Morph goes to the Oscars

Bristol-based Aardman Animations are suited and booted and en route to LA, hoping to bag their fifth Academy Award.

'Shaun the Sheep the Movie' is up for best animated feature film but is up against some stiff opposition

  • Anomalisa - by Charlie Kaufman of Being John Malkovich fame

  • Boy and the World - by Brazilian Alê Abreu - his first nomination

  • Disney Pixar's Inside Out - the story of a girl's battle with her emotions

  • When Marnie was There - by Japanese duo Hiromasa Yonebayashi and Yoshiaki Nishimura

Aardman has a good track record at the Academy Awards.

Shaun the Sheep first appeared in the Oscar-winning film A Close Shave, starring Wallace and Gromit. He went on to get his own children's TV series and then made a successful bid for the silver screen.

Justin Fletcher, who plays Shaun and Timmy, at the European premiere of the film Credit: PA

Shaun the Sheep the Movie has won worldwide acclaim. It may feature stars like Omid Djalili and CBeebies Justin Fletcher but it doesn't have any intelligible dialogue - a major feat for a feature-length film.

What it does have is a series of adventures involving the farmyard hero which call up the slapstick of silent comedy and charm movie-goers aplenty.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry enjoy a screening of The Farmer's Llamas - a Shaun the Sheep short Credit: PA

Shaun has also found a place in the hearts of Bristolians thanks to the Shaun in the City trail which saw 70 life-sized decorate models of the loveable sheep spread across Bristol raising thousands for the Bristol Children's Hospital.

It is no surprise then that Shaun's stop motion cousin Morph has his glad rags on ready for the red carpet.

And filmgoers should also be aware that a sequel to Shaun the Sheep the Movie is in the pipeline - with hopefully more awards to look out for.