Rai Trade is taking Cartoons on the Bay, the worlds leading TV animation Festival, back to Positano, which will again be the international cartoon capital from April 27 to May 1, 2005. The best productions will again be fighting it out for the prestigious Pulcinella Awards, the international contest dedicated to television programs animated series, specials and shorts produced over the previous year.
There will be 40 nominated works, five for each of the eight categories: Pre-schools series, childrens series, action and adventure series, all audiences series, TV series pilots, short films, TV specials, social and educational programs. The International Jury will give out an award for each category and Grand Prizes for the Best Animated Character of the Year, the Best Series of the Year and Best European Programme of the Year.
The Career Award has been assigned to American Gene Deitch and to Italians Roberto and Gino Gavioli. The former is a pioneer of the animation world, working in the U.S. and the Czech Republic and winning an Oscar in 1961. The Gavioli brothers, working for Gamma Film the largest European studio of the time created hundreds of Carosello episodes and a series of unforgettable characters that became part and parcel of Italian culture in the 1960s and 70s. The Studio of the Year award for 2005 will go to the U.K.s Aardman Animations which produced WALLACE & GROMIT and CHICKEN RUN and to Italys Rainbow, producing WINX CLUB, which has won the hearts of television viewers all over the world.
In addition to international productions for TV, the event will also propose, as usual, previews of upcoming movies, special events, conferences, presentations and a host of illustrious guests from the world of animation and entertainment.
Alfio Bastiancich, festival director, explains: As a public broadcaster, Rai has important cultural responsibilities in this area. Over the years, and through Cartoons on the Bay, it has supported the efforts of film-makers and producers in combining art and entertainment, and has helped distributors and television programmers to choose effective and innovative products.
Nicola Cona, managing director of Rai Trade, added, Cartoons on the Bay is our best opportunity to once again offer Italian and international operators a fine showcase for international production, in a market niche in which Rai and Rai Trade are leading actors.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
