Animation has always been a window into imagination, but it wasn’t until 2002 that the Academy finally gave it a home of its own. That year, Shrek became the first film ever to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature — a milestone that forever changed how the world viewed animated storytelling. What began with a grumpy green ogre and his loyal donkey grew into a celebration of creativity that transcends language and age.
Over the years, this category has honoured films from every corner of the globe. From Pixar’s emotional storytelling to Studio Ghibli’s dreamlike worlds, animation has proven it can make us laugh, cry, and think as deeply as any live-action film.
In 2025, Flow, a silent and meditative film from Latvia, took home the Oscar — a reminder that beauty and meaning don’t always need words.
Today, animation is not just about spectacle. It’s about emotion, philosophy, and cultural identity. Whether hand-drawn, stop-motion, or computer-generated, these films mirror our humanity. They tell stories of love, loss, courage, and wonder — often through animals, robots, or mythical beings — yet they always speak to the child within us.
Below is a timeline of every winner of the Best Animated Feature Oscar — a journey through imagination that continues to expand what cinema can be.
| S. No | Movie Name | Year | Directed By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shrek | 2002 | Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson |
| 2 | Spirited Away | 2003 | Hayao Miyazaki |
| 3 | Finding Nemo | 2004 | Andrew Stanton |
| 4 | The Incredibles | 2005 | Brad Bird |
| 5 | Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit | 2006 | Nick Park, Steve Box |
| 6 | Happy Feet | 2007 | George Miller |
| 7 | Ratatouille | 2008 | Brad Bird |
| 8 | WALL-E | 2009 | Andrew Stanton |
| 9 | Up | 2010 | Pete Docter |
| 10 | Toy Story 3 | 2011 | Lee Unkrich |
| 11 | Rango | 2012 | Gore Verbinski |
| 12 | Brave | 2013 | Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman |
| 13 | Frozen | 2014 | Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee |
| 14 | Big Hero 6 | 2015 | Don Hall, Chris Williams |
| 15 | Inside Out | 2016 | Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen |
| 16 | Zootopia | 2017 | Byron Howard, Rich Moore |
| 17 | Coco | 2018 | Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina |
| 18 | Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse | 2019 | Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman |
| 19 | Toy Story 4 | 2020 | Josh Cooley |
| 20 | Soul | 2021 | Pete Docter, Kemp Powers |
| 21 | Encanto | 2022 | Byron Howard, Jared Bush |
| 22 | Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio | 2023 | Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson |
| 23 | The Boy and the Heron | 2024 | Hayao Miyazaki |
| 24 | Flow | 2025 | Gints Zilbalodis |
Through these titles, we can trace the evolution of animation — from the colourful humour of Shrek to the poetic silence of Flow. Each winner added a new layer to the art form. Together, they remind us that animation is not a genre but a language — one that speaks straight to the heart.
What’s your favourite animated film of all time — and did it win an Oscar?