Person of the Month: Giorgio Barchetti

After spending around ten years working outside South Tyrol, Giorgio Barchetti recently returned to Bolzano, his hometown, where he continues his work as a graphic designer and illustrator. “After working for major advertising and graphic design companies and creating important campaigns, including institutional ones such as the AIDS awareness campaign and the informational campaign to prevent head lice in schools, I decided to return to artistic and manual work with paper and pencil in my own studio, and I started creating characters for animation", says Giorgio. 

Was this passion born during childhood?

Absolutely, although I initially attended the Hotel Management School in Merano, soon realizing that it was not my path! I then decided to follow my passion, graduated in graphic design and illustration, and later worked in important studios, creating logos for several major companies, working on packaging graphics for EuroDisney, for the Olympic Stadium in Munich, and collaborating with leading illustrators from the Disney and Marvel groups.

So, your passion evolved into a professional career that gives you great satisfaction?

Yes, although I originally started working with paper and pencil, and today, with the rise of technology, the artistic and handcrafted side of this profession is sometimes pushed aside. I am 56 years old, so I have experienced and continue to witness this incredible and rapid evolution. However, I still notice that some people and companies appreciate the personal touch that only a hand-drawn illustration created with a pencil can provide.

How did the idea of creating an animation festival in Bolzano come about?

By returning to this manual work, I created a character and an animated film that I submitted to various festivals, where it received several awards. I realized that, with or without the support of AI, there is tremendous activity in this field. I thought that Bolzano lacked something in celebrating this art form, and that it would be wonderful to create an event dedicated to the world of animation. Having worked for many years as an illustrator in important studios, I discussed the idea with several colleagues who immediately encouraged and supported me. Once we published the jury members on the website — truly prominent names from the industry — the number of applications exploded! We received as many as 1,600 productions and, after a very demanding selection process, 100 works were chosen.

When and how will the Bolzano Animated Movie Days Bozen take place?

The event begins on Thursday, June 4, and ends on Sunday, June 7, with the aim of celebrating creativity and innovation in the world of animated cinema. The competition itself divides the 100 selected entries into various categories: short films, feature films, screenwriting, directing, and more, with the awards ceremony taking place on Sunday afternoon. However, what I really want to emphasize is that throughout all four days, across the different venues involved — Centro Trevi, Cineplexx, and UPAD — there will be meetings, workshops, and talks with outstanding professionals and experts from the industry, including representatives from Studio PFX, who will also conduct interviews with aspiring candidates who may eventually work in one of their five European offices.

How are you trying to involve the city?

The event truly aims to become a great celebration for the city. All of us — regardless of age — are connected to the world of cartoons and animation. Therefore, we invite everyone to come and watch the animated films and attend the fascinating talks by experts, such as the one dedicated to special effects used in cinema or the conference on AI organized under the patronage of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano. All events and screenings are free of charge, although for organizational reasons, registration through the website is required for the selected event.

Image:  Giorgio Barchetti, Courtesy Giorgio Barchetti