Netflix has performed tremendously this year through pop culture-defining series and Oscar-nominated features, including Guillermo del Toro‘s emotionally powerful adaptation of Pinocchio. This animated feature, starring Gregory Mann, Ewan McGregor and David Bradley, follows the adventures of a wooden puppet in Fascist Italy and has been nominated for ‘Best Animated Feature’, its 23rd time being nominated for the title among various award ceremonies.
Allison Williams and Riz Ahmed just announced the 2023 Oscar nominations, including 16 Netflix feature nominations, and The Sea Beast is also going up for Best Animated Feature alongside del Toro’s film.
The stop-motion animated musical blends the 1883 Italian novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi with the illustrations of a 2002 edition by Gris Grimly against a political-historical backdrop of right-wing authoritarianism. The director had to watch his “passion project” suffer through development hell back in 2014 before it was lifted and released this year.
“No art form has influenced my life and my work more than animation, and no single character in history has had as deep of a personal connection to me as Pinocchio”, del Toro shared upon the film’s release. “I’ve wanted to make this movie for as long as I can remember.”
Pinocchio has also received three Golden Globe nominations, including Best Animated Feature Film, Best Original Score and Best Original Song. After the film won Best Animated Feature, Del Toro became the first Latino to win the category and the first animated film for a streaming service to win.
The film also won Best Animated Feature at the Critics Choice Movie Awards, the Georgia Film Critics Association, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, the Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards, the Chicago Film Critics Association Awards and the Online Film Critics Society. In addition, Pinocchio has also won awards for his musical score.
The 95th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 12th, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Comedian Jimmy Kimmel in his third time hosting the show since the 89th and 90th editions of the ceremony.
