Cartoon Club, International Festival of Animation, Comics and Games, now at its 42nd edition, is one of the best known festivals on the Italian scene.
It is a remarkable window for animation, especially short films – including fiction, educational, experimental, and computer graphic works – with a whole section solely dedicated to comics: Riminicomix.
Furthermore, the festival features:
- exhibitions;
- educational and social projects;
- workshops in local schools;
- one of the most popular and entertaining Cosplay conventions in Italy;
- publication of books and catalogs.
The festival takes place in Rimini in various locations, from downtown to the beach, in the month of July.

Awards & Prizes

The Signor Rossi Award: open to animated films made by secondary school and university students, and by the students of animation film schools. It consists of a cash prize of 1,500 Euro and the "Sig. Rossi Plate";

The Cartoon Club Award: open to short animated films made by professional filmmakers and production companies. The winner will receive the "Cartoon Club Plate";

The Cartoon Kids Award: open to some short animated films aimed at a children’s audience. Among the submitted films the Festival direction will select, at their own discretion, some titles which will then be judged by an all-children’s jury who will select the winner. The winner will receive the "Cartoon Kids Plate";

The Cartoon Junior Award: open to short animated films realized within workshops for children in Italy or abroad. The winner will receive the "Cartoon Junior Plate";

The Cartoon Cub AI Award: open to fully AI-animated shorts made with AI tools by students, professional filmmakers, and production companies. The winner will receive the "Cartoon Club AI Plate".

The Cartoon Club Environment Award: among the submitted films the Festival direction will select, at their own discretion, some titles which best represent the environmental protection topics. The winner will receive the “Cartoon Environment Plate”.

Rules & Terms

1. ADMISSION CONDITIONS
ONLY SHORT ANIMATED FILMS (min. 2’ 30", max. 30’), produced from 1st January 2024 onward, and which haven’t been shown in previous editions of the festival are admitted.
Admission is free of charge.

The short films will be selected by the exclusive choice of the festival.

Applicants must also provide the following:
• the film file in high-quality .mp4 or .mov format;
• the list of subtitles in English or Italian (for foreign language films only);
• the film synopsis;
• bio-filmography and picture of the director/s;
• 3 film stills (in .jpg format, 300 dpi).

The above material is to be sent to info@cartoonclub.it as email attachment, or as download link from server, WeTransfer or other file transfer services if not directly downloadable from the platform. Failure to provide the above-mentioned material within two weeks since selection notification at the latest might result in disqualification.

The selection notification will be sent within 20th June 2026. Shortly afterwards, the list of the selected films will be available on the Festival website, at the following address: http://www.cartoonclubrimini.com/film_in_concorso_2026

2. ENTRY DEADLINE
30th April 2026. Acceptance of entries after this date will be at the Festival's discretion.

3. AWARDS
Based on their unquestionable judgment, two qualified juries - made up of critics and professionals in the field - and one children Jury will award the following prizes:
• Signor Rossi Award: consisting of a cash prize of 1,500 Euro and a “Sig. Rossi Plate”;
• Cartoon Club Award: "Cartoon Club Plate";
• Cartoon Kids Award: “Cartoon Kids Plate”;
• Cartoon Junior Award: "Cartoon Junior Plate";
• Cartoon Club AI Award: "Cartoon Club AI Plate";
• Cartoon Club Environment Award: "Cartoon Club Environment Plate".

Wherever possible, the winning authors or their representatives will be invited to attend the Festival’s closing night to collect their prizes.

4. STREAMING PROGRAM
In addition to our live screenings, our Streaming Program will be available to viewers free of charge only upon registration through our website and geo-blocked for Italy only.

PLEASE NOTE: if your film includes COPYRIGHTED MUSIC you must be able to provide us with the relevant PERMISSION FOR USE.
PLEASE LET US KNOW if you DON’T authorize your work to be in our streaming program.

5. BROADCASTING AND REPRODUCTION FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES
a) EVENTS FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES: the work may also be shown at other events or screenings organized by Cartoon Club, solely for non-profit, cultural purposes.
b) BROADCASTING AND REPRODUCTION FOR CULTURAL PURPOSES: you hereby authorize the reproduction and broadcasting for promotional purposes and the storage of 20% of the work, up to a maximum of 3 minutes.

6. AUTHORIZATION FOR PERSONAL DATA USE
Information: according to the Italian law on the processing of personal data (legislative decree 196/2003 and subsequent 101/2018, available for download on our website) your data will not be disclosed to third parties nor used for commercial purposes.
By submitting your work, you automatically authorize the processing of your personal data in order to receive information about Cartoon Club and its activities, i.e.: publication of contact info in the Festival catalog, film selection for other festivals, cultural events or cultural associations we collaborate with, etc.

7. ACCEPTANCE OF THE REGULATIONS
Participation in the Festival implies full acceptance of the terms of the present regulations. For cases not covered by the present regulations, the decision taken by the Organization will be immediately communicated to the participating authors and it will be binding.

8. CONTACT DETAILS
- Phone: (+39) 0541 784193
- DIGITAL SUBMISSION: info@cartoonclub.it
- Address: CARTOON CLUB, VIA CIRCONVALLAZIONE OCCIDENTALE, 58 - 47923 RIMINI – ITALIA
51 Reviews
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  • Shopno Samudra

    I was honored to have my film “Rupali Aansh” selected for Cartoon Club, and it was a wonderful experience from start to finish. The festival team was warm, professional, and highly supportive, making the entire process smooth and enjoyable.

    The curation of films was inspiring, showcasing diverse voices and unique storytelling styles from around the world. The screenings were well-organized, and the atmosphere celebrated creativity in a genuine way.

    Even from a participant’s perspective, it was clear that Cartoon Club values both the artistry and the artists, creating opportunities for meaningful connections between filmmakers, audiences, and industry professionals.

    I am truly grateful for the opportunity to be part of this festival and look forward to following and supporting its future editions.

    — Shopno Samudra

    August 2025
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  • Varya Volkova

    Thanks for choosing my movie!

    July 2025
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  • Turtle Studio Animation

    Un festival che offre tante opportunità di visibilità, chiaro nella comunicazione e super professionale! Purtroppo non siamo potuti essere al festival ma speriamo di poterci vedere l anno prossimo! Grazie ancora di cuore per aver selezionato il nostro cortometraggio "Novavita"

    September 2024
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  • Nadège Herrygers

    Thank you for the organization and to highlight the work of young people!

    August 2024
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  • Mallivi Melo

    Todo ha sido maravilloso, especialmente el espacio que le brindan a las infancias de poder exhibir sus primeras creaciones audiovisuales. Gracias totales y besos de los cerros orientales del Sur de Bogotá ❤️

    July 2024
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