“The Breadwinner,” “Loving Vincent,” and More Women-Directed Animated Films Submitted for Oscar Race

The Oscar race is heating up. Features submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 90th Academy Awards have been announced, and five of the 26 are directed or co-directed by women, amounting to 19 percent of the award hopefuls.

Titles in the running include Nora Twomey’s “The Breadwinner,” the story of a girl who cuts her hair and disguises herself as a boy so she can earn money for her family after her father is imprisoned, and “Loving Vincent,” co-directed by Dorota Kobiela, an exploration of the life and death of Vincent van Gogh. The former is produced by Angelina Jolie and the latter marks the world’s first fully-painted feature film.

A press release announcing the news specifies that, “Depending on the number of films that qualify, two to five nominees may be voted.” Nominees will be announced January 23, 2018, and the ceremony will take place March 4.

Last month Twomey was honored at Women in Animation’s first WIA Diversity Awards, which recognize artists and organizations dedicated to building a more inclusive animation industry.

This summer The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, best known as the org behind the Oscars, gave well-deserved attention to some of the women who have played — and continue to play — an instrumental role in the evolution of animation with an event, “An Invisible History: Women in Animation.”

Check out all of the women-directed and co-directed films in the running below. List adapted from The Academy.

“The Breadwinner” (Directed by Nora Twomey)
“Loving Vincent” (Co-Directed by Dorota Kobiela)
“Moomins and the Winter Wonderland” (Co-Directed by Ira Carpelan)
“A Silent Voice” (Directed by Naoko Yamada)
“Window Horses The Poetic Persian Epiphany of Rosie Ming” (Directed by Ann Marie Fleming)