The 52nd annual Annie Awards, held at UCLA’s Royce Hall, was a celebration of excellence in animation, but it wasn’t without its unexpected moments. DreamWorks Animation’s The Wild Robot emerged as the night’s biggest winner, taking home nine awards, including Best Feature. Netflix’s Arcane, a series based on Riot Games’ League of Legends universe, dominated the TV/Media categories with seven wins. However, the ceremony was briefly interrupted by not one, but two fire alarms, causing attendees to evacuate the venue temporarily. According to ASIFA-Hollywood executive director Aubry Mintz, the alarms were triggered by a sensor issue, and no actual fire was present. Despite the disruptions, the show resumed smoothly, and the evening continued to honor the best in animation.
The night was particularly memorable for The Wild Robot and Arcane, as both projects swept all categories in which they were nominated. The Wild Robot, based on Peter Brown’s book, not only won Best Feature but also earned awards for directing (Chris Sanders), voice acting (Lupita Nyong’o), music (Kris Bowers), and more. Its success, combined with its recent PGA Award win, solidifies its position as a strong contender for the animated feature Oscar. Meanwhile, the Latvian film Flow, a gripping tale of a cat’s survival after a flood, claimed two Annies, including Best Animated Feature – Independent. Its wins for best writing (Gints Zilbalodis and Matīss Kaža) further highlight its critical acclaim, and it is now a contender for both the foreign film and animated feature categories at the upcoming Academy Awards.
Other notable winners in the feature categories included DreamWorks Animation’s Orion and the Dark, which won Best Special Production and Best Writing – TV/Media for Charlie Kaufman, and Illumination’s Despicable Me 4, which took home the award for storyboarding. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was recognized for character animation in a live-action film. In the TV/Media categories, Arcane stood out for its direction, FX, character animation, and music, among other achievements. Other winners included The Tiny Chef Show for Best TV/Media – Preschool, Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur for Best TV/Media – Children, and Bob’s Burgers for Best TV/Media – Mature. Pixar’s Dream Productions won Best TV/Media – Limited Series and Best Voice Acting for Paula Pell.
The ceremony also celebrated outstanding achievements in short films, sponsored content, and student projects. Wander to Wonder took home Best Short Subject, while Fuzzy Feelings won Best Sponsored. The student film Adiós was recognized for its emotional storytelling, and Neva won Best Character Animation – Video Game. These categories showcase the diversity and creativity within the animation industry, highlighting emerging talent and innovative projects.
In addition to the competitive awards, ASIFA-Hollywood honored several individuals and organizations for their contributions to animation. The Winsor McCay Award, given for lifetime or career achievement, was awarded to Disney animator and educator Aaron Blaise, National Film Board of Canada’s Eunice Macaulay (posthumous), and composer Normand Roger. The June Foray Award went to Women in Animation for their advocacy of gender equality and inclusion. Alberto Menache received the Ub Iwerks Award for technical achievement, and a special achievement award was given to Pete Docter and Don Peri for their book Directing at Disney: The Original Directors of Walt’s Animated Films. These juried awards underscore the Annie Awards’ commitment to recognizing both artistic excellence and the broader impact of animation on culture and society.
The ceremony also served as an opportunity to give back to the community. ASIFA-Hollywood partnered with AnimAID, a coalition of animation professionals, to raise funds for animation community members affected by recent fires. The initiative aims to raise at least $5 million, with over $107,000 collected during the event through donations and an auction of animation memorabilia. The evening opened with a performance by the Los Angeles Firefighters Pipes and Drums, further emphasizing the theme of resilience and solidarity. Despite the unexpected interruptions, the 52nd Annie Awards proved to be a heartfelt celebration of animation’s power to inspire, entertain, and bring people together.
