Bruno Bozzetto

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Bruno Bozzetto (March 3, 1938, Milano, Italy) is an Italian cartoon animator, creator of many short pieces, mainly of a political or satirical nature. He created his first animated short "Tapum! the weapons' story" in 1958 at the age of 20. His most famous character, a hapless little man named "Signor Rossi" (Mr. Rossi), has been featured in many animated shorts as well as starring in three feature films: "Mr. Rossi Looks for Happiness" (1976), "Mr. Rossi's Dreams" (1977), and "Mr. Rossi's Vacation" (1977).

In 1965, Bozzetto became the first Italian in over twenty years to produce a feature-length animated film: "West and Soda", a parody of American Western films. In 1968, Bozzetto released "VIP my Brother Superman", a superhero spin-off. However, his best-known work is probably the 1976 feature film Allegro Non Troppo, a montage of short pieces set to classical music in the manner of Disney's Fantasia, but more humorous in nature, economical in execution and with more sophisticated narrative themes. After a long break, Bozzetto produced a live-action film in 1987, "Under the Chinese Restaurant", his last feature film work until assisting on the pilot for "Mammuk" (2002), an animated film set in prehistoric times (now being produced by Rai Cinema and The Animation Band).

In 1995, he produced an animated short for Hanna Barbera's "What A Cartoon" series entitled "Help?" and in 1996, in cooperation with RAI and with the support of Cartoon (Media Programme of the European Union), he created "The Spaghetti Family" a 26-episode cartoon television series.

In recent years Bozzetto has turned his hand to flash cartoons, most notably with the award-winning "Europe and Italy", a witty and graphically elegant commentary on European vs. Italian sociocultural attributes.

[edit] Awards (selected recent)

(2003) Bergamo International Cinema Festival: Career award (Premio delle mura)
(2001) Tehran Second International Animation Festival: Special Award of the Jury (“Europe and Italy”)
(2000) Zagreb Film Festival: Special Jury Award "for original observation of human diversity"
(1998) Zagreb 13th World Festival of Animated Films: Life Achievement Award "for outstanding and universal contribution to the development of the art of animation"