Netflix's 'Nimona' up for nine Annie Awards

Netflix’s standout animated feature film, Nimona, has gathered an astonishing nine nominations at this year’s Annie Awards.

The Annie Awards, established in 1972, celebrate excellence in animation. Organized by ASIFA-Hollywood, the awards recognize outstanding achievements in various categories, including character design, storytelling, and voice acting. Considered a prestigious honour in the animation industry, the Annies showcase and honour the creativity and talent of individuals and teams.

Nimona, the animated film produced by Netflix and adapted from ND Stevenson’s original graphic novel with the same title, has garnered nine nominations at the 2024 Annie Awards.

The movie narrates the journey of Nimona, a shapeshifter and aspiring villain portrayed by Chloë Grace Moretz and her mentor, Ballister Boldheart, played by Riz Ahmed. Together, they confront the authoritative Institute and its champion, Ambrosius Goldenloin (Eugene Lee Yang), who also happens to be Ballister’s former romantic partner.

Beyond the central romantic plot involving Boldheart and Goldenloin, the film’s exploration of Nimona’s shapeshifting abilities—transforming into entities ranging from a whale to a dragon to various male characters—has been interpreted by many critics as a trans allegory.

This recognition has led to the film’s extensive nominations at the Annies, marking a potentially groundbreaking moment for queer representation in the world of animation.

The acclaimed animation has received nominations for: ‘Best Feature’, ‘Direction’, ‘Character Animation’, ‘Character Design’, ‘Production Design’, ‘Storyboarding’, ‘Voice Acting’, ‘Writing’ and ‘Editorial’ — almost every Annie Award category available, with Moretz earning the ‘Voice Acting’ nod.