S.L.
Arthur Christmas – Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman Animations
Cars 2 – Pixar Animation Studios
Chico & Rita – Chico & Rita Distribution Limited
Kung Fu Panda 2 – DreamWorks Animation
Puss In Boots – DreamWorks Animation
Rango – Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies present A Blind Wink/GK Films Production
Rio – Blue Sky Studios
Tintin – Amblin Entertainment, Wingnut Films and Kennedy/Marshall

View the complete list of nominees for the 39th Annual Annie Awards here.