Annie Awards 

The Breadwinner (pictured) took home the award for best independent animated feature on Feb. 3 at the 45th annual Annie Awards, which celebrates the best in animation. Produced by Toronto’s Aircraft Pictures, Ireland’s Cartoon Saloon and Luxembourg-based prodco Melusine Productions, the film beat out fellow Oscar-nominee Loving Vincent. The movie, directed by Nora Twomey and adapted by Anita Doron, follows a young girl who disguises herself as a boy to become her family’s primary earner. Pixar’s Coco, which is also competing for Oscar gold, was named best animated feature. 

Directors Guild of America

Jean-Marc Vallée took home the Directors Guild of America award for outstanding achievement in a TV movie or miniseries on Feb. 3 for his work behind the camera on HBO’s Big Little Lies. Meanwhile, Niki Caro was awarded for best direction of a children’s program for her work on CBC/Netflix’s Anne, and Reed Morana was awarded for best direction in a dramatic series for Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale. Guillermo del Toro took home best director of a feature film for Toronto-shot The Shape of Water. 

NSI Online Short Film Fest 

The National Screen Institute handed out its Online Short film Fest awards on Feb. 1, with Lina Roessler’s Winter winning the A&E Short Filmmakers Award for best film, along with its $1,250 prize. Meanwhile, Babe, I Hate To Go, from director Andrew Moir won the $1,500 Blue Ant Media Documentary Award for best doc and John Fray took home $1,000 and the Brian Linehan Actors Award for his work in Becoming Wigglesworth.