Tag: The Missing Lynx: Paws on the Run

Animated feature contenders pushing 18 now

One of the titles we mentioned a couple of weeks ago that could slide in and help rescue the animated feature category (as in, push the field of qualifying contenders closer to 16, which would yield the potential for five, rather than three nominees) was something called “The Secret of Kells.”

Since then, “The Missing Lynx: Paws on the Run” has come to the category’s aid, as has the stop-motion “A Town Called Panic,” so we’ve got 17 contenders before this news, but 19 gives a nice cushion.

Peter Debruge reports at Variety:

GKIDS picked up U.S. rights to “The Secret of Kells” just three days before the Oscar submission deadline and plans to open the 2D toon for a one-week qualifying run on Dec. 4 at the AMC Burbank 8 in Los Angeles, followed by a wider release in March 2010.

The story of a ninth-century boy who rebels against his guardian’s orders and helps to illuminate a famous Irish manuscript, pic garnered numerous accolades abroad, including an audience award at the Annecy toon fest and a nomination for the European Film Awards’ animated feature prize.

Also worth noting: the film won the audience award at the Edinburgh Film Festival in June.

November 11, 2009
The animated feature race doesn’t have to ‘Panic’ now

We’ve been hot on the animated feature trail as of late, keeping a keen eye on the number of films that have qualified, plan to qualify, or have opted out of qualifying, the magic number of 16 titles (which would warrant a five-nominee slate rather than three) being the key throughout.

Earlier this week Raul Garcia’s “The Missing Lynx: Paws on the Run” was submitted for Academy consideration and is in the midst of its required Los Angeles qualifying run in Encino. Now, Steve Pond reports that another film has joined the party, one that was, for a time, considered out: “A Town Called Panic.”

Screen International’s Allan Hunter called the film a “blast of freewheeling inventiveness,” while Variety’s Leslie Felperin noted that the stop-motion effort “proves you don’t need fancy CGI techniques, 3-D, or stunt voice casting to make a sparkly little gem.” The film was reviewed extensively out of Fantastic Fest last month and plays AFI Fest later this week.

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November 4, 2009
Animated feature looking like five all over again

Two weeks ago we told you about the animated feature film category’s state of flux and how a little film no one has heard of called “The Missing Lynx: Paws on the Run” could be its saving grace.

With “Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone” and “A Town Called Panic” currently off the qualification list, and Disney trying hard to pad the field of eligible titles by submitting Robert Zemeckis’s “A Christmas Carol” (when Zemeckis has gone on the record as saying such a thing is a “disservice to the great animators”) and even squeezing in the formerly-straight-to-DVD “Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure,” the magic number of 16 has been too close to call.

Well, today at 5:00pm is the official deadline for submissions, and prints of qualifying titles are due by November 13. It’s now or never, and things will start to take shape soon. But getting back to “The Missing Lynx,” Steve Pond is reporting that the film was officially submitted and gets some great quotes form director Raul Garcia about the situation.

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November 2, 2009
Animated slate still in limbo

Earlier today Tom O’Neil reported that “Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone” will not qualify for the animated feature Oscar race because it was released in Japan in 2007. That would bring the number of qualifying titles from 16 down to 15.

However, there seem to be films in play that we hadn’t previously considered. According to a commenter at the website Cartoon Brew, an Antonio Banderas-produced film called “The Missing Lynx: Paws on the Run” will receive a qualifying run on November 13. I haven’t verified that info yet but it’s something to keep an eye on. Here’s a quick profile of the project. There is also the outside chance of “The Secret of Kells” making it’s way at the last minute.

Nevertheless, for the moment, without “Evangelion,” we’re looking at a three-nominee race once again, unless something comes along to save the day. Does Disney have anything else it would like to randomly shuffle from home video to theatrical run?

More coverage of the category here, here and here.

October 15, 2009