“Ratatouille,” the Pixar animated film about a blue rat aspiring to be a cook, was the major winner at the 35th annual Annie Awards Friday night, taking home nine trophies.

Not only is “Ratatouille” a box office success around the world and a contender at the Academy Awards, but it also reigned this year’s Annie Awards, an awards show created in 1973 by Hollywood’s International Animated Film Association to celebrate animation in all its aspects.

The Pixar Animation Studios film received prizes for best animated feature, directing and screenwriting (Brad Bird), as well as character animation, character design, music, production design, storyboarding and voice acting (Ian Holm).

Pixar was also the proud recipient of a tenth Annie at Friday’s gala, for “Your Friend the Rat,” nominated in the best animated short subject category. A video game based on Rémy, the passionate mouse cook, received a trophy in the respective category.

In an obviously good mood, Bird explained when he came on stage to receive one of the awards that he had asked comedian Patton Oswald, who voiced Remy, to write an acceptance speech for him and proceeded to read, the Hollywood Reporter says.

“What do you do when God hands you a miracle? That's what I had to ask myself when I heard Patton Oswald's voice,” Bird read, passing on the cheer to the audience. “His performance is equal if not greater than Daniel Day Lewis' in ‘There Will Be Blood.’”

Another Oscar nominee, “Surf’s Up,” was honored at the Annies, receiving trophies for animated effects and animated production artist.

Released last summer, “Ratatouille” opened at No. 1 and earned $47 million during its first weekend. Over the past year, it has taken in more than $200 million around the world.

It was only last month that the animated comedy received another award, this time from Fox Interactive Media's online movie site Rotten Tomatoes, which declared “Ratatouille” the best-reviewed film of 2007, with an impressive approval rating of 96% on the site’s “Tomatometer.”

Ratatouille is vying for an Academy Award for best animated feature with “Persepolis” and “Surf's Up.”