10 Eye-Catching Projects From Cartoon Forum’s Expansive 2025 Lineup Worth Tracking

Migrating for their annual meet-up in the lush south of France, animation creators, producers, broadcasters, investors, and streamers alike all gathered in Toulouse this week for Cartoon Forum, the biggest European animation co-production event dedicated to series and TV specials.

Always a buzzing scene, the 2025 edition was no exception, with 75 projects hailing from 20 different countries, inside and outside Europe.

As anyone who has ever attended the Forum knows, it is physically impossible to catch every interesting pitch, let alone cover them. From this rich program, we selected 10 projects we thought were worth highlighting.

Welcome Back Clara

When 26-year-old Clara moves back in with her mom, her little sister Rachel, and their cat, chaos quickly ensues. A 2D 20×4′ TV series for adults/young adults, Welcome Back Clara aims to blend family dynamics with both wild comedy and serious themes, tackling depression, loneliness, and buried secrets. Created by interdisciplinary artist Clara Kennedy and EMCA/La Poudrière director Lola Degove (Sale Pluie!, Le Bain des Sirènes), Welcome Back Clara revealed itself as a lively, touching story reminiscent of recent successes such as Samuel, this time powered by a distinctly lovable mother-sisters trio and a rich color palette.

Natu Natu

Wherever there is life, you’ll find nature’s little helpers: the Natu Natu. Following two of these cute nature guardians, Natu Natu is an ambitious 2D 104×5′ project helmed by five-time Oscar-nominated studio Cartoon Saloon, in collaboration with Luxembourgish Melusine Productions and French Superprod Animation. Illustrator/animation director and Cartoon Saloon veteran Fran Bravo (Puffin Rock) directs, with a script by Silly Sundays writer Cian McGarrigle. Aimed at preschoolers, this new eco-conscious, nature-driven show will definitely draw the attention of international distributors.

Elle(s)

At first glance, Elle is just a regular teen with changing hairstyles. But for a girl whose emotions split into living, breathing versions of herself, each battling for control of her identity, things can quickly get out of hand. A coming-of-age comic book series that sold hundreds of thousands of copies in France alone, Elle(s) is brought to animated life by Paris-based GO-N Productions. Adapting the works of writer Kid Toussaint and vizdev/character designer and comic book artist Aveline Stokart, Elle(s) has strong potential for reaching tweens all over the world — provided it finds the right partners.

Sissi & Caesar

Rainbow penguins Sissi & Caesar travel the world with a mission: to protect the colors of nature from the chromatic crisis. The stop-motion 26×7′ animated series, helmed by Chilean director Gabriela Villalobos, already made a colorful impression last year in Warsaw, where it won the Kids Kino Industry Award. Subsequently picked up by RTVE for co-production, Sissi & Caesar capitalizes on the cuteness of its main characters to bring a rich and fluffy stop-motion ecosystem to life, highlighting the beauty and wisdom of nature. A delightful visual treat for upper preschool children and animation enthusiasts.

The Underglow

Forests are definitely trendy at Cartoon Forum, where eco-conscious projects (both in topic and increasingly in production setups) find more space than ever to shine. The Underglow, with its diverse and quirky gang of friends roaming the woodland settings, provides another take on nature adventures for preschoolers. Created by Aardman veteran Sam Morrison and Wizkit author Tanya J. Scott as part of the BBC Ignite scheme and developed with the BBC, the 50×7′ series is helmed by Finnish studio Gigglebug (Merry Little Batman, Super Duper Bunny League).

2142

From Serbia comes one of the most intriguing projects of this year’s edition. 2142, a sci-fi thriller blending class wars, augmented reality, and end-of-the-world myths, positions itself as a tremendously ambitious series aimed at young adults and adults. Powered by a Serbian-Spanish co-production, 2142 comes from the inspired minds of Mina Sablic Papajic, Kristina Djukovic, Nedeljko Kovacic, and Pavle Zelic, with many storylines and what looks like a deep and unsettling dystopian world. Blending different types of 3D animation and effects into a singular look, 2142 may very well attract investors with its bold proposal.

Oh Wow!

Life can get pretty intense for a kid, even if you’re just living a regular life in a regular house — with your not-so-regular mouse friend. Going from one adventure to another, little Olivier and his friend Zelie experience all kinds of trouble, as children’s mistakes can sometimes turn into big, messy problems. Crafted in a beautiful claymation-like CG animation, Oh Wow! will have adults and preschoolers laughing alike, as the cute and imaginative duo can quickly turn into a parent’s nightmare. French indie powerhouse Autour de Minuit handles production for a show created by ENSAD alum/scriptwriter/graphic author Claire Grimond and author/screenwriter Françoise Ruscak.

Undo

Exit cute mouse, enter two ugly pug dogs. Gif and Mups, stars of Undo, go through a trail of misfortunes as Gif experiences many different kinds of anxieties, trying to escape “the goddamn tyranny of happiness.” The witty, cynical, and surreal 2D stop-motion blend is created by Brazilian director Andrea Simão and produced by Portuguese animation studio Sardinha em Lata (Alice’s Diary). A silly 10×22′ semi-serialized project, Undo goes from therapist sessions to a manatee hugging a beluga, providing a refreshing and funny approach to adult animation.

Antón Piñón

A singular co-production between Spanish Imagic TV and Japanese public broadcaster NHK Enterprises, Antón Piñón is a 52×7′ series following the adventures of clumsy but loving blue lemming Antón, who lives with his wise yet unpredictable grandma and his 27 chaotic siblings in a busy and vibrant forest. Farts, swimming pool days, and cooking catastrophes are all part of Antón’s adventures, brought to life with soft 2D animation and beautiful backgrounds. A cozy viewing for adults, and a potential hit for preschoolers who could definitely fall for this lovable lemming.

Titus, Little Prince of Rap

Can animation and rap music blend into a TV show? Dutch producers and award-winning studio Submarine Animation (Fox and Hare, Apollo 10½) definitely think so! Co-produced with French businessman and producer Jean-Martial Le Franc, Submarine unfolds the story of Titus, a would-be rapper teen who runs by chance into fading rap legend Yakka. Can they work together to bring Titus’ beats to life and restore Yakka’s career? A 52×11′ project blending 2D and 3D animation, Titus is helmed by animation veteran and Ernest and Celestine director Jean-Christophe Roger, with a script by Sam Morrison (his second project presented this year at Cartoon Forum).