Can you believe this? WQ is a . . . . WHAT?

Juuchan17 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 30, 2008 11:08 am

I was slightly baffled when I read this on Internet Movie Database, but it's apparently true:

Wolf Quest is an award-winning movie!

I know, it's hard to believe, but Wolf Quest was nominated for two different awards (an Annie Award for Outstanding Storyboard Production in 2003 and a Humanitas Prize in the Animation Category) and it ended up winning the Humanitas Prize in 2002!

Here's what the site describes the Humanitas Prize as:

Quote:

* The Humanitas Prize was created with an initial three-year grant from the Lilly Foundation, and is now financed by an endowment from the broadcast and entertainment industries. To date the Humanitas Prize has dispensed over 175 awards and almost $1.8 million in prize money to television and motion picture writers whose work best communicates and encourages human values. (from the official web site, 2000)
* While the Humanitas Prize focuses on the achievements of screenwriters and the endowment solely goes to the writer, producers and directors of the winning scripts are acknowledged by handing out statuettes for well bringing the script to "life".

Here's some proof of the awards results for that year: RESULTS

So, despite the film's obvious flaws in animation quality, Balto II indeed encourages the human values of discovering your hidden talents and learning to accept yourself for who you are, despite differences. (You gotta admit it - the film does communicate good values amidst the native flair that the film exhibits)

- Juuchan17

Dani · **Posted:** Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:29 pm

Wow I.. Oo I can't believe my eyes!

Juuchan17 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 30, 2008 1:50 pm

MOS wrote:

Wow I.. Oo I can't believe my eyes!

I know! Isn't that odd?

But I guess their criteria was more focused on the message, not the quality. Indeed, the message of self-discovery and accepting your differences (as well as the power of a father/daughter relationship) is more powerful than the not-to-par animation, so I suppose this was an award well deserved . . .

Hmm, now I wonder about whether WoC or the original film won anything . . .

- Juuchan17

[EDIT]: Actually, WoC wasn't nominated for anything, but the original "Balto" received a Young Artist Award nomination for Best Family Feature - Musical or Comedy in 1996. It didn't win though (True Balto fans know who won, right? *coughthinkpixarcough*), but it still deserves credit!

angryunicorn · **Joined:** Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:41 am **Posts:** 3023

So it got an award for telling people to stay true to themselves? I know like 50 million other movies with the same message that are MUCH. MUCH better. Including better in quality. You might want to look at Wolf Quest's competition that year. It might say ALOT.

Cuz lets face it, Santa Claus 2 and Stuart Little 2 were against it. They were right alongside Wolf Quest when it comes to poor sequels. It was also out when Snow Dogs and Clockstoppers were out. A couple of the worst movies I have ever seen. They may not have been the same media, but they were still kids movies.

But I find it very hard to believe. Who was judging this? It was out the same time as Ice Age and LILO AND STITCH and Spirited Away, was it not? Those were all GREAT movies with better non-cliche stories.

Juuchan17 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 30, 2008 2:11 pm

catwhohas14tails wrote:

So it got an award for telling people to stay true to themselves? I know like 50 million other movies with the same message that are MUCH. MUCH better. Including better in quality. You might want to look at Wolf Quest's competition that year. It might say ALOT.

Cuz lets face it, Santa Claus 2 and Stuart Little 2 were against it. They were right alongside Wolf Quest when it comes to poor sequels. It was also out when Snow Dogs and Clockstoppers were out. A couple of the worst movies I have ever seen. They may not have been the same media, but they were still kids movies.

Actually, the other nominees were an episode of "Arthur" and an episode of "Harold and the Purple Crayon" . . . probably this was because it debuted on TV, not DVD first. Also, they had to submit their entry in order to get nominated. I don't know if any of the other films entered . . . so that's up in the air.

Quote:

But I find it very hard to believe. Who was judging this? It was out the same time as Ice Age and LILO AND STITCH and Spirited Away, was it not? Those were all GREAT movies with better non-cliche stories.

