Panebarco: from comics to animation. A family tradition renewed over time

Today, Panebarco creates animated commercials, special effects and motion graphics videos, collaborating with communication agencies and production houses. In 2019, the company has expanded its scope by entering the film and audiovisual sector and developing new IPs.

Recent successes include the short film Caramelle (Sweets) in 2022, which was selected at 70 festivals in 14 different countries, placed in the top five at Nastri d’Argento awards and won 25 awards (including the Pulcinella Prize, the European Film Festival Award and the Audience Award for best animated short at Alice nella Città festival). The short, directed by Matteo Panebarco with the original soundtrack composed by Luciano Titi, is a WeShort Originals, co-produced with Mediterraneo Cinematografica and distributed by Prem1ere Film; supported by Emilia-Romagna Film Commission, Ministry of Culture and the Municipality of Ravenna.

In January 2024, Arf, directed by Simona Cornacchia and Anna Russo, was released in Italian theatres; a delicate film in paperless animation that tackles the subject of war and prison camps from an unusual angle. In fact, the protagonist is a child who, raised in a forest by a golden retriever, believes he is a dog and behaves like one. The film is produced by Genoma in collaboration with Panebarco, Showlab, Margutta Studio and Digitoonz by Emilia-Romagna Film Commission and Ministry of Culture.

Many production challenges are underway. Panebarco is collaborating at the development of Guglielmo the Inventor, ananimated TV series inspired by Guglielmo Marconi’s childhood. Produced by POPCult (IT), Animalps (FR) and Krutart (CZ), the project will be pitched at Cartoon Forum 2024.

Last but not least, the studio is developing #NostoppingNora, a 100% Panebarco IP developed with the writers Lyons, Offiler and Nocera and supported by Emilia-Romagna Film Commission and Italian Ministry of Culture. Executive producer is Steve Walsh. Also, on board as partners are Telegael (IE) and Calon TV (UK). The project is looking for a fourth country with a strong partner to take care of the animation and, of course, investors, distributors and broadcasters interested in pre-buy or co-production. Nora is an 11-year-old girl with a passion for computers and new technologies… in fact, she has a real fixation, and her motto is: “I code, therefore I am!”. Like all her peers, when it comes to new technologies, social media and trends in the digital world, Nora knows more than all the boomers on the planet put together, and she is convinced that there is no problem that cannot be solved with well-written codes. In each episode, this granitic conviction of hers is somehow undermined or completely dismantled. In fact, Nora realises that without the human touch, there is no valid code, no innovation that makes sense.

Read the article on the first issue of The European Animation Journal.