The filmmakers behind Encanto, Luca, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, and Raya and the Last Dragon, discuss getting their Oscar nominations.
This morning, nominees in the Best Animated Feature Oscar got some very good news. And they responded, well, animatedly. TheWrap got on the phone to congratulate the filmmaking teams from “Encanto,” “Luca,” “The Mitchells vs. the Machines,” and “Raya and the Last Dragon,” and to hear about what this magical morning was like for them. (We didn’t get to chat with the filmmakers behind “Flee,” which was also nominated in the Foreign Language and Documentary categories.) As “Luca” director Enrico Casarosa said, “It’s so hard to make these movies, especially through the pandemic, so I think everyone in the 2021 batch of movies should be so proud.” Yes they should. While “Encanto” is set in sunny Colombia, director Byron Howard found himself in a far chillier predicament this morning. “They announce these things so early and I am not good at getting up in the morning. I am freezing. My house was built in the 1950s and has no insolation. So I am buried under blankets. We have this text thread that’s been going between myself, Jared, Clark [Spencer], Charise [Castro-Smith] and Lin. Everyone is texting back and forth. I can’t focus because my glasses aren’t on. I can’t see the texts and am responding hopefully appropriately,” Howard said. “It’s an unreal moment.” Director Jared Bush made sure to single-out Germaine Franco and her score for “Encanto,” which was nominated. (She’s the first female composer to ever handle the music for a Disney animated feature.) “I’m so excited for Germaine Franco,” Bush said. “We are so in love with her score. The fact that she is getting recognized is so fantastic. She’s a musician on the soundtrack as well.” Bush also single out “Dos Oruguitas,” which was nominated for Best Original Song. “It’s such a gorgeous song,” Bush said. Bush described the entire experience as being “bonkers craziness.” “I’m trying to make sure I’m responding to the right person,” Bush said. “Encanto” is available right now on Disney+. While Pixar movies are usually a shoo-in for the Best Animated Feature category, the lovely coming-of-age story “Luca” has an additional Oscar pedigree thanks to director Enrico Casarosa, whose short film “La Luna” was nominated ten years ago. “Oh it’s no big deal. Hanging out with the Steven Spielbergs of the world. Everything is normal,” Casarosa joked about the nomination. “You have to kind of pinch yourself.
