CARTOONS ON THE BAY 2026 – PULCINELLA AWARDS COMPETITION – OFFICIAL REGULATIONS
These Regulations (the “Regulations”) are available on the official website www.cartoonsbay.rai.it. For the purposes of these Regulations: “Festival” means Cartoons on the Bay – International Animation and Transmedia Festival; “Competition” means the Pulcinella Awards Competition; “Entry” means the title submitted to the Competition; “Entrant” means the person or entity that registers and submits the Entry.
1. PURPOSE AND PROMOTERS
Cartoons on the Bay – International Animation and Transmedia Festival (hereinafter “Cartoons on the Bay” and/or the “Festival”) is organized by Rai Com S.p.A. (hereinafter “Rai Com” and/or the “Organizer”), a single-member company with registered office at Via Umberto Novaro 18, 00195 Rome (RM), Tax Code, VAT number and registration with the Rome Companies Register 12865250158, R.E.A. no. RM – 949207, fully paid share capital Euro 10,320,000, subject to the management and coordination activities exercised by RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. (hereinafter “RAI”), and promoted by RAI itself in order to support and represent the landscape, evolution and new trends in the Media and Entertainment sector.
For this purpose, within the framework of Cartoons on the Bay, an artistic competition event is also organized for the assignment of the “Pulcinella Awards” (hereinafter the “Competition”).
2. VENUE, DATES AND ORGANIZATION
The 2026 edition of Cartoons on the Bay will take place in Pescara from May 27 to May 30, 2026.
The Competition will open on February 16, 2026 and will close on March 16, 2026.
Any updates regarding venues, dates and organization of the Festival will be communicated via the official Festival website www.cartoonsbay.rai.it.
The Organizer reserves the right to communicate to participants—through the above channels—any change to one or more of the dates indicated above.
3. REPRESENTATIVE BODIES
The representative bodies of the Festival are as follows:
● President: the President of Rai Com;
● Artistic Director: appointed by Rai Com, responsible for overseeing, coordinating and defining the Festival guidelines;
● Editorial Committee: supports the Artistic Director in the organization of the Festival;
● Selection Committee: supports the Artistic Director in evaluating the submitted Entries and defining the Official Selection;
● International Juries, composed members selected among professionals with proven experience in the animation industry, assign the Pulcinella Awards;
The Artistic Director appoints, at their sole discretion, the members of the Editorial Committee, the Selection Committee and the International Juries, which carry out their respective duties at their sole discretion.
4. PARTICIPATION RULES
4.1 ELIGIBLE ENTRIES
Only the following Entries are eligible for the Competition:
● Type: animated, hybrid or live action;
● Nationality: any nationality;
● Completion/first release date: completed and/or first released from January 1, 2024 onwards;
● Language: in English or with English subtitles (except for Entries without dialogue).
The Competition is open to Entries falling within one of the Competition Categories (Art. 8), in compliance with the registration procedures and eligibility criteria set out herein.
4.2 EXCLUSIONS
Entries already submitted to previous editions of the Festival will not be considered, except for subsequent seasons of TV series and/or Entries previously submitted in another category that have undergone significant/different developments (in such case, the participant must expressly indicate this at the time of registration).
Entries containing unlawful content, third-party rights infringements, defamatory or discriminatory content, or content harmful to the image of the Festival are also excluded.
4.3 RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SUBMITTING PARTY
The responsibility for submitting and entering the Entry in the Festival lies exclusively with the person/entity that completes the registration; such party indemnifies and holds harmless the Festival organizers and promoters from any claim and/or dispute brought by third parties in this respect. Likewise, the registering party undertakes to comply with, and to ensure
compliance by, any third parties (including authors and/or contributors to the Entry) with all conditions and terms set out in these Regulations.
4.4 ACCREDITATION
Submitting a Entry to the Competition does not automatically entitle the applicant to Festival accreditation. Accreditations are free of charge and may be requested via the Festival website.
4.5 ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES
Should technical or organizational reasons prevent, in whole or in part, the holding of the Festival, Rai Com will take the appropriate measures by publishing notice on the Festival website www.cartoonsbay.rai.it, where all information and updates will be available.
For the Feature Films section, any measures and updates will likewise be published on the Festival website.
4.6 REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION
Requests for clarifications or further information may be addressed to the Festival Office by e-mail at entry.cartoonsbay@rai.it.
