Alex Salmond hails success of Oscar-winning Scottish animation Brave

Directors Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, winners of the Best Animated Feature award for 'Brave,' attend the Oscars Governors Ball at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 24, 2013 in Hollywood (Getty Images)

Alex Salmond has hailed the success of Brave after the animated film set in Scotland scooped an Oscar.

The Disney-Pixar production won an Academy Award for best animated feature film at the star-studded annual ceremony in Los Angeles.

Brave, which hit cinemas last year, tells the story of headstrong Highland princess Merida.

A host of Scottish talent provides the voices, including Kelly Macdonald, Robbie Coltrane, Billy Connolly and Craig Ferguson.

The First Minister said: "To win the Oscar for best animated film is a massive achievement to add to the well-deserved recognition already gained in the same category at the Baftas and Golden Globes earlier this year.

"Mark Andrews' wonderful depiction of Scotland continues to bring excitement and delight to those who see it and I am certain that winning the top prize in the movie business will now mean it is seen and enjoyed by even more people right across the world."

The film is set in a pre-historic Scottish kingdom where magic holds sway in the forests.

It topped the US box office on its June release, taking in an estimated 66.3 million US dollars (£42.27 million) on its opening weekend.

PA