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Finalists announced for next year's animation Oscar race

Posted Monday, November 15, 2010 at 2:50 PM Central
Last updated Monday, November 15, 2010 at 3:00 PM Central

by Tim Briscoe

Fifteen features are in consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for next year's Oscars. The Academy Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences just announced the eligible films.

According to rules set forth by the Academy, this means only three will actually be nominated. Had their been just one more submitted to reach the 16 minimum there would have been 5 nominees.

Here are the films up for consideration:

This year's race is more competitive than ever. So much that the Pixar submission, Toy Story 3, isn't exactly the clear favorite. While it's sure to be among the final three, it has a tough battle with Despicable Me, How to Train Your Dragon, Tangled, and Legend of the Guardians.

This summer Disney/Pixar dropped out of animation's highest honor, the Annie Awards, over a voting dispute. Many saw it as a response to 2008's shutout of WALL-E by Kung Fu Panda at the Annies.

This year's animation Oscar went to Disney/Pixar's Up. Pixar has won the category in each of the last three years. In the short history of the category that began in 2001, Pixar has lost just two times in the years their films have been nominated.

The nominations for the 83rd Academy Awards will be announced in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011. The big event will then be held on the evening of Sunday, Feb. 27.

Source: Oscars.org