Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Oscars Predictions:
Best Animated Short
Weekly Commentary: In the realm of animated shorts, the title can be as captivating as the storyline itself.
This year, Dave Mullins’ “War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko,” which is co-writes with Sean Lennon, the son of Beatles band member John Lennon,...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Oscars Predictions:
Best Animated Short
Weekly Commentary: In the realm of animated shorts, the title can be as captivating as the storyline itself.
This year, Dave Mullins’ “War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko,” which is co-writes with Sean Lennon, the son of Beatles band member John Lennon,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Finalists have been announced for the 2024 British Animation Awards, which will take place on March 7 at London’s BFI Southbank.
Contending for best feature film are “Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget,” “A Cat Called Dom,” “Kensuke’s Kingdom,” “Puffin Rock and The New Friends” and “The Amazing Maurice.”
“Christopher at Sea,” “The Debutante” and “All Gucci My Broski” are nominated in the short film category.
Adjoa Andoh, Benedict Cumberbatch, Emilia Clarke, Idris Elba, Claire Foy, Tom Hollander and Hugh Laurie are among the ensemble cast members nominated for best voice performance for “Mog’s Christmas” “The Amazing Maurice” and “The Boy, the Mole, The Fox and the Horse.”
Baa also acknowledges achievement in television, with “Tweedy & Fluff,” “The Sound Collector – Harp Strings,” “The Rubbish World of Dave Spud – Moonbreaker” and “Lloyd of the Flies” nominated for best children’s series.
For best original music, composer David Arnold is nominated for “Mog’s Christmas...
Contending for best feature film are “Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget,” “A Cat Called Dom,” “Kensuke’s Kingdom,” “Puffin Rock and The New Friends” and “The Amazing Maurice.”
“Christopher at Sea,” “The Debutante” and “All Gucci My Broski” are nominated in the short film category.
Adjoa Andoh, Benedict Cumberbatch, Emilia Clarke, Idris Elba, Claire Foy, Tom Hollander and Hugh Laurie are among the ensemble cast members nominated for best voice performance for “Mog’s Christmas” “The Amazing Maurice” and “The Boy, the Mole, The Fox and the Horse.”
Baa also acknowledges achievement in television, with “Tweedy & Fluff,” “The Sound Collector – Harp Strings,” “The Rubbish World of Dave Spud – Moonbreaker” and “Lloyd of the Flies” nominated for best children’s series.
For best original music, composer David Arnold is nominated for “Mog’s Christmas...
- 2/14/2024
- by Jaden Thompson
- Variety Film + TV
Charlie Mackesy won even more hearts with his Instagram message on a napkin to his 1.8million followers from the Oscars – more specifically, from inside the toilet where he was hiding prior to his category being announced.
Now the winner of the award for best animated short film – for his heartwarming tale The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse – has told the crowd at Latitude Festival that he was too petrified by the cameras and crowds of people to stay in the auditorium in the minutes leading up to the announcement.
The BBC reports Mackesy telling the audience:
“I didn’t think I could even go on stage. I was quite daunted by it.”
And Mackesy added of receiving his Oscar:
“Sometimes I don’t even like to look at the statue, I’ve just got it at home wrapped in a t-shirt. It hasn’t sunk in and...
Now the winner of the award for best animated short film – for his heartwarming tale The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse – has told the crowd at Latitude Festival that he was too petrified by the cameras and crowds of people to stay in the auditorium in the minutes leading up to the announcement.
The BBC reports Mackesy telling the audience:
“I didn’t think I could even go on stage. I was quite daunted by it.”
And Mackesy added of receiving his Oscar:
“Sometimes I don’t even like to look at the statue, I’ve just got it at home wrapped in a t-shirt. It hasn’t sunk in and...
- 7/23/2023
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
The Elephant Whisperers producer Guneet Monga says ‘India’s moment was taken away from me’ at Oscars
The Elephant Whisperers producer Guneet Monga has opened up about being cut off before she could deliver her Oscars acceptance speech.
The 39-year-old producer, who won the Academy Award in the Best Documentary Short film category, was upset by the moment that also caused uproar among film fans.
Footage of the incident showed Monga holding an Oscar and waiting for director Kartiki Gonsalves to end her speech. However, as she approached the mic, the exit music began playing and both women were escorted off-stage.
The moment also caused controversy among fans, with many pointing out that Matthew Freud and Charlie Mackesy, who accepted The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse’s win for Best Animated Short, were given ample time to make their speeches after The Elephant Whisperers.
“There was a shock on my face,” Monga has now told Bombay Times.
“I just wanted to say it’s...
The 39-year-old producer, who won the Academy Award in the Best Documentary Short film category, was upset by the moment that also caused uproar among film fans.
Footage of the incident showed Monga holding an Oscar and waiting for director Kartiki Gonsalves to end her speech. However, as she approached the mic, the exit music began playing and both women were escorted off-stage.
The moment also caused controversy among fans, with many pointing out that Matthew Freud and Charlie Mackesy, who accepted The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse’s win for Best Animated Short, were given ample time to make their speeches after The Elephant Whisperers.
“There was a shock on my face,” Monga has now told Bombay Times.
“I just wanted to say it’s...
- 3/20/2023
- by Peony Hirwani
- The Independent - Film
Anne Hathaway (Eileen) has signed on to star in a mysterious new film that David Robert Mitchell will direct for Warner Bros. Pictures, Bad Robot and Jackson Pictures.
While the pic is billed as a “thrill-ride” to be shot in IMAX, which will head into production this fall, other details are scarce at present.
Related Story Denzel Washington Reuniting With Ridley Scott On ‘Gladiator’ Sequel At Paramount Related Story 'Shazam! Fury Of The Gods' Thunders To $3.4M On Thursday Night – Box Office Related Story 'Shazam! Fury Of The Gods' Review: DC's Young Superhero Saga Led By Zachary Levi Is Bigger But Still Has Humor And Heart Intact
Mitchell penned the original script and will produce alongside J.J. Abrams and Hannah Minghella for Bad Robot, and Jackson Pictures’ Matt Jackson. Jake Weiner and Chris Bender of Good Fear Content will serve as exec producers.
Other...
While the pic is billed as a “thrill-ride” to be shot in IMAX, which will head into production this fall, other details are scarce at present.
Related Story Denzel Washington Reuniting With Ridley Scott On ‘Gladiator’ Sequel At Paramount Related Story 'Shazam! Fury Of The Gods' Thunders To $3.4M On Thursday Night – Box Office Related Story 'Shazam! Fury Of The Gods' Review: DC's Young Superhero Saga Led By Zachary Levi Is Bigger But Still Has Humor And Heart Intact
Mitchell penned the original script and will produce alongside J.J. Abrams and Hannah Minghella for Bad Robot, and Jackson Pictures’ Matt Jackson. Jake Weiner and Chris Bender of Good Fear Content will serve as exec producers.
Other...
- 3/17/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s been one year since the infamous Will Smith/Chris Rock debacle known as The Slap, and the industry-wide mission for a smooth, if uneventful Oscars night in 2023 seems to have been a success.
Whether it was Ke Huy Quan honoring his mom or Charlie Mackesy missing his dog, the 95th Academy Awards were generally pleasant. Host Jimmy Kimmel marked the occasion at the show’s end by updating a sign backstage to read “Number of Oscar Telecasts Without Incident: 1.”
But just because no one got smacked doesn’t mean the biggest night in Hollywood went off without a hitch. The drama of last year inevitably impacted how audiences perceived Sunday’s ceremony, as IndieWire’s Ben Travers explains in his review of ABC’s telecast.
“In 2023, with plenty of feel-good winners predicted to win, it makes some degree of sense for producers to go all-in on an average...
Whether it was Ke Huy Quan honoring his mom or Charlie Mackesy missing his dog, the 95th Academy Awards were generally pleasant. Host Jimmy Kimmel marked the occasion at the show’s end by updating a sign backstage to read “Number of Oscar Telecasts Without Incident: 1.”