True . . . true. But also, the rules for this award are differnt than the Golden Globes and the Oscars. Here's my proof from the qualifications from the website:

Quote:

To qualify, a teleplay must have been written and produced in the English language for U.S. television. News and documentaries are not eligible. Material adapted from another medium may be eligible if, in the opinion of the judges, the adaptation is extensive.

Such a program must have had a national telecast.

To qualify, a screenplay for an English language feature film becomes eligible in the year in which it receives a national release.

Case in point: Wolf Quest did originally premiere on TV. I guess they submitted the film prior to the screening on CN. But hey, everyone says that WQ was TV-quality . . . so why complain, right?

- Juuchan17

Balto_freak · **Joined:** Tue Oct 23, 2007 5:11 pm **Posts:** 369

I had know idea this movie would even be considered for those awards! Wow.....

Cotton Grass 2008 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 30, 2008 3:11 pm

Quote:

So it got an award for telling people to stay true to themselves? I know like 50 million other movies with the same message that are MUCH. MUCH better. Including better in quality. You might want to look at Wolf Quest's competition that year. It might say ALOT.

Agreed. I don't understand how WQ could have even been considered for any award. :shock:

Juuchan17 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 30, 2008 3:38 pm

Cotton Grass 2008 wrote:

Quote:

So it got an award for telling people to stay true to themselves? I know like 50 million other movies with the same message that are MUCH. MUCH better. Including better in quality. You might want to look at Wolf Quest's competition that year. It might say ALOT.

Agreed. I don't understand how WQ could have even been considered for any award. :shock:

It was nominated by someone who worked on the film - that's how it was considered for an award. Besides, they got prize money for the win also!

Also, remember that these are adults . . . professionals that worked on the film. They probably thought it was good (as do I), so stop the dissin', okay? It won and there's nothing that can be done about that now anyway.

I say - Congrats!

- Juuchan17

Cotton Grass 2008 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 30, 2008 4:46 pm

Juuchan17 wrote:

Also, remember that these are adults . . . professionals that worked on the film. They probably thought it was good (as do I), so stop the dissin', okay? It won and there's nothing that can be done about that now anyway.

I say - Congrats!

- Juuchan17

Just because professionals worked on the film and reviewed it doesn't automatically dismiss the fact that this is unusual for a cartoon like WQ. Also, I wasn't "dissin" the movie or it's fans, I was giving out my honest opinion. There is a difference.

angryunicorn · **Joined:** Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:41 am **Posts:** 3023

Ah, so it was against stuff like that huh? I see. Cuz if was against Lilo and Stitch, it would've lost big time. Just the same... I don't mean any disrespect, but that sounds like winning that is like "the smartest kid with down syndrome" of movie awards XD

Interesting that they decided to actually do something more than just sell it, tho.

Juuchan17 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:46 pm

Ileu wrote:

Hmm, award winning? That's odd, very odd. i was a good film, but i don't think it was that good to win an award..... nice topic though.
Hmm, award winning? That's odd, very odd. i was a good film, but i don't think it was that good to win an award..... nice topic though.

Thanks! I was thinking about making it an article on the main site instead, but now I'm not so sure I should . . .

But to reply to your comment, Ileu - I think the real reason why Wolf Quest won was because this award was probably a very minor award (of course, it's not as big as the Kids Choice Awards or the Oscars) and also due to the lack of notice of the prize. I agree with you, though - Wolf Quest was a good film (not as good as the original, mind you) but I think it's rather wonderful that any Balto film, sequel or not, won an award! It completely took me by surprise when I saw it and the official website proves that it is a real award and that they did win.

Amazing what we can learn about the most unlikely of films, eh?

- Juuchan17

Juuchan17 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 30, 2008 10:05 pm

Ileu wrote:

Tuh, yeah!

I still can't believe the one that fans say was the better sequel wasn't nominated for anything! (read one of my previous posts) Kinda awkward . . .

But if you think about it, without WQ there would be no WoC . . . (or maybe there would, but it would suck worst than you believe WQ does)

Just my opinion . . .

- Juuchan17

PyramidHead_206 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 30, 2008 11:37 pm

I like WQ, i think it deserved the award

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Can you believe this? WQ is a . . . . WHAT?