Cartoon Forum Returns to Toulouse for 2023 Edition

The 2023 edition of Cartoon Forum, featuring 76 new animated series from 16 European countries, has begun in Toulouse and will run through September 21.

The event expects to host more than 1,000 participants, with 270 broadcasters, distributors, investors, streamers, book publishers and game representatives attending the pitching sessions.

The 76 projects chosen were shortlisted from 120 submissions. They represent 473 hours of new content and a total budget of €393.5 million, with an average cost of €5.1 million per series.

France leads the selection with 32 projects, followed by Ireland with 7, Germany and Belgium with 6 and Spain with 5. Italy participates with 4 projects, while the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Poland and Ukraine are represented by 2 each. Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece and the Netherlands are participating with 1 each.

Series targeting children ages 5 to 11 remain the focus of European animation, making up 59 percent of the 2023 lineup. The remaining 41 percent of projects target preschool (21 percent), young adults/adults (14 percent) and family (6 percent).

The wide range of topics addressed include environmental issues and diversity, including with a growing number of stories from a female perspective and starring strong female characters.

This year, the event will host Animated UK Meets Europe, spearheaded by Animation UK in partnership with the BBC, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Sky and supported by agencies such as Northern Ireland Screen, Screen Scotland, Creative Wales and Film London. A total of five new projects in development from U.K. creative voices will be pitched together with a U.K. broadcast partner in a 90-minute session. Each is actively looking for collaboration with a European co-production partner.

The 1,000 professional attending Cartoon Forum will vote on the Cartoon Forum Tributes awards, which have 12 nominees from ten countries.