But just because no one got smacked doesn’t mean the biggest night in Hollywood went off without a hitch. The drama of last year inevitably impacted how audiences perceived Sunday’s ceremony, as IndieWire’s Ben Travers explains in his review of ABC’s telecast.
“In 2023, with plenty of feel-good winners predicted to win, it makes some degree of sense for producers to go all-in on an average...
- 3/14/2023
- by Alison Foreman and Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
The 2023 show went off without controversy, although as usual overshot its planned three-hour running time by more than 30 minutes.
Everything Everywhere All At Once capped its triumphant awards season with seven Oscars – including best picture, best directors and three acting prizes - at the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday night (March 12).
Apparently reflecting the taste of a younger, more international Academy voting body, the multiverse comedy became the first film to win seven Oscars since Gravity in 2013; and first best picture winner to take more than four awards since The Artist’s five in 2012.
Oscars 2023: Full list of...
Everything Everywhere All At Once capped its triumphant awards season with seven Oscars – including best picture, best directors and three acting prizes - at the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday night (March 12).
Apparently reflecting the taste of a younger, more international Academy voting body, the multiverse comedy became the first film to win seven Oscars since Gravity in 2013; and first best picture winner to take more than four awards since The Artist’s five in 2012.
Oscars 2023: Full list of...
- 3/13/2023
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
Best Foreign Language Feature winner “All Quiet on the Western Front” won the Oscar crafts battle Sunday night, grabbing three prizes out of six for cinematography, production design, and score. That ties “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” for the most craft Oscar wins for an international feature. Edward Berger’s World War I epic from Netflix was also nominated for makeup/hairstyling, sound, and VFX.
Shockingly, Baz Luhrmann’s delirious musical biopic, “Elvis,” was blanked after also receiving six nominations, highlighted by Mandy Walker’s cinematography and the costume and production design of four-time Oscar winner Catherine Martin (“The Great Gatsby” and “Moulin Rouge!”). It was a particularly missed opportunity for Walker to break the glass ceiling again after her historic ASC victory. She represents only the third woman Dp to be nominated, following Ari Wegner (last year’s “The Power of the Dog”) and Rachel Morrison (2018’s “Mudbound”).
The other...
Shockingly, Baz Luhrmann’s delirious musical biopic, “Elvis,” was blanked after also receiving six nominations, highlighted by Mandy Walker’s cinematography and the costume and production design of four-time Oscar winner Catherine Martin (“The Great Gatsby” and “Moulin Rouge!”). It was a particularly missed opportunity for Walker to break the glass ceiling again after her historic ASC victory. She represents only the third woman Dp to be nominated, following Ari Wegner (last year’s “The Power of the Dog”) and Rachel Morrison (2018’s “Mudbound”).
The other...
- 3/13/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
As expected, Daniels Kwan and Scheinert’s Everything Everywhere All At Once has come out on top at 2023’s Oscars ceremony, with the most wins of anything nominated.
The A24 multiverse dramedy, only the second feature film from the directing duo, took home seven awards: best picture, director, lead actress for Michelle Yeoh, original screenplay, editing, supporting actor for Ke Huy Quan and supporting actress for Jamie Lee Curtis.
It broke multiple records with its haul: Yeoh is the first woman to identify as Asian to win lead actress and only the second woman of color ever to win in that category. She also is the actor who has won for playing the most characters in a single film ever (around 70). Quan and Yeoh are the first actors to win for playing Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese-speaking characters, as well as it being the first ceremony multiple Asian actors won in a single year.
The A24 multiverse dramedy, only the second feature film from the directing duo, took home seven awards: best picture, director, lead actress for Michelle Yeoh, original screenplay, editing, supporting actor for Ke Huy Quan and supporting actress for Jamie Lee Curtis.
It broke multiple records with its haul: Yeoh is the first woman to identify as Asian to win lead actress and only the second woman of color ever to win in that category. She also is the actor who has won for playing the most characters in a single film ever (around 70). Quan and Yeoh are the first actors to win for playing Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese-speaking characters, as well as it being the first ceremony multiple Asian actors won in a single year.
- 3/13/2023
- by Hilton Dresden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
London-based PR maven Matthew Freud, joined by fellow Brit and collaborator Charlie Mackesy, offered his apologies for winning the Oscar for Short Film (Animated) for The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse.
“I’ve never made a film before, so this is bewildering,” Freud said in accepting the trophy. “I know the protocol is to say ‘thank you’ a lot, but I’m British, so I’m more comfortable saying ‘sorry.’ So, I’m really sorry to all the people who should be on this stage with us,” alluding to the large crew and voice cast who teamed up for two years during Covid to make the film. Freud closed by quipping that he was “also really sorry to my children, my girlfriend and my colleagues at [PR firm] Freuds for basically being absent over the last two years.”
The Boy came into Oscar night as a heavy favorite in the category.
“I’ve never made a film before, so this is bewildering,” Freud said in accepting the trophy. “I know the protocol is to say ‘thank you’ a lot, but I’m British, so I’m more comfortable saying ‘sorry.’ So, I’m really sorry to all the people who should be on this stage with us,” alluding to the large crew and voice cast who teamed up for two years during Covid to make the film. Freud closed by quipping that he was “also really sorry to my children, my girlfriend and my colleagues at [PR firm] Freuds for basically being absent over the last two years.”
The Boy came into Oscar night as a heavy favorite in the category.
- 3/13/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Apple took home its first animated short Oscar for “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse,” a magical fable featuring a star-studded voice cast and luxurious hand-drawn animation.
The film won at the 95th Academy Awards over the category’s other nominees: Pamela Ribon and Sara Gunnarsdóttir’s buzzy “My Year of Dicks”; “The Flying Sailor” from Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby; “Ice Merchants” from João Gonzalez and Bruno Caetano; and Lachlan Pendragon’s “An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It.”
“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” is based on the book of the same name by British artist and author Charlie Mackesy. Apple Original Films acquired the film last year and it debuted on Apple TV+ on Christmas Day 2022. The film was presented in partnership with the BBC, which made it available on broadcast and streaming in the U.
The film won at the 95th Academy Awards over the category’s other nominees: Pamela Ribon and Sara Gunnarsdóttir’s buzzy “My Year of Dicks”; “The Flying Sailor” from Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby; “Ice Merchants” from João Gonzalez and Bruno Caetano; and Lachlan Pendragon’s “An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It.”
“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” is based on the book of the same name by British artist and author Charlie Mackesy. Apple Original Films acquired the film last year and it debuted on Apple TV+ on Christmas Day 2022. The film was presented in partnership with the BBC, which made it available on broadcast and streaming in the U.
- 3/13/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
With an unprecedented number of Oscar nominations for Irish talent and films this year, everyone was celebrating the green wave at the 17th annual Oscar Wilde Awards, held Thursday night — before the rain arrived — at Bad Robot in Santa Monica. “It’s amazing, there are 7 million people on that island, and all of them were nominated and are here tonight,” host J.J. Abrams joked, in a year when 25 percent of the Academy Award acting nominations are held by Irish actors.
The Oscar Wilde honorees this year were Irish actresses Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin), Jessie Buckley (Women Talking), Eve Hewson (Flora and Son) and An Cailίn Ciúin (The Quiet Girl), the first Irish language film nominated for an Academy Award. Created by the US-Ireland Alliance, the Oscar Wilde Awards celebrate the work of those from Ireland — and some who are not — who contribute to the movies, television and music.
The Oscar Wilde honorees this year were Irish actresses Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin), Jessie Buckley (Women Talking), Eve Hewson (Flora and Son) and An Cailίn Ciúin (The Quiet Girl), the first Irish language film nominated for an Academy Award. Created by the US-Ireland Alliance, the Oscar Wilde Awards celebrate the work of those from Ireland — and some who are not — who contribute to the movies, television and music.