5. REGISTRATION AND SUBMISSION OF MATERIALS
5.1 FIRST PHASE – ONLINE REGISTRATION
5.1.1 Registration period and procedure
Registration for the Competition is free of charge for all sections. Each Entry must be registered online on the Festival website (www.cartoonsbay.rai.it), “Competition” section, from February 16, 2026 to March 16, 2026. Failure to meet this deadline will result in exclusion from the Competition.
By no later than March 16, 2026, the applicant must:
● complete the online registration form;
● provide a screening link for the Entry within the registration form.
The screening link must remain active and accessible throughout the selection process; expired or inaccessible links may lead to exclusion from the Competition.
Any extensions to the registration period and/or to the submission of materials may be published on www.cartoonsbay.rai.it and on the Cartoons on The Bay page on the FilmFreeway platform.
5.1.2 Alternative platforms and specific categories
Feature Films: for Entries in the Feature Films section, registration may also be completed via the FilmFreeway platform, according to the instructions on the Festival website and on the relevant FilmFreeway page.
Interactive Animation: for the Interactive Animation category, where applicable, game codes or download keys must be provided.
5.1.3 Registration confirmation
At the end of the online registration procedure, the applicant will receive a confirmation e-mail.
If the confirmation e-mail is not received, the applicant must contact the Festival Office at entry.cartoonsbay@rai.it.
5.1.4 Mandatory deadline and withdrawal restrictions
Online registration of the Entry must be completed by no later than March 16, 2026. Failure to meet this deadline will result in exclusion from the Competition.
It is not possible to withdraw a submitted Entry after the registration deadline.
Once the Official Selection has been published on the Festival website, selected Entries may not be withdrawn from participation in the Festival.
5.2 SECOND PHASE – SELECTION OUTCOME
The Organizer will communicate the selection outcome to the applicant by e-mail. If the communication is not received, the applicant must contact the Festival Office at entry.cartoonsbay@rai.it.
5.3 THIRD PHASE – SUBMISSION OF MATERIALS
In case of selection, the applicant must complete the submission of materials by March 31, 2026, by accessing https://fileportal.rai.it using the credentials provided by the Organizer.
5.3.1 Required materials
The following materials must be uploaded:
● video of the Entry (H.264 codec, MP4 container, 1920×1080 resolution, bitrate between 8 and 10 Mbps, no watermarks, English dialogue or English subtitles where applicable); files must be named: Entry Code – English Title;
● trailer of the Entry, if available, named: Entry Code – English Title – Trailer;
● two images with no logos or titles, 300 dpi, in the formats 1920×1080 pixels.
Exclusively for the Feature Film category, the Entry may be delivered in DCP format (unencrypted or with an open KDM). The KDM must be sent by e-mail to entry.cartoonsbay@rai.it.
5.3.2 Technical aspects of uploading
For any issues during the upload process, please contact: entry.cartoonsbay@rai.it.
Responsibility for the correct uploading of files lies with the applicant.
For digital submission, the use of a suitable internet connection with bandwidth not lower than 20 Mbps is recommended.
6. SELECTION RESULTS AND ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
The Organizer will communicate the results of the Official Selection in the dedicated section of the Festival website www.cartoonsbay.rai.it (alternatively, an e-mail may be sent to the submitting party).
For Entries included in the Competition (Nominations), the submission of additional materials, including multimedia materials, may be requested.
7.OFFICIAL SELECTION
The Official Selection includes the Entries in Competition (Nominations) and the Entries Out of Competition (International Panorama), divided by Competition Categories (Art. 8).
Once the Official Selection has been published on the Festival website, selected Entries may not be withdrawn from participation in the Festival.
7.1 ENTRIES IN COMPETITION (NOMINATIONS)
For each category, five (5) Entries are selected (except for the Feature Films category, for which the number of nominated Entries may vary at the discretion of the Artistic Director).
For each nominated Entry, the Festival may provide:
● online publication of the Entry’s page (including images, credits and synopsis) on the Festival website www.cartoonsbay.rai.it in the dedicated sections;
● inclusion of the Entry’s page in the official Festival catalogue, in print, digital and/or online format (Official Festival Catalogue);
● inclusion of the production and distribution companies in the Official Festival Catalogue;
● free inclusion of the Entry in the Festival Digital Video Library, accessible to professionals attending the Festival (service active for the duration of the Festival);
● issuance of a participation certificate, sent after the Festival in digital or paper format;
● a non-commercial public screening during the Festival for the Feature Films category and, at the sole discretion of the Artistic Director, for other categories;
● possible inclusion of the Entry in the Festival showreel for promotional use by Rai Com and RAI Group companies;
● the right for rights holders to include the Festival wording and/or logo (and, in case of award, the name of the award) in their promotional activities.
