DreamWorks Animation SKG and Aardman’s Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, the Academy Award® nominated film and one of the best reviewed movies of the year, was honored Saturday with ten Annie Awards including “Best Animated Feature.” Presented by the International Animation Film Society to recognize the year’s finest animation in film and television, the acclaimed comedy adventure won every category in which it was eligible, tying the record for the most Annie Awards for a single movie. The first feature film outing for the beloved clay animated duo from Aardman’s Oscar®-winning shorts – the cheese-loving Wallace and his faithful canine companion Gromit – Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit also garnered a directing award for Nick Park and Steve Box, voice acting for Peter Sallis and writing honors for Steve Box, Nick Park, Bob Baker and Mark Burton. In addition, Nick Park won for character design (a full listing of awards follows below).
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The film, which features the two enterprising chums using all their wildly imaginative inventions to try to capture a mysterious beast of epic and fluffy proportions, will be released worldwide on DVD and VHS beginning with the February 7 launch in North America and rolling out across key territories including the U.K. February 20.
DreamWorks Animation and Aardman Features are currently working together on the computer-animated comedy Flushed Away, set for release in theaters November 2006. Blending Aardman’s trademark style and characterizations with DreamWorks’ state-of-the-art computer animation, Flushed Away is a madcap comedy set on and beneath the streets of London.
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Annie Award Wins:
Best Animated Feature
Effects Animation: Jason Wen
Character Animation: Claire Billett
Character Design in an Animated Feature: Nick Park
Directing in an Animated Feature Production: Nick Park & Steve Box
Music in an Animated Feature Production: Julian Nott
Production Design in an Animated Feature Production: Phil Lewis
Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production: Bob Persichetti
Voice Acting in an Animated Feature: Peter Sallis (as Wallace)
Writing in an Animated Feature Production: Steve Box, Nick Park,
Bob Baker & Mark Burton