- 3/10/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
From social justice to adolescent romance, this year’s Oscar-nominated shorts filmmakers don’t take long to make their points. The 2023 field of nominees include films from virtually every corner of the world, including Ireland, Iran, India, Norway, Italy and, of course, the U.S.
From left, An Irish Goodbye, Ivalu, Le Pupille, Night Ride and The Red Suitcase.
Live Action Shorts
An Irish Goodbye, written and directed by Tom Berkeley and Ross White, is a dark comedy that follows a pair of estranged brothers who must learn to get along after their mother’s untimely death. Berkeley’s own views of loss inspired the film’s exploration of love and grief. “It’s about reconnection, redemption and the idea of how, in the darkest moments for those two characters, they end up finding each other through their commitment to their mom and their mom’s memory,” he says. “Grief...
From left, An Irish Goodbye, Ivalu, Le Pupille, Night Ride and The Red Suitcase.
Live Action Shorts
An Irish Goodbye, written and directed by Tom Berkeley and Ross White, is a dark comedy that follows a pair of estranged brothers who must learn to get along after their mother’s untimely death. Berkeley’s own views of loss inspired the film’s exploration of love and grief. “It’s about reconnection, redemption and the idea of how, in the darkest moments for those two characters, they end up finding each other through their commitment to their mom and their mom’s memory,” he says. “Grief...
- 3/6/2023
- by Ryan Fleming, Destiny Jackson and Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Hoda Kotb has been absent from her Today show, Today with Hoda and Jenna, since February 20, when the episode she was last seen on, aired.
For the past few weeks, various broadcasters, such as Craig Melvin, Tom Llamas and Savannah Guthrie have been filling in on her show. While her absence remained unaddressed, Kotb remained active on social media, sharing puzzling messages and quotes, including two from the book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy.
50 Best Celebrity Bikinis Slideshow!
After two weeks of speculation and growing concern from her fans, her co-anchors from the Today show finally revealed the reason for her absence during a live broadcast on Wednesday.
“We know a lot of you have been wondering how she’s doing. We can tell you that Hoda is Ok, [but] she’s got a family health matter that she’s been dealing with,” Melville revealed.
For the past few weeks, various broadcasters, such as Craig Melvin, Tom Llamas and Savannah Guthrie have been filling in on her show. While her absence remained unaddressed, Kotb remained active on social media, sharing puzzling messages and quotes, including two from the book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy.
50 Best Celebrity Bikinis Slideshow!
After two weeks of speculation and growing concern from her fans, her co-anchors from the Today show finally revealed the reason for her absence during a live broadcast on Wednesday.
“We know a lot of you have been wondering how she’s doing. We can tell you that Hoda is Ok, [but] she’s got a family health matter that she’s been dealing with,” Melville revealed.
- 3/4/2023
- by Nicky Kashani
- Uinterview
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We will update all our Oscar predictions throughout the season, so keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2023 Oscar race. The nomination round of voting will take place from January 12 to January 17, 2023, with the official Oscar nominations announced on January 24, 2023. The final voting is between March 2 and 7, 2023. Finally, the 95th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 12 and air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. Et/ 5:00 p.m. Pt.
See our initial thoughts for what to expect at the 95th Academy Awards here.
The State of the Race
The exquisitely hand-drawn short, “The Boy, the Mole, The Fox and the Horse,” solidified its standing as the Oscar frontrunner with its four Annie wins February 25 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. This followed its BAFTA prize for Best British Animated Short on February 19. The tender tribute to the virtues of kindness from British illustrator Charlie Mackesy took earned Best Special Production,...
We will update all our Oscar predictions throughout the season, so keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2023 Oscar race. The nomination round of voting will take place from January 12 to January 17, 2023, with the official Oscar nominations announced on January 24, 2023. The final voting is between March 2 and 7, 2023. Finally, the 95th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 12 and air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. Et/ 5:00 p.m. Pt.
See our initial thoughts for what to expect at the 95th Academy Awards here.
The State of the Race
The exquisitely hand-drawn short, “The Boy, the Mole, The Fox and the Horse,” solidified its standing as the Oscar frontrunner with its four Annie wins February 25 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. This followed its BAFTA prize for Best British Animated Short on February 19. The tender tribute to the virtues of kindness from British illustrator Charlie Mackesy took earned Best Special Production,...
- 3/3/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
When writer Charlie Mackesy was searching for someone to score the music for the adaptation of his beloved book 2019 book “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse,” he thought of Isobel Waller-Bridge.
The story about four characters who are lost and need connection is about vulnerability, and for Waller-Bridge and Mackesy, the idea of needing connectiion was best relayed through a musical palette using the piano and a cello.
Here, Waller-Bridge discusses navigating the score and the most important music cues.
What was your introduction to the book, and what did getting the call from Charlie mean to you?
My brother gave me the book for Christmas in 2019. I remember opening it and seeing these beautiful illustrations and these poetic words, and I just fell in love with it. When Charlie asked me to write the music for the film, it was an incredibly profound thing because this...
The story about four characters who are lost and need connection is about vulnerability, and for Waller-Bridge and Mackesy, the idea of needing connectiion was best relayed through a musical palette using the piano and a cello.
Here, Waller-Bridge discusses navigating the score and the most important music cues.
What was your introduction to the book, and what did getting the call from Charlie mean to you?
My brother gave me the book for Christmas in 2019. I remember opening it and seeing these beautiful illustrations and these poetic words, and I just fell in love with it. When Charlie asked me to write the music for the film, it was an incredibly profound thing because this...
- 3/2/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
On Oscar night, “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” will almost certainly win the Academy Award for feature animation. For many of those following along at home, it will look as though the director of “Pan’s Labyrinth” and “The Shape of Water” is being rewarded for some kind of secondary passion, as if del Toro had scaled Everest and then set his sights on a smaller peak on which to plant his flag. But that’s not how it happened at all.
Way back in Mexico, del Toro started his filmmaking career doing animated shorts: Obsessed with Ray Harryhausen, the amateur future auteur built rudimentary armatures, painstakingly repositioning the puppets one frame at a time. Decades later, once established in Hollywood, del Toro accepted a side gig at DreamWorks Animation, serving as a story consultant on films such as “Megamind” and “Kung Fu Panda 2” as a pretext for teaching himself the trade.
Way back in Mexico, del Toro started his filmmaking career doing animated shorts: Obsessed with Ray Harryhausen, the amateur future auteur built rudimentary armatures, painstakingly repositioning the puppets one frame at a time. Decades later, once established in Hollywood, del Toro accepted a side gig at DreamWorks Animation, serving as a story consultant on films such as “Megamind” and “Kung Fu Panda 2” as a pretext for teaching himself the trade.
- 3/2/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
.
We will update all our Oscar predictions throughout the season, so keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2023 Oscars race. The nomination round of voting will take place from January 12 to January 17, 2023, with the official Oscars nominations announced on January 24, 2023. The final voting is between March 2 and 7, 2023. Finally, the 95th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 12, and air live on ABC at 8 p.m. Et/ 5 p.m. Pt.
See our initial thoughts on what to expect at the 95th Academy Awards here.
The State of the Race
The exquisitely hand-drawn short, “The Boy, the Mole, The Fox and the Horse,” solidified its standing as the Oscar frontrunner with its four Annie wins February 25 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. This followed its BAFTA prize for Best British Animated Short on February 19. The tender tribute to the virtues of kindness from British illustrator Charlie Mackesy earned Best Special Production,...
We will update all our Oscar predictions throughout the season, so keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2023 Oscars race. The nomination round of voting will take place from January 12 to January 17, 2023, with the official Oscars nominations announced on January 24, 2023. The final voting is between March 2 and 7, 2023. Finally, the 95th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 12, and air live on ABC at 8 p.m. Et/ 5 p.m. Pt.
