It makes sense that an animated movie set in Venice would get a special prize at the Venice Film Festival, right? As it turns out, Gruppo Alcuni’s Pet Pals: Marco Polo’s Code was awarded the special Kineo Prize Diamanti al Cinema honor on Sunday (Sept. 4).
The 3-D CG-animated spin-off of the popular Italian Pet Pals series was singled out for “having brought the language of cross media into the world of animation, taking viewers on a creative journey in which they are no longer just the consumers but the protagonists of the magic moment when reality becomes suspended.”
Directed by Sergio Manfio, Pet Pals: Marco Polo’s Code was co-produced by Gruppo Alcuni and the Spanish Grupo Edebé and released in cinemas last year and performed well in Italy. Gruppo Alcuni productions have been sold in over 50 countries worldwide and the film itself has been distributed in 30 territories. A second Pet Pals feature titled Nameless’ Adventures in Windland is also in pre-production at the company’s Treviso studios.
