Babe, an orphaned piglet, is chosen for a "guess the weight" contest at a county fair. The winning farmer, Arthur Hoggett (James Cromwell), brings Babe home and allows him to stay with his Border Collie named Fly, her mate Rex and their puppies, in the barn. While trying to fit in with the other barnyard animals, Babe learns the skill of sheepherding from Fly and is entered in a competition. Despite its unlikely premise and low profile, Babe's inspirational story, directed and co-written by Australian filmmaker Chris Noonan, was embraced by audiences and critics alike. With its sympathetic view of the intellectual, emotional and social capacities of animals, “Babe” had a marked effect on the growth of vegetarianism, particularly among younger viewers. The movie was named Best Film of the Year by The National Society of Film Critics and was nominated for seven Academy Awards (including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay), winning the Best Visual Effects Oscar.