See our initial thoughts on what to expect at the 95th Academy Awards here.
The State of the Race
The exquisitely hand-drawn short, “The Boy, the Mole, The Fox and the Horse,” solidified its standing as the Oscar frontrunner with its four Annie wins February 25 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. This followed its BAFTA prize for Best British Animated Short on February 19. The tender tribute to the virtues of kindness from British illustrator Charlie Mackesy earned Best Special Production,...
- 3/1/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
As the animation team came together to adapt Charlie Mackesy’s 2019 book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, the challenge for art director Mike McCain was to recreate Mackesy’s artistic style in motion. The animated short follows a boy searching for a home. Along the way, he meets three animals who are also looking for a place to belong and begin to develop a bond. While McCain hadn’t had much experience with ink lines and watercolors at the start of the project, he had Mackesy helping to guide the animation to capture his “fluid and gestural” style. By the end of the project, McCain and the animators created hundreds of backgrounds for the animation.
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse Concept Art
Deadline: How did you get involved with the The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse?
Mike McCain:...
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse Concept Art
Deadline: How did you get involved with the The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse?
Mike McCain:...
- 2/27/2023
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
A version of this story about Charlie Mackesy and “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” will appear in the Down to the Wire issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
Charlie Mackesy’s bestselling 2019 book “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” is a slim illustrated volume in which very little happens apart from a conversation between four different creatures about kindness, love and accepting oneself. A delicate and philosophical creation, it has been adapted into a 34-minute film that adds just enough plot without ever betraying the heart of the original book.
The film, which is available on Apple TV+, is nominated in the Best Animated Short category at the Oscars. But it has already won the British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) for Best British Animation and it took home four awards at Saturday’s Annie Awards. In addition to winning Best Special Production, it triumphed in the character animation,...
Charlie Mackesy’s bestselling 2019 book “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” is a slim illustrated volume in which very little happens apart from a conversation between four different creatures about kindness, love and accepting oneself. A delicate and philosophical creation, it has been adapted into a 34-minute film that adds just enough plot without ever betraying the heart of the original book.
The film, which is available on Apple TV+, is nominated in the Best Animated Short category at the Oscars. But it has already won the British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) for Best British Animation and it took home four awards at Saturday’s Annie Awards. In addition to winning Best Special Production, it triumphed in the character animation,...
- 2/27/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Los Angeles, Feb. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix Presents A Double Dare You! Film/A Shadowmachine Production in association with The Jim Henson Company) won the Best Feature honor at the 50th Annie Awards celebration Saturday night on the campus of UCLA. Pinocchio also won for Best Character Animation, Feature (Tucker Barrie), Best Direction, Feature (Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson), Best Music, Feature (Alexandre Desplat, Roeban Katz, Guillermo del Toro, Patrick McHale) and Best Production Design, Feature (Curt Enderle, Guy Davis).
Best Independent Feature was presented to Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (Marcel the Movie LLC) which also won for Best Voice Acting, Feature (Jenny Slate as the voice of Marcel) and Best Writing, Feature (Dean Fleischer Camp, Jenny Slate, Nick Paley, Elisabeth Holm).
Best Special Production was presented to The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse (A NoneMore and Bad Robot Production for Apple TV...
Best Independent Feature was presented to Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (Marcel the Movie LLC) which also won for Best Voice Acting, Feature (Jenny Slate as the voice of Marcel) and Best Writing, Feature (Dean Fleischer Camp, Jenny Slate, Nick Paley, Elisabeth Holm).
Best Special Production was presented to The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse (A NoneMore and Bad Robot Production for Apple TV...
- 2/26/2023
- by Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” has picked up another award on its march to the Oscars, nabbing the feature prize at the 50th Annie Awards, presented by Asifa-Hollywood, on Saturday evening.
In addition to being named the top film by the animation industry, “Pinocchio” led the winners’ list with five trophies overall, including the award for best direction for del Toro and fellow director Mark Gustafson. The stop-motion movie also picked up wins for music, production design (Curt Enderle and Guy Davis) and character design (Tucker Barrie).
Del Toro, who came directly from the PGA Awards where he received the trophy for producing ‘Pinocchio,’ was thrilled to win the Annie for direction alongside Gustafson. “Can I say this? I wanted the fucking Annie so much. It’s the most gorgeous thing in the world!” He noted that the Annies ceremony was the one place that he didn’t have to point...
In addition to being named the top film by the animation industry, “Pinocchio” led the winners’ list with five trophies overall, including the award for best direction for del Toro and fellow director Mark Gustafson. The stop-motion movie also picked up wins for music, production design (Curt Enderle and Guy Davis) and character design (Tucker Barrie).
Del Toro, who came directly from the PGA Awards where he received the trophy for producing ‘Pinocchio,’ was thrilled to win the Annie for direction alongside Gustafson. “Can I say this? I wanted the fucking Annie so much. It’s the most gorgeous thing in the world!” He noted that the Annies ceremony was the one place that he didn’t have to point...
- 2/26/2023
- by Terry Flores
- Variety Film + TV
The 50th Annual Annie Awards from Asifa-Hollywood, honoring honor overall excellence in animation as well as individual achievement, were handed out in a ceremony February 25 at Royce Hall on the UCLA campus.
“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” took home the Best Feature prize, as well as feature film awards for Best Character Animation, Best Direction, Best Music and Best Production Design. “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” was awarded Best Indie Feature, as well as Best Voice Acting for co-creator Jenny Slate and Best Writing — Feature.
In the TV categories, “Bob’s Burgers,” “Love Death + Robots,” and “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” all took home awards. See the full list of winners below.
Previously announced, The Winsor McCay Award, in recognition of lifetime or career contributions, was presented to three recipients: Pete Docter, animated feature writer-director and Pixar CEO; Evelyn Lambart (posthumously), early National Film Board of Canada collaborator,...
“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” took home the Best Feature prize, as well as feature film awards for Best Character Animation, Best Direction, Best Music and Best Production Design. “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” was awarded Best Indie Feature, as well as Best Voice Acting for co-creator Jenny Slate and Best Writing — Feature.
In the TV categories, “Bob’s Burgers,” “Love Death + Robots,” and “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” all took home awards. See the full list of winners below.
Previously announced, The Winsor McCay Award, in recognition of lifetime or career contributions, was presented to three recipients: Pete Docter, animated feature writer-director and Pixar CEO; Evelyn Lambart (posthumously), early National Film Board of Canada collaborator,...
- 2/26/2023
- by Mark Peikert
- Indiewire
“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” was the big winner at the 50th annual Annie Awards, winning five categories in the award show that honors the best in animation. Fellow Oscar-nominees “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On” and “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” won three and two awards, respectively.
“Pinocchio” led all films with nine nominations and went into the ceremony as a strong favorite to win the top award. The dark stop-motion take on the “Pinocchio” story also came into the ceremony at a time when its distributor, Netflix, has been dominating the Annies. Last year, its film “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” was nominated in eight categories and won all eight, including Best Feature, while the eventual Oscar winner “Encanto” settled for three awards in categories in which “Mitchells” was not nominated. And two years before that, Netflix’s “Klaus” was a surprise winner over Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,...
“Pinocchio” led all films with nine nominations and went into the ceremony as a strong favorite to win the top award. The dark stop-motion take on the “Pinocchio” story also came into the ceremony at a time when its distributor, Netflix, has been dominating the Annies. Last year, its film “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” was nominated in eight categories and won all eight, including Best Feature, while the eventual Oscar winner “Encanto” settled for three awards in categories in which “Mitchells” was not nominated. And two years before that, Netflix’s “Klaus” was a surprise winner over Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,...
- 2/26/2023
- by Libby Hill and Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The moving Oscar-nominated animated short The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, based on the illustrated book of the same name by British artist Charlie Mackesy, wasn’t initially planned as a published work or a film but rather began as a series of drawings in early 2018 that he posted on his Instagram account (now with a 1.7 million following), featuring the four titular characters and their musings about kindness, hope, friendship and courage.
