Cartoons on the Bay, the international competition on television animation, hosted in Positano, Italy from April 5-9, 2006, and organized by Rai Trade, has grown steadily over the last 10 years and announces a record number of 340 entries sent in for this years competition. The 40 titles short-listed to compete come from 13 countries. The U.S. leads this year with seven programs, the U.K., Italy and France follow with five each and Spain, Canada, Germany and Korea each with three. Other countries taking part include Japan, Finland, Belgium, plus first time competitors Slovenia and Iran.
Five top international specialists in animation have been selected for the Jury Lisa Salamone Smith, svp production, Walt Disney Television Animation (U.S.); Daniel Lennard, senior director original animation & acquisitions, Cartoon Network Europe; Giuseppe Lagana, director and author (Italy); Sabine Weber, head of series & movies, ORF (Austria); and Kim Wilson, head of childrens television, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Canada).
Another new addition to Cartoons on the Bay is the digital videotheque in the Business Lounge where 150 programs coming from 30 countries can be viewed on computers. Europe boasts 55% of this worldwide showcase. The programs in competition plus those in the showcase make a total of 190 animation programs representing 33 countries all available to buyers, distributors, broadcasters, journalists and other professionals in the industry during the five days of the Festival.
This year the Festival Conferences will open with a new session called Breakfast Backstage. Each day will begin with screenings and presentations of the television programs in competition over a cup of coffee and a brioche. The aim of this session is to give more attention to the production aspects involved in a television series and to give an opportunity to the creative forces working backstage to comment and expose what goes into an animation production.
To further celebrate its 10th edition, Cartoons on the Bay has chosen to put a special focus on Canada as its guest country. Canada has proven to be one of the most qualified countries in the animation sector because of its long artistic, technological and industrial traditions. Independent producers, television channels, and public organizations from Canada will be able to show past and present productions, hold round table discussions and examine such arguments as co-production possibilities between Canada and Europe.
The event also announced the first awards for this year's 10th anniversary edition. They include Studio of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Awards for 2006.
From the U.S., Roy E. Disney has been selected to receive the international Lifetime Achievement Award. His reaction was I am delighted to be honored with the Pulcinella Lifetime Achievement Award by Cartoons on the Bay 2006. I'm certainly going out of my way to be there, because it's for the beauty of animation in such a beautiful part of Italy.
DIC Ent. was named international Studio of the Year. President/ceo Andy Heywards response was, "We are thrilled to be chosen as Studio of the Year and to be acknowledged alongside the legendary Roy Disney is an honor of a lifetime. We would like to congratulate Cartoons on the Bay on their 10th anniversary of creating an ideal forum for animators all around the world to collaborate and showcase their projects, and we look forward to participating in this annual event for years to come."
For Italy, Bruno Bozzetto has been recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award. He says, To receive a prize for my career is not only a great pleasure, but a genuine honor, because it indicates the acknowledgment and appreciation of a whole life dedicated to the wonderful work of animation. I would also like to thank all of my collaborators for helping me realize my dreams. I sincerely thank Alfio Bastiancich and Cartoons on the Bay as well as the associations of cartoonists and producers ASIFA and Cartoon Italia for this most important recognition and tribute that they have awarded to me.
Enarmonia has been chosen as the Italian Studio of the Year 2006. Stefania Raimondi, the companys president says, We are sincerely happy and proud for the prize we have received. We would like to thank Cartoons on the Bay for this Award because it causes to us to stop and look at how much we have realized and pushes us forward with renewed optimism towards the future that awaits us.
Pulcinella Awards 2006 Nominations are:
TV Series For Infants * BUTTERFLY & BEAUTYFLY (Belgian Waffles Film Factory Belgium)* CHIRO & FRIENDS (Iconix Entertainment Co., Ltd. South Korea)* POCOYO (Zinkia Ent. Spain)* THE BEE-BEES (De Mas & Partners & Telepool Gmbh Italy) * YELLOW GIRAFFE´S ANIMAL STORIES SEASON 2 (Epidem Zot & Telescreen Intl Finland)
TV Series for Children* ABSOLUTE BOY (Genco & Mico Japan) * CAMP LAZLO (Cartoon Network Studios & Warner Bros. Intl Television Italia Srl U.S.)* LOLA & VIRGINIA (Icon Animation Spain/France)* THE BUZZ ON MAGGIE (Walt Disney Television Animation U.S.)* Z-SQUAD (Enemes, Inc. & Nelvana South Korea/Canada)
TV Series For All Ages* BEEZES (Casablanca Studio & Mdc Int. Gmbh Slovenia)* CATSCRATCH (Nickelodeon U.S.)* GINO THE CHICKEN LOST IN THE NET (Lanterna Magica Italy)* POTLACH (Ellipsanime & France Television Distribution France)* THE AMAZING ADRENALINI BROTHERS (Pesky Ltd. & Bejuba Ent. U.K.)
Action & Adventure TV Series* FIREMAN SAM (Siriol Prods., Hit Ent. Plc & S4c U.K.)* GET ED (Walt Disney Television Animation U.S.)* MONSTER ALLERGY (Rainbow Italy)* SKYLAND (Method Films & Millimages Uk France)* STAR WARS CLONE WARS - VOLUME 2 (Cartoon Network Studios U.S.)
Educational and Social Film* ALADDIN'S ADVENTURES (Lastrego e Testa & Rai Trade Italy)* DAY DREAM (National Human Rights Commission Of Korea & Indiestory Inc. South Korea)* LITTLE EINSTEINS (Curious Pictures & Disney Channel U.S.)* THE BIG QUESTION (Westdeutscher Rundfunk Germany)* ZERO DEGREE (Farhat Film & Iran Film Seller Iran)
Pilot of TV Series* KHUDAYANA (Screen 21 & BRB Internacional Spain)* LITTLE KINGDOM (Astley Baker Davies Ltd. U.K.)* MINUSCULE (Futurikon France)* RIPPLES (Animabit Italy)* SUGARLESS (Klasky Csupo U.S.)
Special TV* A VERY BARRY CHRISTMAS (Cuppa Coffee & AWOL Canada)* ANGRY KID 'WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? (Aardman U.K.)* LITTLE WANG AND THE DRAGON (La Fabrique & Teleimages France) * MISS SPIDER THE PRINCE, THE PRINCESS AND THE BEE (Nelvana Ltd. Canada)* THE FOURTH KING (Alexandra Schatz Filmproduktion & Kickback Media Ltd. Germany)
Short Film* EXIT (Kanaban Graphics Japan)* IMAGO... (Sacrebleu Prods. France)* ONE D (Mike Grimshaw Canada)* RABBIT (Run Wrake U.K.)* THE TELL TALE HEART (Academy For Film And Tv (hff) Potsdam Babelsberg Germany)
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
