MOVIMENTI turns 20!

2024 is a significant year for Movimenti Production, as it marks the 20th anniversary of company’s founding. Is it time for a balance sheet?

After 20 years, we believe we have succeeded in creating a true ecosystem where we manage the entire life cycle of our original productions, from conception to final delivery, followed by worldwide distribution. Moreover, we have achieved these results in Italy. We took our time to develop a unique business model that differed from existing ones in our country. We were fortunate to receive support from RAI, which continues to be the primary financier of animation in Italy, as well as from institutional entities that have begun to recognize the value of animation in facilitating and incentivizing growth. The collaboration with Netflix has enabled us to become an international entity, with the distribution in 190 countries of Zerocalcare‘s two series, Tear Along the Dotted Line and This World Can’t Tear Me Down. These series have been extremely successful in Italy and have also been well received internationally. On a financial level, I am particularly proud of the fact that, among the hundreds of people who have collaborated with us, many would have had to go abroad to do their work if we had not been able to offer them the opportunity to work with us. This includes myself and my partner, Davide Rosio.

One of this year’s most notable developments was the introduction of live action, with two productions: S-Fidiamoci and The Dorothy Effect. Could you please provide us with further details about them?

The two productions were both highly engaging. Regarding, we believe there is an audience, the so-called tweens, who have grown up with us and our series over the years and who have now reached that age group where they start to explore the typical issues of adolescence. We approached these issues in a light-hearted yet not superficial manner. The series has received a positive response since its initial broadcast, with high levels of engagement on social media. We are now in production with the second season. We believe in the value of offering content with an editorial slant, which we achieve through the use of irony and sarcasm. The Dorothy Effect employs the mockumentary format to address a tangible and pressing theme, namely the challenges and dynamics of Italian universities. 

We are currently developing other projects, both for children and adults, which explore human relationships from an original perspective. We combine different techniques and work with original IPs, or book-based properties, including comics and videogames, to create a stylistic and narrative continuity.

Back to animation. You recently launched Spooky Wolf. Which feedback have you received to date?

Spooky Wolf has undoubtedly been an exciting project. It is our own original IP, for which we have invested significant resources and energy, even when our interlocutors were not yet familiar with the kind of surreal and emotional comedy we wanted to build. The first season is performing well on Rai Gulp and RaiPlay, in Italy. Meanwhile, our partners Millimages and KidsMe are engaged in international distribution, and we wish the series would have a sequel. Since its release, it has received very positive feedback, including from overseas insiders who have appreciated both the experimentation with different techniques – 2D on photographic backgrounds and photorealistic 3D – and the approach to comedy genre on which Italians do not have much of a serial tradition. Once again, our aim is to expand our international presence.

Read the full article about Movimenti in the new issue of The European Animation Journal.