For instance, in one drawing on Instagram — which is also featured in the short — the boy asks, “What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever said?” The horse replies, “Help.” Mackesy began to post more of his drawings and was moved by the response. “Everyone was discussing their feelings and what was difficult and what they hoped for,” the director tells THR.
This led to the publication of the book in 2019, followed by production of...
For instance, in one drawing on Instagram — which is also featured in the short — the boy asks, “What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever said?” The horse replies, “Help.” Mackesy began to post more of his drawings and was moved by the response. “Everyone was discussing their feelings and what was difficult and what they hoped for,” the director tells THR.
This led to the publication of the book in 2019, followed by production of...
- 2/24/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This article first appeared as part of Jenelle Riley’s Acting Up newsletter – to subscribe for early content and weekly updates on all things acting, visit the Acting Up signup page.
Charlie Mackesy always thought Tom Hollander would make a great mole.
More specifically, the artist who wrote and illustrated the bestselling 2019 book “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” felt the British actor was a wonderful match to voice one of his characters in the short film adaptation he co-directed with Peter Baynton. The film, now streaming on Apple TV + has charmed audiences worldwide and is nominated for an Academy Award for animated short film.
Mackesy describes Hollander’s voice as a “velvety, rich cake-like sound” and was thrilled the British actor got involved. Notes Mackesy, “His voice is rich, and has a great range, and can move between comedy and pathos very easily. His voice is so diverse,...
Charlie Mackesy always thought Tom Hollander would make a great mole.
More specifically, the artist who wrote and illustrated the bestselling 2019 book “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” felt the British actor was a wonderful match to voice one of his characters in the short film adaptation he co-directed with Peter Baynton. The film, now streaming on Apple TV + has charmed audiences worldwide and is nominated for an Academy Award for animated short film.
Mackesy describes Hollander’s voice as a “velvety, rich cake-like sound” and was thrilled the British actor got involved. Notes Mackesy, “His voice is rich, and has a great range, and can move between comedy and pathos very easily. His voice is so diverse,...
- 2/22/2023
- by Jenelle Riley
- Variety Film + TV
2Nd Update: Netflix’s Edward Berger-directed All Quiet on the Western Front triumphed at the BAFTA Film Awards in London this evening, scoring seven wins, including Outstanding Film, Director, Film Not in the English Language, Cinematography, and Adapted Screenplay.
From early on, there was momentum for the World War I drama, while Searchlight’s The Banshees of Inisherin also had a strong showing, converting its 10 nominations to four wins, including Outstanding British Film, Original Screenplay, and the Supporting acting categories.
Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis was also a strong performer with four wins, including Best Actor for Austin Butler.
Check out the full list of winners below, and see here for more from the night and here for Pete Hammond’s analysis.
Previous Update : Netflix’s All Quiet on the Western Front, the leading nominee coming into this evening, is currently pulling ahead of the pack with six wins,...
From early on, there was momentum for the World War I drama, while Searchlight’s The Banshees of Inisherin also had a strong showing, converting its 10 nominations to four wins, including Outstanding British Film, Original Screenplay, and the Supporting acting categories.
Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis was also a strong performer with four wins, including Best Actor for Austin Butler.
Check out the full list of winners below, and see here for more from the night and here for Pete Hammond’s analysis.
Previous Update : Netflix’s All Quiet on the Western Front, the leading nominee coming into this evening, is currently pulling ahead of the pack with six wins,...
- 2/19/2023
- by Nancy Tartaglione, Joe Utichi and Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
All Quiet on the Western Front made good on its record number of BAFTA nominations with a major haul of wins at the film awards ceremony on Sunday night.
At London’s Royal Festival Hall, Netflix’s German anti-war epic took the BAFTAs for best film, alongside best adapted screenplay and best director, and hoovered up most of the craft honors for a total of seven gongs (a BAFTA record for a film not in the English language).
Away from the Western Front, Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin won four awards, including half the performance honors, with Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan landing supporting wins. Elsewhere, Austin Butler won leading actor for Elvis, and Cate Blanchett leading actress for Tar.
As had largely been expected, Richard E. Grant was a delightfully upbeat and uncontroversial host, with no political jokes or any jibes aimed at the guests (although he did reference Will Smith,...
At London’s Royal Festival Hall, Netflix’s German anti-war epic took the BAFTAs for best film, alongside best adapted screenplay and best director, and hoovered up most of the craft honors for a total of seven gongs (a BAFTA record for a film not in the English language).
Away from the Western Front, Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin won four awards, including half the performance honors, with Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan landing supporting wins. Elsewhere, Austin Butler won leading actor for Elvis, and Cate Blanchett leading actress for Tar.
As had largely been expected, Richard E. Grant was a delightfully upbeat and uncontroversial host, with no political jokes or any jibes aimed at the guests (although he did reference Will Smith,...
- 2/19/2023
- by Alex Ritman and Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘Banshees’ duo, ’Navalny’, ’Aftersun’ among early winners.
The 2023 Bafta Film Awards show is taking place today (February 19) from London’s Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank this year (it was previously at the Royal Albert Hall).
The show started at around 18:00 UK time, finishing at approximately 21:00, and will be broadcast with a time delay on BBC One starting at 19:00, with the final four awards broadcast live for the first time.
Richard E. Grant is hosting the ceremony, with presenter Alison Hammond providing backstage and winners access through a new Bafta studio.
Screen is posting all the winners...
The 2023 Bafta Film Awards show is taking place today (February 19) from London’s Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank this year (it was previously at the Royal Albert Hall).
The show started at around 18:00 UK time, finishing at approximately 21:00, and will be broadcast with a time delay on BBC One starting at 19:00, with the final four awards broadcast live for the first time.
Richard E. Grant is hosting the ceremony, with presenter Alison Hammond providing backstage and winners access through a new Bafta studio.
Screen is posting all the winners...
- 2/19/2023
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
“I used to lie on my bed and stare at the ceiling and see snowfall and imagine the characters in the book moving. It was a dream of mine to take them further than the static book drawings,” said writer-director Charlie Mackesy during a panel at Deadline’s Contenders Film: The Nominees to discuss The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.
Based on his 2019 illustrated book, Mackesy’s animated short from Apple Original Films that’s nominated for the Best Animated Short Film Oscar, follows a boy searching for a home. Along the way, he meets three animals who are also looking for a place to belong and begin to develop a bond. The short is directed by Mackesy and Peter Baynton, with the voice talents of Jude Coward Nicoll, Gabriel Byrne, Idris Elba and Tom Hollander.
Related: Contenders Film: The Nominees – Deadline’s Full Coverage
The book became a hit,...
Based on his 2019 illustrated book, Mackesy’s animated short from Apple Original Films that’s nominated for the Best Animated Short Film Oscar, follows a boy searching for a home. Along the way, he meets three animals who are also looking for a place to belong and begin to develop a bond. The short is directed by Mackesy and Peter Baynton, with the voice talents of Jude Coward Nicoll, Gabriel Byrne, Idris Elba and Tom Hollander.
Related: Contenders Film: The Nominees – Deadline’s Full Coverage
The book became a hit,...
- 2/18/2023
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
Deadline’s Contenders Film: The Nominees is underway Saturday with 12 panels featuring some of the year’s biggest crowd-pleasing movies as well as its most artistic critical hits. This final round of Contenders events this Oscar season features virtual Q&a panels with the on-screen stars, creatives and craftspeople behind 12 of the films that will be going for gold at the Dolby Theater less than a month from now.
Click here to sign up for and launch the livestream.
Streaming Contenders events has opened up a whole new global audience, and also offers quick and convenient access to filmmakers who are either dealing with busy production schedules or, as is the case with several of the panels here, based in locations all around the world. In that respect, Contenders is here to bust open the myth that the Academy Awards are solely a vehicle for the American film industry: you...
