AwardsFeature Film

For First Time, Golden Globes Nominate Two European Animated Features

| | 11 Comments

The Golden Globe nominations were announced this morning, and for the first time, two European animated features made the list for best animated feature: The Breadwinner and Loving Vincent.

Tellingly, it also marks the first time that two animated features with a rating above PG have been nominated for the Golden Globe honor since both The Breadwinner and Loving Vincent are rated PG-13. Further, since both of the films have a female director (Loving Vincent was co-directed by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman), it also marks the first time that two films in the category have had a woman at the helm.

The Breadwinner and Loving Vincent are joined by three mainstream American productions. Here’s the line-up of nominees:

  • The Boss Baby (Dreamworks Animation)
  • The Breadwinner (Cartoon Saloon/Aircraft Pictures/Melusine Productions)
  • Coco (Disney-Pixar)
  • Ferdinand (Fox-Blue Sky Studios)
  • Loving Vincent (Breakthru Films/Trademark Films)

The Lego Batman Movie, which received far better critical reviews than The Boss Baby and (likely) the upcoming Ferdinand, is the most noticeable snub this year by the Golden Globes. It was also snubbed by the Annie Awards last week. Much like the original Lego Movie, award voters seem to be having a difficult time mustering enthusiasm for a film that is based on toys.

The Golden Globes, now in its 75th edition, are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), a group of foreign journalists that covers the Hollywood entertainment industry for international publications.

Much like the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes routinely present the animated feature prize to the Walt Disney Company. In the first 11 years of the award, a Disney or Pixar film has won the Golden Globe nine times.

Some reactions from the nominated filmmakers:

“I’m so proud of all our artists who worked so hard to bring our labor of love into the world. Thank you so much to the HFPA for this wonderful honor.” -Tom McGrath (director), The Boss Baby

“We are so grateful to the HFPA for honoring Coco, which itself honors the distinction and cultural pride of Mexico and the beautiful celebration of Día de Muertos. It is a story that we hope can build bridges between generations, communities, and cultures. On behalf of the many people who worked so hard to bring this story to life, we would like to say ‘thank you’ for this recognition.” – Lee Unkrich (director), Darla K. Anderson (producer), Adrian Molina (co-director), Coco

“It has been an amazing couple of days for us! On Saturday we were honored by the European Film Academy by being voted Best European Animation Film. On Sunday we found out that quarter of a million people in China went to see our film on its opening weekend. And today we’ve been honored with a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animation Film! It is a dream. Vincent said he dreamed his paintings and painted his dreams. Well, making this film was the dream of our life, and now we are living a dream because of this film. Wow, just wow!” – Hugh Welchman (co-director), Loving Vincent

“We were doing an interview for Swiss television, and the interviewer probably thought I was a complete weirdo, because I had so much tension in me that I couldn’t focus at all, then I got a sign from someone off camera and the interviewer then must have been sure that I was crazy because I jumped out of my seat screaming with joy and started running around the studio! All captured on camera. Probably not the best interview for viewers, but absolutely the best interview of my life! I am so honored we were nominated. I’m so happy. For me, for Hugh, for our producers Ivan and Sean, for our amazing cast and crew and of course for our astounding painters, that the work they put into those 65,000 oil-paintings is now being recognized.” – Dorota Kobiela (co-director), Loving Vincent

And The Breadwinner director Nora Twomey posted the following messages on Twitter.

Also, in the original motion picture song category, three of the nominations belong to songs that appear in animated films: “Home” in Ferdinand (music: Nick Jonas, Justin Tranter, and Nick Monson; lyrics: Nick Jonas, Justin Tranter); “Remember Me” in Coco (music and lyrics: Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez); and “The Star” for the film of the same name (music and lyrics: Mariah Carey, Marc Shaiman).

Sponsored Stories from Cartoon Brew

Latest News from Cartoon Brew