Congratulations to Cartoon Saloon as Irish Feature Film ‘Wolfwalkers’ Continues Awards Success with an Academy Award Nomination for Best Animated Feature
Posted: 15th March 2021
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is delighted and proud to congratulate Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, and Kilkenny animation studio Cartoon Saloon, on their Academy Award nomination for Wolfwalkers, announced today. The critically acclaimed animated feature film is nominated for Best Animated Feature at the ceremony, which will take place on Sunday, April 25th, 2021.
Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive, Fís Eireann/Screen Ireland, said: “Our warmest congratulations to directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart, screenwriter Will Collins, and all at Cartoon Saloon on their Academy Award nomination today. Wolfwalkers is a triumph of creative collaboration and Irish storytelling, and we are exceptionally proud to have supported the film. The consistent and continued success of Cartoon Saloon’s work is testament to Ireland’s thriving animation industry, and indicative of the creative talent working tirelessly to produce powerfully engaging stories for audiences, both at home and around the world.”
Over the last decade, the Irish animation sector has seen rapid growth. It has almost quadrupled in size when compared to 2019 production figures, indicating that Irish animation accounts for almost 50% of all production spending in the country. The commercial and critical success of Irish animation is due to a number of factors. In addition to being home to major global players –– the industry boasts a blend of business acumen, a skilled and talented workforce, state support (via the state tax incentive Section 481), plus a strong reputation for storytelling and visual artistry.
About Wolfwalkers
From the internationally renowned animation studio Cartoon Saloon, based in Kilkenny, Wolfwalkers is the third instalment of its animated Irish folklore trilogy. The prior two works – 2009’s Secret of Kells and 2015’s Song of The Sea – also received Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature, with Nora Twomey’s 2018 film, The Breadwinner, bringing Cartoon Saloon’s Oscar nods to five thus far.
Wolfwalkers follows Robyn Goodfellowe, a young apprentice hunter journeying to Ireland in a time rife with superstition and magic. Her quest? To accompany her father as they wipe out the last wolf pack. While exploring the forbidden lands outside the city walls, Robyn befriends a free-spirited girl, Mebh, a member of a mysterious tribe rumoured to have the ability to transform into wolves by night. As they search for Mebh’s missing mother, Robyn uncovers a secret that draws her further into the enchanted world of the Wolfwalkers and risks becoming the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.
The Apple Original film was produced by Paul Young, Nora Twomey, and Tomm Moore for Cartoon Saloon and by Stéphan Roelants for Melusine Productions.
Wolfwalkers is currently available to stream via Apple TV+.