An Animation Interlude in Pescara

The 27th edition of Cartoons on the Bay draws top animation figures to Italy.

Animation fans will be able to take a beautiful Italian journey prior to Annecy this year, since the 27th edition of the Cartoons on the Bay festival takes place May 31-June 4 at the beautiful seaside town of Pescara. Billed as an “international festival of animation, transmedia and meta-arts,” the event is sponsored by Italian pubcaster Rai and Rai Com.

Festival director Roberto Genovesi shares that the theme for this year’s event is “Real, Unreal, Virtual. Imagined worlds and imaginary worlds. Between utopia, opportunity and alienation.” “As always, Cartoons on the Bay aims to anticipate animation trends and understand their potential connections with adjacent worlds like comics, video games and social media,” he explains. “This includes not only economical, technical and editorial connections, but also social connections. For this reason, we are launching three new awards dedicated to the metaverse, gender and transmedia this year. We aim to focus on the ethical and moral implications of these new technological and cultural opportunities for children’s growth by rewarding those companies and personalities who have shown greater sensitivity and innovation.”

Iconic Talent in the Spotlight

Genovesi says he is proud of some of the top names that will be receiving honors and attending the event this year. “Ari Folman and Peter Lord will receive the Pulcinella Career Award. Ian Mackinnon, representing Mackinnon & Saunders, will receive the Pulcinella Award for Studio of the Year for their significant contribution to Guiller- mo del Toro’s Pinocchio. We will have a special focus on the Cuphead phenomenon, with MDHR’s Maja Moldenhauer talking about the evolution of the IP from the video game to the Netflix series. We are also celebrating great talents of animation art like Ari Folman and Peter Lord, and having a focus on the German Industry to facilitate co-productions among our countries. Then we’ll discuss the latest trends and techniques from our industry.”

This year’s edition will offer three different programs: The Professional Program includes panels, talks and networking events dedicated to industry attendees. The Public Program offers concerts, live shows and screenings for the general public, while the Educational Program includes events for all grade school children and master classes for students from animation schools and universities. In addition, the festival will feature a special exhibit dedicated to the work of visual artist Monica Manganelli.

Forming New Connections

“I am certain that Italy is poised to be the next big thing in the animation industry,” notes Genovesi. “Right now, everyone wants to collaborate with Italian producers, not only in animation but also in TV, movies and documentaries. We genuinely believe Cartoons on the Bay can be the best platform to get the world to better know our industry better and create new connections for exciting collaborations. I believe that Italian animation has some untapped superpowers on the international stage. I think Italian animation could and should be a shining example in a landscape where too many cookie-cutter cartoons exist.”

The festival will also have several different animation categories competing for the Pulcinella prizes: Preschool TV Show (2-4 years old), Upper Preschool Show (4-6 years old), Kids TV Show (7-11 years old), Youth TV Show (11+ years old), Interactive Animation, Live Action & Hybrid Show, TV Pilot, Short Film and Animated Feature. ◆

For more details, visit cartoonsbay.rai.it.