Cartoons on the Bay

Cartoons on the Bay

Also known as: COTB
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Cartoons on the Bay connects television animation with cinema, gaming and transmedia storytelling. Established in 1996, the festival is organised by Rai Com and promoted by Rai. Its programme combines professional meetings with screenings and activities for schools and the public. The Pulcinella Awards recognise television programmes for different age groups, interactive animation, short films and animated features, while an international panorama presents work outside the competition.

The festival takes place in Pescara, Italy, and also presents a Winter Edition in L’Aquila. The dates for the 2026 Pescara edition are 27–30 May 2026.

Country

Italy

Focus

Animation

Categories

Animation, Feature, Short, Television, Web and New Media

Awards and prizes

The Pulcinella Awards recognise preschool, upper preschool, kids and youth television, interactive animation, short films and animated features. Feature-film special mentions recognise screenplay, direction, animation and soundtrack. The festival also presents career, studio, special, transmedia, immersive and Arlecchino awards, alongside social-content awards in collaboration with UNICEF and Moige.

Festival rules

The 2026 competition accepts works of any nationality completed or first distributed from 1 January 2024. Entries must be in English or have English subtitles, except works without dialogue. Submission is free. Categories cover preschool, upper preschool, kids and youth television, interactive animation, short films under 40 minutes and feature films over 40 minutes. Animation, hybrid and, in the television categories, live-action productions are eligible. Previously entered works are generally excluded, with exceptions for subsequent television seasons or substantially developed works entered in another category. Selected works cannot be withdrawn.

Contacts

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