A new Oscar season is dawning, and the race to win the Best Animated Feature category of the 91st  Academy Awards has begun. Through The Hollywood Reporter, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Wednesday the twenty-five animated films submitted for consideration.

Although one film short of the record-breaking twenty-six submission from last year, the latest submission list still boasts a substantial amount of feature-length animations, with a majority of them being produced in the United States and Japan. All eleven wide theatrical releases of North America were submitted, as well as many independent features, four of which were released by GKIDS.

In alphabetical order, the twenty-five submitted features are:

• Ana & Bruno (Spanish: Ana y Bruno)
• Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch
• Early Man
• Fireworks (Japanese: 打ち上げ花火、下から見るか? 横から見るか?)
• Have a Nice Day (Chinese: 大世界)
• Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation
• Incredibles 2
• Isle of Dogs (Japanese: 犬ヶ島)
• The Laws of the Universe – Part I (Japanese: 宇宙の法-黎明編-)
• Liz and the Blue Bird (Japanese: リズと青い鳥)
• Lu Over the Wall (Japanese: 夜明け告げるルーのうた)
• Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms (Japanese: さよならの朝に約束の花をかざろう)
• Mirai (Japanese: 未来のミライ)
• Mutafukaz (Japanese: ムタフカズ)
• The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl (Japanese: 夜は短し歩けよ乙女)
• On Happiness Road (Chinese: 幸福路上)
• Ralph Breaks the Internet
• Ruben Brandt, Collector (Hungarian: Ruben Brandt, a gyűjtő)
• Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero
• Sherlock Gnomes
• Smallfoot
• Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
• Tall Tales from the Magical Garden of Antoon Krings (French: Drôles de petites bêtes)
• Teen Titans Go! To the Movies
• Tito and the Birds (Portuguese: Tito e os Pássaros)

One notable absence from the submitting studios was Netflix, who for unknown reasons, did not qualify their four exclusive animated features of this year; Duck Duck Goose, Gnome Alone, Next Gen, or White Fang.

Under Academy rules, all submitted films require a mandatory Los Angeles qualifying run, which some submissions have yet to undertake. Five nominees will be selected if at least sixteen complete this requirement; otherwise fewer will be chosen.

The five nominees will be announced on January 22, 2019, followed by the winner during award night on February 24, 2019.

Which animated feature will you be rooting for to get the Oscar nomination?

Edited by: Kelly Conley