Pixar’s “Elio,” co-directed by Armenian-American filmmaker Madeline Sharafian, has earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture – Animated at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards. Sharafian becomes the first Armenian and only the third woman in Pixar history to direct a feature film, marking a major moment for Armenian representation in global animation, reports the Armenian Film Society.
The 2026 Golden Globes will air live on Sunday, January 11 from 5 to 8pm PST. Sharafian co-directed the film alongside Oscar-winning filmmaker Domee Shi and longtime Pixar creative Adrian Molina, who together helped shape the film’s emotional core and visual world.
The Golden Globe nominees for Best Motion Picture – Animated also include Arco, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle, KPop Demon Hunters, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, and Zootopia 2, placing “Elio” in a highly competitive field of international and studio animation.
“Elio” follows an 11-year-old boy who unintentionally becomes Earth’s intergalactic ambassador after being transported across the galaxy. The film has drawn praise for its emotional depth, imaginative world-building, and themes of identity and belonging, supported by strong direction from Sharafian and her co-directors.
Madeline Sharafian was honored earlier this year at the Armenian Film Society Gala, where her award was presented by her colleague and fellow Armenian Pixar producer Katherine Sarafian.
For Armenian audiences worldwide, Sharafian’s Golden Globe nomination for “Elio” represents a historic milestone, reflecting both her individual achievement and the growing visibility of Armenian talent shaping global cinema and animation. Organizations like the Armenian Film Society, which over the past decade has hosted screenings, Q&As, workshops, and launched the Armenian Film Festival to showcase films by and about Armenians, have helped build the foundation for this kind of recognition.
