How “Playing God” Took Flight: Domestic and International Strategies Behind a Global Festival Hit

Playing God (2024), produced by Studio Croma Animation, is an Italian-French co-production led by Italy. The animated short film has already achieved an impressive global footprint, with more than 160 official selections and 80 awards across major festivals worldwide. Sayonara Film oversaw the Italian distribution, while Autour de Minuit handled the international rollout, positioning the work as one of the most successful recent examples of Italian animation on the global stage.

After speaking with producer Arianna Gheller and director Matteo Burani, we now turn to the distribution partners to explore how international visibility for an animated short is built — from strategy and positioning in the Italian market to its expansion across key global circuits — and what lessons industry professionals can take from this remarkable success story.

1. When you first watched Playing God, what made you believe it could connect with audiences and travel internationally across festivals?

   Sayonara/Adam Selo: I have known the project for many years, back when it was still in the writing phase, and we collaborated and exchanged ideas even then, so I know it very well. I had seen trailers and teasers and was already certain it would be a very strong project. But as soon as I saw it completed, I realized it had enormous potential.

   Autour de Minuit/Nicolas Schmerkin: Before being the international distributor, we are the French coproducers of the project, and entered the project 2 years before its completion. The strong visual style, the quality of the animation, and the original approach of the universal themes conveyed by the film, without any dialogue, appeared to be a perfect blend to connect with audiences worldwide and become a hit.

2. How did you structure the Italian festival and distribution strategy, and what elements did you see resonating most strongly with Italian selectors and audiences?

   Sayonara/Adam Selo: The strategy in Italy wasn’t particularly complicated. As international distributors, we have been known in Italy for many years, so when we bring a project that has already premiered at Venice and is supported by our distribution company, we know we can generate significant attention around it. Our approach was to focus first on animation-specific festivals, but we also dedicated a lot of attention to general short film festivals that include an animation category. That was our contribution, but I must say, when a film is this strong, distributing it becomes much easier

3. From the international perspective, how did you position the film globally, and what were the key elements that helped it gain traction with programmers and buyers abroad?

   Autour de Minuit/Nicolas Schmerkin: The film is at the same time a genre movie, an animation tour de force and a poignant film about the outcasts and the right to be different. Considering this, we made a strategy list of festivals where the film could travel, and presented the film at short film and animation markets, and to our buyers that we knew would be stroked by the film.

4. The film has surpassed 160 festival selections and 80 awards. Was there a turning point — a specific festival, recognition, or moment — that shifted its trajectory?

   Autour de Minuit/Nicolas Schmerkin: Starting with a première at Venice Mostra helped a lot ! But the 2 Oscar Qualifying festivals were probably determining for the rest of the distribution, and the future life of the film yet to come.

5. What lessons can emerging Italian filmmakers learn from Playing God about building a successful distribution strategy and partnerships across borders for animated shorts?

   Sayonara/Adam Selo: For emerging filmmakers, Playing God offers many lessons, especially for those working in animation. It is not a “typically Italian” animation: its production reflects extensive international experience, both technically and creatively. It aims to meet very high global standards, which is precisely what allows it to compete for an Oscar. Young creators can learn from its ambition, production quality, and approach to international partnerships and distribution.

   Autour de Minuit/Nicolas Schmerkin: We’ve been producing and distributing most of the shorts created and directed by Donato Sansone (Torino based animation genius), and he is the living proof, together with Playing God team, that you can be original, daring and uncompromising, and still can direct internationally acclaimed shorts. The more unique and distinctive you are, the better. And having a strong soundscape without dialogues can also help for sure!

Italy Meets Hollywood thanks Adam Selo and Nicolas Schmerkin for sharing their insights.
Italy Meets Hollywood — All rights reserved ©

Our thanks to Sayonara Film and Autour de Minuit for sharing insight on this remarkable journey.
© Italy Meets Hollywood – All rights reserved.