Click here to sign up for and launch the livestream.
Streaming Contenders events has opened up a whole new global audience, and also offers quick and convenient access to filmmakers who are either dealing with busy production schedules or, as is the case with several of the panels here, based in locations all around the world. In that respect, Contenders is here to bust open the myth that the Academy Awards are solely a vehicle for the American film industry: you...
- 2/18/2023
- by Damon Wise
- Deadline Film + TV
The title that saw Riz Ahmed stifle laughter, the press room crack up and Allison Williams murmur “no comment” at Oscar nominations last month hits theaters today as ShortsTV presents Oscar Nominated Short Films at circa 380 locations in 75 markets.
The program, three feature-length presentations of the five nominees for Live Action, Animated and Documentary short films, will expand to 500-600 screens by Academy Awards week. Exhibitors can play any or all of the trio. Some are splitting the doc shorts, at 160 minutes, in two. “We leave that up to theaters,” said ShortsTV founder-ceo Carter Pilcher. My Year Of Dicks is an animation entry.
ShortsTV has been releasing these theatrically for 18 years and they do pretty well, hitting 3.5 million in box office pre-Covid. That fell to 1.8 million in 2021 but Pilcher is hoping for a rebound, calling this year’s crop “absolutely some of the best and most audience-friendly films we’ve...
The program, three feature-length presentations of the five nominees for Live Action, Animated and Documentary short films, will expand to 500-600 screens by Academy Awards week. Exhibitors can play any or all of the trio. Some are splitting the doc shorts, at 160 minutes, in two. “We leave that up to theaters,” said ShortsTV founder-ceo Carter Pilcher. My Year Of Dicks is an animation entry.
ShortsTV has been releasing these theatrically for 18 years and they do pretty well, hitting 3.5 million in box office pre-Covid. That fell to 1.8 million in 2021 but Pilcher is hoping for a rebound, calling this year’s crop “absolutely some of the best and most audience-friendly films we’ve...
- 2/17/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Ahead of the Academy Awards, we’ve reviewed every short film in each category: Animation, Documentary, and Live Action.
Animation
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse | UK | 35 minutes
You can’t go wrong with a children’s story contending you are worthy of life just the way you are. It’s the sort of heavy subject matter that could very quickly move towards suicidal ideation, so you do have to applaud Charlie Mackesy for approaching from a place of compassion, empathy, and––most of all––youth. So when Boy (Jude Coward Nicoll) suddenly finds himself unable to control his tears after an error in judgment that leaves no one the worse for wear, all he needs is a gentle reminder from his new friends that crying is a strength rather than weakness. Those tears are necessary and meaningful. They should be felt, understood, accepted.
There are many...
Animation
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse | UK | 35 minutes
You can’t go wrong with a children’s story contending you are worthy of life just the way you are. It’s the sort of heavy subject matter that could very quickly move towards suicidal ideation, so you do have to applaud Charlie Mackesy for approaching from a place of compassion, empathy, and––most of all––youth. So when Boy (Jude Coward Nicoll) suddenly finds himself unable to control his tears after an error in judgment that leaves no one the worse for wear, all he needs is a gentle reminder from his new friends that crying is a strength rather than weakness. Those tears are necessary and meaningful. They should be felt, understood, accepted.
There are many...
- 2/16/2023
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Outside of the occasional festival screening, Oscar season is often the only time many filmgoers engage with short film, so the nominees better make it count. An Oscar nomination means greater visibility for any film, but its impact is often exponential on short film. Now in its 18th year, ShortsTV offers audiences the chance to immerse themselves in the world of shorts, by giving all of the nominees a theatrical release. If viewers are willing to forego movie stars and step outside their comfort zones, they are in for a real treat.
The animated shorts may have leaned towards kids’ fare in the past, but the category has taken a turn in recent years. This year, only one short, Apple Original Films’ “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse” seems geared towards younger audiences. The rest skew far more mature, like “My Year of Dicks,” a hilarious trip...
The animated shorts may have leaned towards kids’ fare in the past, but the category has taken a turn in recent years. This year, only one short, Apple Original Films’ “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse” seems geared towards younger audiences. The rest skew far more mature, like “My Year of Dicks,” a hilarious trip...
- 2/16/2023
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
The 2023 Oscar-nominated shorts are officially coming to a theater near you, courtesy of ShortsTV.
Ahead of the 95th Academy Awards ceremony, taking place on Sunday, March 12, audiences can view the nominated short films across the Live Action, Animation, and Documentary categories only in theaters starting February 17.
ShortsTV announced the 18th annual Oscar-Nominated Short Films theatrical release. The program will be available in more than 500 theaters across 75+ theatrical markets including New York and Los Angeles. This is the only opportunity for audiences to watch the short film nominees in theaters before the 95th Academy Awards ceremony.
“This is the year for short films,” ShortsTV CEO and founder Carter Pilcher said. “In a world that is shifting rapidly to a creator economy of short-form storytellers, these fifteen filmmakers are the pinnacle of talent.”
Pilcher continued, “Nominees include some of the biggest names in global film, like Alfonso Cuarón, to some of the best-known storytellers,...
Ahead of the 95th Academy Awards ceremony, taking place on Sunday, March 12, audiences can view the nominated short films across the Live Action, Animation, and Documentary categories only in theaters starting February 17.
ShortsTV announced the 18th annual Oscar-Nominated Short Films theatrical release. The program will be available in more than 500 theaters across 75+ theatrical markets including New York and Los Angeles. This is the only opportunity for audiences to watch the short film nominees in theaters before the 95th Academy Awards ceremony.
“This is the year for short films,” ShortsTV CEO and founder Carter Pilcher said. “In a world that is shifting rapidly to a creator economy of short-form storytellers, these fifteen filmmakers are the pinnacle of talent.”
Pilcher continued, “Nominees include some of the biggest names in global film, like Alfonso Cuarón, to some of the best-known storytellers,...
- 2/7/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” harks back to an era of gentle storytelling and hand-drawn animation but its inception, by British illustrator Charlie Mackesy, was entirely modern: blossoming from social media to print to streaming.
The book of the same name — based on Mackesy’s WhatsApp and Instagram illustrations — did gangbusters, selling over 250,000 copies in the U.S. when first published in 2019 and topping bestseller lists on both sides of the pond. Now the half-hour animated adaptation has been nominated for an Oscar for best animated short.
“It was kind of unintentional,” Mackesy said of the project’s beginnings when he spoke to Variety on Wednesday, one day after the Oscar nomination were unveiled. “Very intentional, but unintentional in terms of what it should become. The real intention lay with each drawing in each [WhatsApp] conversation, that was very intentional. But that was kind of it.”
Mackesy...
The book of the same name — based on Mackesy’s WhatsApp and Instagram illustrations — did gangbusters, selling over 250,000 copies in the U.S. when first published in 2019 and topping bestseller lists on both sides of the pond. Now the half-hour animated adaptation has been nominated for an Oscar for best animated short.
“It was kind of unintentional,” Mackesy said of the project’s beginnings when he spoke to Variety on Wednesday, one day after the Oscar nomination were unveiled. “Very intentional, but unintentional in terms of what it should become. The real intention lay with each drawing in each [WhatsApp] conversation, that was very intentional. But that was kind of it.”
Mackesy...
- 1/27/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
The nominations for the upcoming 95th edition of Academy Awards were announced on Tuesday by hosts Riz Ahmed and Allison Williams, with ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ leading the pack with as many as nine nominations.
The Colin Farrell-starrer film got nominated in the following categories — Best Supporting Actor (two nominations), Best Supporting Actress, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Picture, Best Editing and Best Original Screenplay.
India too received three nominations for Best Original Song (‘Naatu Naatu’ from ‘Rrr’), Best Documentary Feature Film (‘All That Breathes’), and Best Documentary Short Film (‘The Elephant Whisperers’).
