Two Pulcinella, the prizes awarded by the International festival of cross-media animation and children’s TV Cartoons on the Bay which takes place online this year on RaiPlay until Sunday, went to as many Rai Ragazzi TV series.
For the international jury, the best pre-school series is Lupin’s Tales, “for being able to give a breath of freshness to the big book of fairytales and the masterly use of the sense of humour.”
An innovative production by French Xilam in association with Maga Animation Studio of Monza, Italy and the participation of Rai Ragazzi and France Télévision, that debuts on Sunday 20 December on Rai Yoyo, the most popular children’s channel in Italy.
The synopsis follows: The adventures of the little wolf who dreams of being a fairy tale hero come to life as in a pop-up book, those three-dimensional books that children love so much, and not only. Destined to become a big bad wolf, Lupin instead will demonstrate that even a little wolf can become a hero like any knight or prince, learning from his mistakes, guided by the benevolent voice of the Narrator.
Topo Gigio was instead awarded as the best children’s series (upper pre-school), “For its capability in renewing an iconic character, and the ability to immerse it in contemporaneity, preserving at the same time the original emotional engagement.”
Topo Gigio is the latest project on which Maria Perego, the creator of the famous character who died last year, worked on. Made entirely in Italy, in Florence and Milan, by Topo Gigio Srl and MoviMenti Production in collaboration with Rai Ragazzi, it tells the daily adventures of the first mouse that lives in the world of humans. A colourful 2D animation series that celebrates Italian excellence with new talents from national animation to offer today’s public a still very popular character.
Lastly, the Unicef award went to Lampadino e Caramella nel MagiRegno degli Zampa, the first and only cartoon aimed at all children, with or without sensory deficits, produced by Rai Ragazzi and the Roman company Animundi, chosen among all 51 finalist works of the festival.
“This inclusive and barrier-free cartoon is aimed at all children and educates them to develop a different approach to life. Finding the most effective solutions from different points of view. Having different skills opens up new unusual and unexpected paths that lead to the goal sometimes before the others. All children are unique and special. The characters, colours, music and stories are well studied, pleasant and delicate for the audience of boys and girls to whom they are addressed,” the motivation of the Unicef jury. One of the main titles of Rai Yoyo’s schedule during the pandemic emergency, to be closed as a public service to children who have to face greater difficulties and their families.