This article was written for the September/October '24 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 343).

There’s no such thing as too much of a good thing when it comes to cartoons! The attendees of this year’s Cartoon Forum will realize this fact when they attend the European event in Toulouse, France this month (Sept. 16-19). The organizers have announced that 75 TV specials and series in various stages of development and production will be showcased at the Euro confab.

This year’s colorful selection is led by France (36 projects), followed by Ireland (seven), Italy (six), CEE countries (five projects from Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Serbia & Slovakia) and Germany (five). Denmark and Spain are each repped by three projects, while Portugal has two. Armenia, Georgia and Moldova will each present a project for the first time at Cartoon Forum, joining Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in the one-project club.

As the event’s general director Annick Maes tells us, “Knowing that the decisive event which led to the creation of the Cartoon Forum took place at Villa Medici in1989, we thought it was the perfect opportunity as to put the spotlight on the Italian animation industry 35 years later in Toulouse. We’re also joining forces with the Bologna Book Fair this year to provide more opportunities for the European animation industry professionals.”

Notable Facts and Figures:

• The 75 selected projects were chosen from 107 submissions.
• 28 countries are represented (20 from Europe are main producers, plus Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Cameroon, Colombia, Georgia, Israel and Senegal as co-producers).
• The total budget for all projects is €350.77 million ($381.66 million) coming to an average cost per minute of €14.835 ($16.8) for the total 394 hours of content.
• Most projects are aimed at Children (63%), followed by Teens & Young Adults (23%), Family (7%) and Preschool (7%).
• Three projects previously pitched at Cartoon Springboard for young talent are selected: Bitches by Caïmans Productions (France), All Good by Glow (Spain) and No Pets! by Nuvole e Strike (Italy).
• Three projects are produced in the host territory (Animation in Occitanie): Marie Curie’s Great War (Tripode Productions), Our Lil’Adventures (Xbo films) and Animals in a Nutshell (Les Films d’Ici Méditerranée).
• Continuing the annual country/region spotlights begun in 2017, Cartoon Forum will showcase showcasing the contributions of Italy to the animation industry. Thanks to the efforts of Cartoon Italia,  international and executive productions involving an Italian producer can now tap into a 40% tax credit. Italian animation also benefits from regional funds and automatic and selective funds from the Ministry of Culture.
• Italian projects have been selected to be pitched at CF. Green Thumb by Movimenti Production; Guglielmo the Inventor by POPCult, co-produced by Ani­malps Pro­duc­tions (France) & Kru­tart (Czechia); Matita HB by IBRIDO Studio; mindTOONness by Vis­man­i­ma­tion, co-produced by Enan­i­ma­tion; Mission Delta by Eagle Orig­i­nal Con­tent, co-produced by MAD Enter­tain­ment; and No Pets! by Nuv­ole e Strisce.

You can find out more and check out all the selected projects at cartoon-media.eu/forum.

Pitch Perfect: A Cartoon Forum Sampler

There are many new promising and very different shows being pitched at this year’s Cartoon Forum. Here are six titles that grabbed our attention:

The Chimera Brigade

Adapted from the acclaimed graphic novel by Serge Lehman, this CG-animated new series is set in an alternative dystopian Paris (circa 1938) where the world is transformed by Marie Curie’s invention of radium. A young doctor gains superhuman abilities and joins a mystic writer to resist the nefarious plans of Dr. Mabuse and his army of superhumans which will trigger the Second World War. The 8 x 40’ show, which is directed by Louis Leterrier and Antoine Charreyron, and produced by Ron Dyens (Sacrebleu Productions) and co-produced by Cilvy Aupin (Ciel de Paris), sounds like the kind of great fantasy world in which you can easily lose yourself.

The Broos

Parisian adult animation shop Bobbyprod is known for toons such as Les Kassos and Monsieur Flap. This year, they come to Cartoon Forum with a 12 x 4′ 2D toon about Adam and Seb, two average dudes trying to make sense of life in the world. Based on a popular TikTok phenom with over 550,000 followers, The Broos series is directed and written by David Mirailles and produced by David Alric and Bobbyprod. This one definitely looks like an easy sell to the young adult and adult audiences around the world who see their lives reflected in the witty short offerings.

Lost in the Future

French studio Ellipse Animation has one of the biggest animation catalogs in Europe, including some successful shows such as The Adventures of Tintin, The Garfield Show and The Smurfs. This month, they’re introducing a wonderful new title at Cartoon Forum, which is both visually attractive and sounds like a lot of fun: Lost in the Future is based on the entertaining graphic novel by Damian Copanario Hernandez and Alex Fuentes, and it follows five teenagers who fall down a magical well and find themselves in a strange future world, populated by weird creatures and humans. Of course, our ragtag team has to find a way to survive in this bizarro world! This 2D (52 x 11′) show targets six- to nine-year-olds and is directed by Cédric Frémeaux. Audrey Serre is the producer.

Matita HB

A 10-year-old girl named Matita is the protagonist and narrator of this charming Italian show, based on popular books written by Susanna Mattiangeli and illustrated by Rita Petruccioli. The 26 x 11′ 2D series centers on the bright youngster as she reimagines her world as sweeping chapters of her favorite books. Directed and written by Francesco Forti and Victoria Musci, the 2D animated show incorporates bright colors and clean animation to bring home the entertaining world of young Matita. The promising project is produced by Turin-based Giuseppe Lo Verso and Federico Turani (Ibrido Studio). We can summarize it all in two words: che magnifico!

The Hippo Kids

When eccentric uncle Dolph who loves ninja flicks and ’80s action movies moves in with Thor and Eva’s family, he changes their lives forever. He feels a special void left by the parents who are too busy to care for the siblings. That’s the premise of the new 26 X 11′ 2D show aimed at children and tweens. Written and directed by Pernille Bøn­løkke Toustrup and Mikael Wulff, The Hippo Kids is produced by Jacob Oliver Krarup and the talented team at New Creations. Take one look at the cute designs and hilarious faces of this hippo clan, and we’re sure you’ll want to see more,too!

Mechazaurs: The Voice from Afar

Zina, a powerful young female warrior sets out to avenge the death of her mother in this thrilling adventure series set in alt-prehistoric world ruled by a humanoid dinosaur named Nakatu! This exciting 8 X 45’ series is aimed at a young adult/adult audience and is produced by Mateusz Kowalczyk and Mikołaj Błońs­ki and Polish studio Laniakea Pictures. The fact that acclaimed husband-and-wife writers Doug and Candie Langdale, who have worked on a wide range of popular animated projects in the past few decades (Maya and the Three, A Tale Dark & Grimm, Cleopatra in Space, The Weekenders, Dave the Barbarian and many more) are attached to the show makes it even more exciting! Go get the bad dinos, Zina!