‘The Fabelmans’ received seven nominations followed by ‘Tar’ and ‘TopGun: Maverick’ (six each), ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ (five), ‘Avatar’ (four), and ‘The Whale’ (three).
Competing for the best picture are ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’, ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’, ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’, ‘Elvis’, ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’, ‘The Fabelmans...
The Colin Farrell-starrer film got nominated in the following categories — Best Supporting Actor (two nominations), Best Supporting Actress, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Picture, Best Editing and Best Original Screenplay.
India too received three nominations for Best Original Song (‘Naatu Naatu’ from ‘Rrr’), Best Documentary Feature Film (‘All That Breathes’), and Best Documentary Short Film (‘The Elephant Whisperers’).
‘The Fabelmans’ received seven nominations followed by ‘Tar’ and ‘TopGun: Maverick’ (six each), ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ (five), ‘Avatar’ (four), and ‘The Whale’ (three).
Competing for the best picture are ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’, ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’, ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’, ‘Elvis’, ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’, ‘The Fabelmans...
- 1/24/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages are Davis’ assessment of the current standings of the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any film or performance. Like any organization or body that votes, each individual category is fluid and subject to change. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Last Updated: Jan. 19, 2022
2023 Oscars Predictions: Best Animated Short
Category Commentary: Filmmaking legend J.J. Abrams has 10 Emmy nominations and two wins (for directing and outstanding drama series for the first season of “Lost” in 2005), but he’s never been nominated for an Oscar. That could all change on Tuesday, Jan. 24.
Abrams is one of the producers of Apple’s “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse,...
Last Updated: Jan. 19, 2022
2023 Oscars Predictions: Best Animated Short
Category Commentary: Filmmaking legend J.J. Abrams has 10 Emmy nominations and two wins (for directing and outstanding drama series for the first season of “Lost” in 2005), but he’s never been nominated for an Oscar. That could all change on Tuesday, Jan. 24.
Abrams is one of the producers of Apple’s “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse,...
- 1/20/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
“It’s a strange combination of feeling shocked and grateful,” says Charlie Mackesy, whose film “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” has been shortlisted Best Animated Short at the 95th Oscars. “If I could have played this video to me three years ago, I would have been overwhelmed. I never dreamt we would make a book, let alone a film. It’s an honor and a shock.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
“Having always felt very alien to the human race and always feeling a bit strange, my discovery is that we have so much more in common than we think,” he says. “So much of us is beautiful and sharable. It was a journey of acceptance and love. If you accept yourself you can accept others and if you are accepted you can learn to accept yourself. The boy’s discovery that he’s alone,...
“Having always felt very alien to the human race and always feeling a bit strange, my discovery is that we have so much more in common than we think,” he says. “So much of us is beautiful and sharable. It was a journey of acceptance and love. If you accept yourself you can accept others and if you are accepted you can learn to accept yourself. The boy’s discovery that he’s alone,...
- 1/12/2023
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
For the animation of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, creator Charlie Mackesy was excited to bring his book to life and allow the story to affect people in a more “stimulating” way. The short follows a boy looking for a home. Along the way, he meets animals who are also looking for a place to belong. Though the film is based on his book, Mackesy says he didn’t even plan on making a book when he started. He was just concerned with making art to represent struggles within everyone.
Deadline: What was the inspiration for the original story?
Charlie MacKesy: It’s very hard to say, I guess it’s a combination of things, you know, friendships and conversations and thinking and the love of drawing. To be truthful, when I first started out, it wasn’t meant to be a book. It was...
Deadline: What was the inspiration for the original story?
Charlie MacKesy: It’s very hard to say, I guess it’s a combination of things, you know, friendships and conversations and thinking and the love of drawing. To be truthful, when I first started out, it wasn’t meant to be a book. It was...
- 1/9/2023
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
"Nothing beats kindness, it sits quietly beyond all things."
This is just one of the many messages about loving others and yourself that is outlined in this gentle family animation from Peter Baynton and Charlie Mackesy, which has made the Oscar short animation shortlist. Based on Mackesy's book - co-scripted with Jon Croker (Paddington 2) - this tale of a little lost boy (voiced by Jude Coward Nicoll) and the cake-loving mole (voiced by Tom Hollander) he goes on an adventure with is as soft as the snowy landscape they find themselves in.
As they start to follow the river and aim to find a home, they will encounter a fox (voiced by Idris Elba) who initially spells danger and a horse (voiced by Gabriel Byrne), who has a surprising secret.
Baynton's previous work, including Save Our Bacon and Over The Hill, has had quite a bit of edge to it,...
This is just one of the many messages about loving others and yourself that is outlined in this gentle family animation from Peter Baynton and Charlie Mackesy, which has made the Oscar short animation shortlist. Based on Mackesy's book - co-scripted with Jon Croker (Paddington 2) - this tale of a little lost boy (voiced by Jude Coward Nicoll) and the cake-loving mole (voiced by Tom Hollander) he goes on an adventure with is as soft as the snowy landscape they find themselves in.
As they start to follow the river and aim to find a home, they will encounter a fox (voiced by Idris Elba) who initially spells danger and a horse (voiced by Gabriel Byrne), who has a surprising secret.
Baynton's previous work, including Save Our Bacon and Over The Hill, has had quite a bit of edge to it,...
- 12/31/2022
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
TV viewers have been left in floods of tears after watching the BBC’s adaptation of The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse.
Based on Charlie Mackesy’s 2019 illustrated book about a group of animals who become unlikely friends, the half-hour TV adaptation featured an all-star voice cast including Idris Elba and Tom Hollander.
The episode aired on Christmas Eve on BBC One, with viewers admitting that the “beautiful” and simple animation “broke” them.
“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse on @BBCOne is absolutely stunning,” one viewer tweeted. “What beautiful, beautiful animation. I’m a blubbering wreck.”
“A classic that is sure to be a regular Christmas staple. Not ashamed to say that I cried like a baby!” another commenter wrote.
One viewer called it “the most beautiful thing you’ll watch this Christmas”, while another said it was “heart-warming and life-affirming stuff”.
“â.â.Spellbinding,...
Based on Charlie Mackesy’s 2019 illustrated book about a group of animals who become unlikely friends, the half-hour TV adaptation featured an all-star voice cast including Idris Elba and Tom Hollander.
The episode aired on Christmas Eve on BBC One, with viewers admitting that the “beautiful” and simple animation “broke” them.
“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse on @BBCOne is absolutely stunning,” one viewer tweeted. “What beautiful, beautiful animation. I’m a blubbering wreck.”
“A classic that is sure to be a regular Christmas staple. Not ashamed to say that I cried like a baby!” another commenter wrote.
One viewer called it “the most beautiful thing you’ll watch this Christmas”, while another said it was “heart-warming and life-affirming stuff”.
“â.â.Spellbinding,...
- 12/26/2022
- by Isobel Lewis
- The Independent - TV
TV viewers have been left in floods of tears after watching the BBC’s adaptation of The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse.
Based on Charlie Mackesy’s 2019 illustrated book about a group of animals who become unlikely friends, the half-hour TV adaptation featured an all-star voice cast including Idris Elba and Tom Hollander.
The episode aired on Christmas Eve on BBC One, with viewers admitting that the “beautiful” and simple animation “broke” them.
“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse on @BBCOne is absolutely stunning,” one viewer tweeted. “What beautiful, beautiful animation. I’m a blubbering wreck.”
“A classic that is sure to be a regular Christmas staple. Not ashamed to say that I cried like a baby!” another commenter wrote.
One viewer called it “the most beautiful thing you’ll watch this Christmas”, while another said it was “heart-warming and life-affirming stuff”.
“â.â.Spellbinding,...
Based on Charlie Mackesy’s 2019 illustrated book about a group of animals who become unlikely friends, the half-hour TV adaptation featured an all-star voice cast including Idris Elba and Tom Hollander.
