Oscars slammed for saying animated films are 'just for kids'

29 March 2022, 14:25

Oscars 2022: Check out the highlights from the show

By Sam Prance

The Oscars are facing backlash over "disrespectful" comments about animation.

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The Oscars are coming under fire for several jokes about animation during the event and for not taking the art form seriously.

On Sunday (Mar 28), the Oscars took place and there was a lot to celebrate. Ariana DeBose became the first Afro-Latina and the first openly queer woman to win an Academy Award for acting, Troy Kotsur became the first deaf man to take home an Academy Award for acting and films including CODA, Dune, Drive My Car, Encanto and King Richard all had big wins.

However, there was also some backlash. The Oscars are being criticised for being "disrespectful" to animated movies.

Oscars slammed for saying animated films are 'just for kids'. Picture: ABC, Disney

Throughout the 2022 ceremony, there were several jokes about animation and people were not impressed with them. Ahead of Encanto winning Best Animated Feature, Lily James, Halle Bailey and Naomi Scott announced the nominees and joked about kids watching animated movies "over and over and over and over and over" and parents having to endure it.

Elsewhere, host Amy Schumer also joked about animated movies and said: "The only one I've seen is Encanto because of my kid". People were disappointed given that one of the nominations for Best Animated Feature, Flee, is an adult film and the other nominees all contain adult themes as well as being suitable for kids and families at large.

A person tweeted: "Seriously, they had the #Oscars hosts go out there tonight and say 'Animation is something kids enjoy, and Adults have to endure', and Schumer say 'The only one I've seen is Encanto because of my kid'. It's every year, and the disrespect needs to stop. It's a medium. RESPECT IT."

Another person added: "the oscars painting the picture of animation being for children is no surprise because they literally don’t give a shit about animation nor do they take it as a serious medium".

Seriously, they had the #Oscars hosts go out there tonight and say "Animation is something kids enjoy, and Adults have to endure", and Schumer say "The only one I've seen is Encanto because of my kid"

It's every year, and the disrespect needs to stop. It's a medium. RESPECT IT. pic.twitter.com/2JbkiACSCj
— TRAFON(s Backup Account) (@RiseFallNickBck) March 28, 2022

Oscars: animation is enjoyed by kids and endured by adults

The millions of adults who worked their asses off day and night to bring these animated movies to life: pic.twitter.com/REK68mFD62
— 🐁Alex the Mouse🐁 (@RealAlexMouse) March 28, 2022

the oscars painting the picture of animation being for children is no surprise because they literally don’t give a shit about animation nor do they take it as a serious medium
— aisha (@arbacn) March 28, 2022

Let animation have more categories! Where is the voice acting category? Where is the animated cinematography award ??? Story board award :(
— Director Exquisite (@ExquisiteWill) March 28, 2022

Animation can be transcendental, lyrical, and even much more profound about the human experience than many live action film. Shame that people out there continue to belittle this incredibly medium. Animation artists deserve respect. pic.twitter.com/j06e32GKVl
— Carlos Aguilar (@Carlos_Film) March 28, 2022

so the #Oscars are going to diss animation as being ‘just for kids’ while at the same time performing a remix of ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’ with MEGAN THEE STALLION??? MAKE IT MAKE SENSE
— amber ♡ (@mbrleigh) March 28, 2022

LOVE that @TheAcademy ignores the fact that animation SAVED the entire industry’s ass all through the pandemic and pretend we’re just play acting at being filmmakers. Where are all those live action peeps who wanted to break into animation in 2020 and 2021 now??
— Samantha (@SamKallis) March 28, 2022

I didn’t watch the Oscars, so I am just catching up. Apparently, for the animated feature, they emphasized that animation is for kids. Meanwhile, Flee which is an animated documentary about a man recounting his experience fleeing Afghanistan had a nomination. Y’know, for kids!
— Rebecca Rose (@HeyRebeccaRose) March 28, 2022

Seeing as so many animated films are carefully created by adults and enjoyed by people of all ages, it's understandable that people are upset with the Oscars' treatment of animation. On top of the jokes, animated films rarely receive any recognition outside of Best Original Song and the two animated categories at the ceremony.

What do you think? Should the Oscars respect animation more?