Oscars Animated Feature Race Gets a Big, Late Boost From International Contenders Thanks to films from around the world, the category grew from 13 to 27 competitors overnightSteve Pond | January 18, 2021 @ 11:40 AM Last Updated: January 25, 2021 @ 2:36 PM AWARDS BEAT 'Earwig and the Witch': Studio Ghibli / 'Accidental Luxuriance': Kaosfilm / 'Demon Slayer: The Movie': Koyoharu Gotoge A week ago, the race for the Best Animated Feature Oscar seemed as if it could have the smallest field of entries in years. Only 13 films were in the online screening room devoted to the category, although some significant contenders were clearly going to be added, Pixar’s “Soul,” Cartoon Saloon’s “Wolfwalkers” and Studio Ghibli’s “Earwig and the Witch” among them.