Ratatouille races clear at Annies

Ratatouille features aspiring chef Remy the rat

Rodent tale Ratatouille took nine prizes at the animation industry's Annies awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

The Disney and Pixar film won the top prize of best animated feature, beating Bee Movie, Surf's Up, The Simpsons Movie and Persepolis.

It also won best writing and directing for Brad Bird, best voice acting for Ian Holm, best character animation, music and production design.

Bird and two writing partners are up for the best original screenplay Oscar.

RATATOUILLE'S PRIZES Best animated feature Best character animation Best character design Best direction Best music Best production design Best storyboarding Best voice acting - Ian Holm Best writing - Brad Bird

As well as the nine awards won by the film, about an upwardly-mobile Parisian rat, its video-game spin-off also won an award.

The Annies' best animated feature winner has gone on to take the equivalent Academy Award each year but one since the Oscars added the category in 2001.

Last year's winner of the Annies' top prize, Cars, was beaten at the Oscars by penguin musical Happy Feet.

In total, Ratatouille is up for five prizes at the Oscars. It is also shortlisted for the best animation prize at Sunday's Bafta ceremony in London.

Held by the International Animated Film Society, the Annies are now in their 35th year.

Other winners included Surf's Up, which won best animated effects, and Creature Comforts America, which took best animated television production for the UK's Aardman Animations.