The episode aired on Christmas Eve on BBC One, with viewers admitting that the “beautiful” and simple animation “broke” them.
“The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse on @BBCOne is absolutely stunning,” one viewer tweeted. “What beautiful, beautiful animation. I’m a blubbering wreck.”
“A classic that is sure to be a regular Christmas staple. Not ashamed to say that I cried like a baby!” another commenter wrote.
One viewer called it “the most beautiful thing you’ll watch this Christmas”, while another said it was “heart-warming and life-affirming stuff”.
“â.â.Spellbinding,...
- 12/26/2022
- by Isobel Lewis
- The Independent - TV
Let’s be honest, it’s a little harder than usual to get into the festive spirit. Times are tough. Good news feels tricky to find. Getting warm and cosy costs a lot. Nurses, rail workers and Royal Mail staff are being forced to strike. Prices are (still) rising, and the need to pinch pennies for presents is more anxiety-inducing than ever. Enter the BBC’s adaptation of Charlie Mackesy’s The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. This tale of love and hope is half an hour of unmitigated joy.
With Mackesy’s sketched animation, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was one for the kids. But bundled within the snowy scenes are messages for all ages. “You fell, but I’ve got you,” the Horse tells the Boy at one point. If you’re already familiar with the book, this understated adaptation brings the tale...
With Mackesy’s sketched animation, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was one for the kids. But bundled within the snowy scenes are messages for all ages. “You fell, but I’ve got you,” the Horse tells the Boy at one point. If you’re already familiar with the book, this understated adaptation brings the tale...
- 12/24/2022
- by Megan Graye
- The Independent - TV
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Charlie Mackesy remembers the first thing producer Cara Speller said to him when they met about turning Mackesy’s bestseller “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse” into an animated short: “I wonder how they move?” “It was an intimate, child-like question and I found it very compelling,” Mackesy told IndieWire in a recent interview.
It wouldn’t be the first time a larger story sprung from the artist, illustrator, and cartoonist’s lovely drawings of kindness and hope. The characters who populate “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” began appearing in posts on Mackesy’s Instagram in 2018; one sketch, in which the horse tells the boy that the bravest thing he ever said was “Help,” became a viral sensation. That led to a deal with Ebury Press and a picture book depicting a chance encounter between the titular characters.
After turning down several proposals to adapt the story,...
Charlie Mackesy remembers the first thing producer Cara Speller said to him when they met about turning Mackesy’s bestseller “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse” into an animated short: “I wonder how they move?” “It was an intimate, child-like question and I found it very compelling,” Mackesy told IndieWire in a recent interview.
It wouldn’t be the first time a larger story sprung from the artist, illustrator, and cartoonist’s lovely drawings of kindness and hope. The characters who populate “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” began appearing in posts on Mackesy’s Instagram in 2018; one sketch, in which the horse tells the boy that the bravest thing he ever said was “Help,” became a viral sensation. That led to a deal with Ebury Press and a picture book depicting a chance encounter between the titular characters.
After turning down several proposals to adapt the story,...
- 12/15/2022
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is an animated short film directed by Peter Baynton and Charlie Mackesy, starring Jude Coward Nicoll, Tom Hollander, Idris Elba and Gabriel Byrne. The film is based on based on the internationally bestselling book of the same name by celebrated author Charlie Mackesy.
The movie premieres globally on December 25, on Apple TV+.
Premise
The story of a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse, as they create an unexpected friendship and travel together in the boy’s search for home.
The movie premieres globally on December 25, on Apple TV+.
Premise
The story of a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse, as they create an unexpected friendship and travel together in the boy’s search for home.
- 12/11/2022
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
For the first time since 2019 BC (Before Covid), Christmas is starting to look like Christmas again. Employees will humiliate themselves at festive work parties. Families will guiltlessly gather around the dinner table. For a few years now, these traditions have been out of reach, but the thing that’s been a constant, and is back again this year, is Christmas TV. Whether it’s worth watching, though, is less of a sure thing.
As a festive gift from us to you, we’ve watched a selection of some of the biggest shows that are on the way, so we can help you choose what to prioritise between glasses of sherry and naps on the couch. From the return of Happy Valley after a six-year hiatus and the arrival of new drama Without Sin, to the court-case-inspired comedy Vardy v Rooney, here’s what you can expect on your screens this Christmas…...
As a festive gift from us to you, we’ve watched a selection of some of the biggest shows that are on the way, so we can help you choose what to prioritise between glasses of sherry and naps on the couch. From the return of Happy Valley after a six-year hiatus and the arrival of new drama Without Sin, to the court-case-inspired comedy Vardy v Rooney, here’s what you can expect on your screens this Christmas…...
- 12/10/2022
- by Ellie Harrison,Jacob Stolworthy,Jessie Thompson,Inga Parkel,Megan Graye,Louis Chilton,Annabel Nugent,Nicole Vassell,Roisin O'Connor and Charlotte Cripps
- The Independent - TV
"We're on a quest for cake!" Apple TV+ has debuted the official trailer for The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse, an animated short film adapted from the book of the same name by Charlie Mackesy. The story comes to life in this beautifully animated film from NoneMore and Bad Robot Productions. Follow the unlikely bond between four friends as they explore the meaning of kindness, courage and hope. The short features the voice talents of Idris Elba, Gabriel Byrne, Tom Hollander, and newcomer Jude Coward Nicoll. The poignant journey follows the unlikely friendship of a boy, a mole, a fox, and a horse traveling together in the boy’s search for home. The film features Mackesy's distinctive illustrations brought to life in full color with beautiful hand-drawn animation. Presented in partnership with the BBC, who will premiere The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse in the UK,...
- 12/9/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Apple TV+ released the trailer for its upcoming animated short “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse,” an adaptation of the 2019 bestseller from Charlie Mackesy, which won the Book of the Year award from British chain Waterstones. Its debut on December 25 positions it well for nominations in the Best Animated Short Oscar race.
The children’s fable was produced by J.J. Abrams and Cara Speller, a producer on “Ant-Man” and “Rocket & Groot” animated series, as well as “Love, Death, & Robots.” Woody Harrelson is an executive producer.
The voice cast includes Jude Coward Nicoll (the boy), Tom Hollander (the mole), Idris Elba (the fox), and Gabriel Byrne (the horse). Peter Baynton, whose work in visual effects includes the beloved “Paddington 2,” is the co-director alongside Mackesy. Jon Croker, credited with “additional material” for “Paddington 2,” plus a co-writing credit on the quite good Netflix horror pic “No One Gets Out Alive,...
The children’s fable was produced by J.J. Abrams and Cara Speller, a producer on “Ant-Man” and “Rocket & Groot” animated series, as well as “Love, Death, & Robots.” Woody Harrelson is an executive producer.
The voice cast includes Jude Coward Nicoll (the boy), Tom Hollander (the mole), Idris Elba (the fox), and Gabriel Byrne (the horse). Peter Baynton, whose work in visual effects includes the beloved “Paddington 2,” is the co-director alongside Mackesy. Jon Croker, credited with “additional material” for “Paddington 2,” plus a co-writing credit on the quite good Netflix horror pic “No One Gets Out Alive,...
- 12/9/2022
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Given the glut of content, making time for short films is hard. But the new Apple TV+ animated short film “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, And The Horse” looks like something special. Based on the internationally best-selling book of the same name by celebrated author Charlie Mackesy, this story of kindness, friendship, courage, and hope for viewers of all ages premieres globally on December 25, Christmas Day, on Apple TV+.
Continue reading ‘The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, & The Horse’ Trailer: Idris Elba, Gabriel Byrne & More Voice New Animated Apple Short at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, & The Horse’ Trailer: Idris Elba, Gabriel Byrne & More Voice New Animated Apple Short at The Playlist.
- 12/9/2022
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
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