The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse wins Oscar for Best Animated Short Film

The animated adaptation of Charlie Mackesy’s The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles last night (12th March).

Directed by Peter Baynton (“The Tiger Who Came to Tea”) and Mackesy, the film is adapted from the original book, published by Ebury, in collaboration with Jon Croker.

The film is executive produced by Jony Ive and Academy Award-nominee Woody Harrelson and its original score is by composer Isobel Waller-Bridge, performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra and conducted by Geoff Alexander.

Laura Higginson, publishing director at Ebury and Mackesy’s editor, said: "We are over the moon for Charlie – the Oscar win following hot after the BAFTA is so deserved after two years of extraordinary work by Charlie and the film team. We are so incredibly proud to publish The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse and The Animated Story."

BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore commissioned the film. She said, also referencing BBC Storyville’s “Navalny” – Daniel Roher’s film about Russia’s opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, which took home the Documentary Feature Film award: “Massive congratulations to the two BBC-backed Oscar winners, we’re so proud to have played a part in these extraordinary films and demonstrate our commitment to bringing world class storytelling to audiences. ’The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse’ captivated audiences on the BBC at Christmas.”

The film is now streaming on Apple TV+. Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s head of worldwide video, said: “’The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’ shines a light on the magic of discovering connection in unexpected places.

“Bringing Charlie’s world to such vibrant animated life, this short reinforces the strength that can be found in our common humanity and we toast the entire creative team on this uplifting cinematic achievement.”

"The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse" won out against “My Year of Dicks”; “The Flying Sailor”; “Ice Merchants” and “An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It.”