First Pitching Session

The contest and program FPS – First Pitching Session is one event within the various initiatives of CINANIMA, created in 2025 with the collaboration of the Animation Collective “Piquenique na Lua,” with the objective of creating a community for the new generation of talents in international animation.

This initiative offers a unique opportunity for artists and their developing projects to be presented to a panel of industry professionals, and also to other creators looking for collaborations. It is aimed at students, recent graduates, and new animators who are taking their first steps in the world of animation and want to showcase their work, receive constructive and professional feedback, and to generate connections in the animation world.

Registration and participation in the First Pitching Session are completely free, from beginning to end of the process. The FPS is an initiative open to national and international participants of all ages; it includes online sessions (training and one-on-one sessions), but the final presentation of the 5 selected projects is conducted on site (Espinho, Portugal) and encompasses both livestream transmission and video/photographic recording of the presentations.

The registration period runs from 19 June to 16 August 2026, and the five projects selected for the final pitch will be announced by email on 8 September 2026.

Selection evaluation criteria:

1. Originality of the theme and the story, and quality of the narrative structure expressed in the script and/or the storyboard;
2. Innovation, originality, and coherence of graphic elements, expressed through character and environment design studies;
3. Originality, quality, and coherence of the technical animation proposal in regards to thematic, artistic and dramaturgical choices;
4. Visual coherence in the combination of the artistic elements;
5. Evaluation of the schedule and its adequacy to the production plan for the technical and artistic characteristics of the project;
6. Evaluation of the Dossier regarding the required contents, its organization and its alignment with the project.

PARAMETER A: Narrative (45%)

• Originality of the themes addressed and of the project’s story
• Structure of the plot/script/storyboard

PARAMETER B: Graphic Elements (30%)

• Innovation and originality of the projects
• Visual coherence and suitability in relation to the project’s narrative and themes
• Clear and well-structured presentation of the project

PARAMETER C: Technique (10%)

• Suitability of the chosen techniques to the project’s themes and narrative

PARAMETER D: Production Plan (10%)

• Suitability of the schedule to the planned project
• Appropriateness of the requested resources in relation to the project’s current stage of development
• Well-structured and carefully planned strategy for obtaining the missing elements

PARAMETER E: Dossier (5%)

• Organisation of the dossier