Rai launches animated short ‘To Be’ on self-acceptance and cyberbullying

Rai has launched an animated short film To Be, produced by Graphilm Entertainment in collaboration with Rai Kids, on the occasion of the National Day Against bullying and cyber bullying in Italy.

The film explores self-confidence and body-shaming, the contrast between appearance and reality, and the impact of bullying on younger generations. Through captivating animation and an engaging narrative tailored for kids and tweens, To Be also features an original soundtrack with the song To Be.

The film was launched on 7 February at 4:10 pm on Rai 3 in Italy, with a repeat broadcast at 7:10 pm on children’s channel, Rai Gulp, and is available on Rai’s Free VoD, RaiPlay.

The synopsis reads: The film takes us into an immersive digital world called Beautyverse where users can create their ‘perfect’ selves by customising their APS—Avatar Perfect Shape. It’s the place where everyone wants to be… except for Jamila, a shy first-year student at Plauto 4.0 High School, whose true passion is art. She has never been interested in joining this virtual universe—until her friends convince her to take part in the King and Queen Party Contest.

At first, Beautyverse seems like a dream come true—Jamila discovers that her paintings can come to life. No one knows who she really is, and her stunning avatar, just as flawless as everyone else’s in Beautyverse, even catches the eye of the most popular boy in school. But what starts as an exciting new world and a chance for self-expression quickly turns into something much darker when she becomes the target of a cruel and manipulative game. As the King and Queen Party Contest draws near, a mysterious and intriguing APS appears before Jamila… Can love help people look beyond appearances?

The television special To Be aims to promote self-acceptance, diversity, and breaking away from unrealistic beauty standards—elements that define authenticity and true beauty. Its opposite is bullying, which mocks and ridicules anything perceived as ‘different’ or non-conforming to societal standards. Media (represented in the film by Beautyverse) amplifies this issue, as children and teens constantly feel under scrutiny, becoming targets of offensive comments about their looks and identity—sometimes with severe consequences for their mental health.

To Be is a Rome-based animation studio Graphilm production in collaboration with Rai Kids, directed by Maurizio Forestieri. The story and screenplay were written by Anna Lucia Pisanelli and Maurizio Forestieri, with designs by Barbara Borsetti and original music by Roberto Frattini.

animationxpress.com