The Festival reserves the right to vary the visibility given to Entries based on the organizational needs of the current edition.
7.2 OUT OF COMPETITION ENTRIES (INTERNATIONAL PANORAMA)
Out of Competition Entries (International Panorama) offer an overview of cultural, technological and industrial trends in the sector across different geographical areas.
For each Out of Competition Entry, the Festival may provide:
● inclusion of the Entry’s page in the Official Festival Catalogue;
● inclusion of the production and distribution companies in the Official Festival Catalogue;
● free inclusion of the Entry in the Festival Digital Video Library, accessible to professionals attending the Festival (service active for the duration of the Festival).
The Festival reserves the right to vary the visibility given to Entries based on the organizational needs of the current edition.
8. COMPETITION CATEGORIES
The Official Selection is divided into the following Competition Categories:
● PRESCHOOL TV SHOW (2–4)
● UPPER PRESCHOOL TV SHOW (4–6)
● KIDS TV SHOW (7–11)
● YOUTH TV SHOW (11+)
● INTERACTIVE ANIMATION
● SHORT FILM
● FEATURE FILM
For the purposes of these Regulations:
● Preschool TV Shows: TV series intended for audiences aged 2 to 4, produced in animation, live action or mixed technique, completed or first released between January 1, 2024 and the registration date;
● Upper Preschool TV Shows: TV series intended for audiences aged 4 to 6, produced in animation, live action or mixed technique, completed or first released between January 1, 2024 and the registration date;
● Kids TV Shows: TV series intended for audiences aged 7 to 11, produced in animation, live action or mixed technique, completed or first released between January 1, 2024 and the registration date;
● Youth TV Shows: TV series intended for audiences aged 11 and above, produced in animation, live action or mixed technique, completed or first released between January 1, 2024 and the registration date;
● Interactive Animation: interactive animated Entries, including video games and applications, completed or first released between January 1, 2024 and the registration date;
● Short Film: animated or mixed technique short films with a running time under 40 minutes, completed or first released between January 1, 2024 and the registration date;
● Feature Film: animated or mixed technique feature films with a running time over 40 minutes, completed or first released between January 1, 2024 and the registration date.
9. AWARDS AND SPECIAL MENTIONS
The International Jury assigns the following awards among the nominated Entries:
● Pulcinella Award Best Preschool TV Show (2–4);
● Pulcinella Award Best Upper Preschool TV Show (4–6);
● Pulcinella Award Best Kids TV Show (7–11);
● Pulcinella Award Best Youth TV Show (11+);
● Pulcinella Award Best Interactive Animation;
● Pulcinella Award Best Short Film.
The International Feature Films Jury assigns the following award among the nominated Entries in the Feature Film category:
● Pulcinella Best Animated Feature;
and the following Special Mentions among nominated Feature Films:
● Best Screenplay;
● Best Director;
● Best Animation;
● Best Soundtrack.
The Artistic Director, in agreement with the members of the Editorial Committee, may grant the following Special Awards:
● Pulcinella Career Award;
● Pulcinella Award Studio of the Year;
● Pulcinella Special Award;
● Pulcinella Transmedia Award;
● Pulcinella Immersive Award;
● Arlecchino Award.
The Artistic Director, in collaboration with UNICEF, will assign the following Special Award:
● Special Award for the Best Social-Themed Entry, selected among all competition categories.
● Moige Award, selected among all competition categories.
