We just got a glimpse of an upcoming Pixar film featuring some of the most beautiful animation I've seen in a long time. While more animated films have adopted a hand-drawn style recently, it's rare for Pixar to deviate this strongly from its signature CGI look – making this a welcome surprise. Gatto will be the studio's first hand-painted animated film.
While details about Gatto are still scarce, we know that the cat shown above is the main character. His name is Nero, and he finds himself indebted to a feline mob boss. The film is set against the backdrop of Venice, an evocative city and the perfect canvas for such dreamy, intricate art. Though Hoppers looked quite different from other Pixar films, it was nothing compared to Gatto.
I recently went to the cinema to see Disney's original Lady and the Tramp, and the experience made me yearn for the days before CGI. The beauty of the animation sang out on the big screen – and the slower frame rate and pace of story captivated my children. It actually felt a relief to have a cinema experience with a kids' film that wasn't completely overstimulating, and I really hope that Gatto evokes a similar vibe.
Hand-painted animation has only been attempted once before, with 2017's Loving Vincent. For that film, 100 artists oil-painted over 65,000 frames, painstakingly recreating Van Gogh's brushstrokes. That Pixar is the next studio to take this on is genuinely encouraging – a sign that there's still appetite and dedication to balancing artistic tradition with technological advancement.
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