The Belgian co-production “Le Chant de la Mer” (Song of the Sea) by Irish director Tomm Moore has achieved an Oscar nomination in the “best animated feature” category, its distributor O’Brother was pleased to announce on Thursday. The ceremony will take place on February 22nd in Los Angeles.
“Song of the Sea” tells the story of Ben and Maïna, who live with their father at the top of a lighthouse on a small island. In order to keep them safe from the dangers of the sea, their grandmother takes them to live in the city. There, Ben discovers that his little sister is a “selkie”, a sea fairy whose song can free magical beings from the curse of the Owl Witch. Ben and Maïna go on a fabulous journey during which they must face their fears and contend with danger, and fight the witch so the magical beings can get their powers back.
On February 22nd, it will be up against “Dragons 2” (Dreamworks), “Big Hero 6” (Walt Disney Pictures), “The Boxtrolls” (co-production) and “The Tale of The Princess Kaguya” (Studio Ghibli).
The film is a co-production between Belgium, France, Luxemburg, Ireland, and Denmark. It was designed and animated by Digital Graphics, a studio based in Liege. This is the fourth Oscar nomination for Digital Graphics, after “Brendan et le Secret de Kells” (The Secret of Kells), “Mort d'une Ombre” (Death of a Shadow), and “Ernest et Celestine” (Ernest & Celestine).
“Song of the Sea” was released in French-speaking Belgium on December 10th and is still running in cinemas. It will be released in Flemish on February 18th after being shown at Anima (International animated film festival) and at the Jeugd Film Festival.
(Source: Belga)