10. RIGHTS AND WARRANTIES
Entries submitted to Cartoons on the Bay will be treated as confidential. By registering the Entry online and submitting materials to the Festival organization, the submitting party:
i. authorizes Rai Com and the RAI Group to use the submitted Entry within the various Festival initiatives and through its means, during or outside the Festival;
ii. authorizes Rai Com and the RAI Group to use the submitted Entry to promote the Festival and its future editions in any context;
iii. authorizes Rai Com and the RAI Group to use the Entry also on platforms, websites, etc. of any Festival partners and/or RAI Group platforms, and provides specific consent for those uses and exploitations of the submitted Entries (and presentation materials, etc.) that the Organizer may define and implement at its discretion for the purposes of holding the Festival and its future editions;
iv. authorizes Rai Com and the RAI Group to use extracts from the submitted Entry for journalistic and promotional purposes related to the Festival and its future editions;
v. warrants that they are lawfully authorized to use the Entry and that participation in the Festival and any use by Rai Com and the RAI Group within the Festival and related initiatives will not infringe third-party rights, expressly indemnifying and holding harmless Rai Com and the RAI Group from any damage or claim that may arise, including with regard to the title of the Entry;
vi. warrants, under civil and criminal law, the lawfulness of the content and form of the Entry;
vii. warrants that they are the author or, in any case, the holder of all exploitation rights required by these Regulations and of its constituent elements, indemnifying and holding harmless Rai Com and the RAI Group from any third-party claims;
viii. acknowledges that a Entry included in the Official Selection may be presented by the Festival organizers in its various forms, including excerpts and related edits (e.g., clips or trailers), during the Festival and in its subsequent editions (including, among others: professional program; viewing in the Video Library; non-commercial public screening). In particular, the Entry may be used for screenings to accredited professionals and/or a wider public during the Festival, and for other promotional/advertising uses connected with the Festival and its future editions;
ix. authorizes the use of the Entry for viewing by international buyers and distributors in the Video Library;
x. authorizes the use of the Entry—and all related materials and information provided to the Festival at the time of registration (including, among others: trailers, digital videos, photos, materials and various data/information)—for the creation and/or production of information and marketing materials related to the Festival and its future editions, for example bilingual (ITA/ENG) publications. For this purpose, materials may be translated and/or edited also in terms of length, depending on communication needs.
11. CONDITIONS
Rai Com reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to suspend, interrupt, postpone and/or cancel the Festival and/or the Competition, without any objection being raised by participants or by those who have submitted Entries. Rai Com also reserves the right to amend these Regulations, even after publication, undertaking to inform the interested parties in due time.
Should technical or organizational reasons prevent, in whole or in part, the holding of the Festival in the manner and within the terms provided for by these Regulations, Rai Com will take the appropriate measures by notifying Competition registrants by e-mail.
Participants acknowledge and accept that the submission of a Entry to the Competition and any subsequent participation in the Festival entails:
i. full acceptance of these Regulations and full compliance with all indications contained herein and in any updates published on the Festival website www.cartoonsbay.rai.it;
ii. acceptance of the actions and final, unappealable decisions of the Festival bodies, with an express waiver of any claim or recourse against Rai Com, the RAI Group and their members;
iii. acknowledgement of the general ethical principles of honesty and compliance with the law, pluralism, professionalism, impartiality, fairness, confidentiality, transparency, diligence, loyalty and good faith, as well as full knowledge of the RAI Group Code of Ethics, the Organisation, Management and Control Model pursuant to Legislative Decree 231/2001 of RAI and Rai Com, and the Three-year Corruption Prevention Plan of RAI and Rai Com, available at: https://www.raicom.rai.it/statuto-e-normative/;
iv. acknowledgement and awareness of the personal data processing notice issued by Rai Com pursuant to Article 13 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and applicable privacy laws, as referenced in the registration form.
PRIVACY NOTICE – SUMMARY PURSUANT TO ART. 13 OF REG. (EU) 2016/679 (“GDPR”) AND APPLICABLE PRIVACY REGULATIONS
Rai Com, as Data Controller, informs that the personal data provided by each data subject at the time of registration for the Competition, submission of materials and/or participation in the Festival will be used exclusively for the purposes set out in these Regulations, or to enable participation in the Festival and/or the Competition (including activities related to the outcome of the Competition). Processing is lawful as it is necessary to manage the data subject’s registration for the Competition and potential participation in the Festival, subject to the data subject’s acknowledgement and acceptance of these Regulations (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR).
Failure to provide the requested personal data will prevent participation in the Competition and/or the Festival.
Personal data may be processed by Rai Com and/or appointed third parties, including companies of the RAI Group, manually and/or by electronic means, for the purposes set out in these Regulations. Data subjects may exercise their rights under Articles 15 et seq. of the GDPR and applicable privacy laws by contacting: Rai Com S.p.A., Via Umberto Novaro 18 – 00195 Rome, e-mail: privacy.raicom@rai.it. The Data Protection Officer can be contacted at: dporaicom@rai.it.
The extended privacy notice is available at https://cartoonsbay.rai.it/ by clicking the “Informativa” link at the bottom of the “Form di iscrizione”.