Baek Hee-na's original Annie R candy, Academy Award nomination for short animation...Decided on the 3rd of next month
Feb 11, 2025
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Animated short film about a child who is not good at communication 'Dongdong's process of understanding the hearts of others and conveying his or her heart through a mysterious egg candy has been nominated for the 97th Academy Awards Short Animation Award. A total of five films were selected for the Academy Awards short animation category, which was nominated by 'Al Candy.' The final award will be decided through a vote of academy members from February 11 to February 18, and will be announced at the Academy Awards scheduled for March 3.
Based on the 2020 Astrid Lindgrend Memorial Award-winning picture books 'Algandy' and 'I'm a Dog' (Story Bowl), which are called the Nobel Prizes in Children's Literature, Toei Animation, Japan's largest animation production company, is responsible for the production. In addition, led by Japan's leading animator and animation industry director Daisuke Nishiio and producer Takashi Washio, the producer of the "The First Slam Dunk" team, which swept Asia with amazing box office performances, vividly embodied Baek Hee-na's fantastic and original world of work in 3D animation. In particular, director Daisuke Nishiio and producer Takashi Washio are the legendary duo who first planned and produced one of the biggest hits in Japanese animation, 'Precure', and present warm impressions once again through 'Al Candy'. Producer Takashi Washio said, "This selection proves the dedication of our entire team to animating the charm of the original book and exploring the value that truly matters in film production. The most touching thing is that this story deeply resonated with the hearts of so many people around the world."
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When asked in a pre-interview why she collaborated with Toei Animation, Baek Hee-na said, "It was a pity that it was not produced in Korea, so I agonized for a long time. However, I am glad that the production team showed sincerity and affection for the work, and as a result, a satisfactory work was completed. Picture book 'Al Candy' has been greatly loved by domestic readers, and the most worrisome was the blurring of Korean sentiment, background, and identity. So I asked you to pay close attention to this part when making an animation. The Toei Animation crew deeply sympathized with these concerns and devoted themselves to traveling to various neighborhoods in Seoul to capture Korean sentiment. In the process, I was deeply moved by their attitude of respecting the artist and the work." He said he accepted the animation production and the production process.
In 2024, the 25th New York International Children's Film Festival won the Short Film Jury Prize and the Audience Prize, and the animation `Al Candy' was officially invited to prestigious overseas film festivals such as the 64th Zlin International Children's Film Festival and the 50th Seattle International Film Festival and the 57th Chesse Film Festival. Afterwards, he won the 18th Sapporo International Short Film Festival Japan Premier Award, the 38th Cinekid Film Festival Best International Short Film Award, the 43rd Cambridge Film Festival Audience Award, and the 31st Kineko International Film Festival Best Short Film Award. Judge Benjamin Renner of the New York International Children's Film Festival raised expectations by praising the original film and the animation `Rare opportunity to meet Baek Hee-na's outstanding imagination in theaters,' while Nam Dong-cheol, chief programmer of the Busan International Film Festival, praised the original film and its animation `Alcandy.' Now that it is close to the Oscar trophy with recognition at leading film festivals at home and abroad, attention is being paid to the attention of 'Al candy'.
star77@sportschosun.com
