Luca Milano’s Departure: A Milestone for Rai Kids and European Animation

Milano, who has led Rai KIDS since 2017, has played a pivotal role in advancing RAI’s international co-productions, contributing to projects like Super Happy Magic Forest and Piripenguins. He also helped bring iconic Italian productions such as Geronimo Stilton and Winx Club to screens around the world, solidifying RAI’s reputation as a cornerstone of Italian animation.

Cartoon Italia expressed its sincere gratitude to Luca Milano:

Through his dedication and expertise, Luca Milano has worked tirelessly to promote and enhance Italian animation, fostering growth in the sector and ensuring the dissemination of quality content for younger audiences. His efforts have bolstered the presence of Italian animation in both national and international audiovisual arenas, leaving a meaningful legacy for the future of our country’s audiovisual culture.

Milano was honoured with the prestigious Special ‘Cartoon Tribute of Honor’ at the 35th Cartoon Forum in Toulouse last September, to recognise his significant contributions to European animation. Milano has been vital in establishing Rai as a key player in the animation field, nurturing creative talent and facilitating collaboration among producers, distributors, and institutions. Under his leadership, Rai KIDS has emerged as an international benchmark for high-quality animated content aimed at young audiences, blending entertainment with educational themes rooted in European cultural values and shared traditions.

Roberto Genovesi, a writer, journalist, and director of Rai Libri, has been appointed as the new director of Rai KIDS following the retirement of Milano. Maria Carolina Terzi, president of Cartoon Italia, highlighted Genovesi’s extensive experience in animation and children’s content, including his long-standing role as director of the Cartoons on the Bay festival since 2009.