Gatto is Pixar’s animated adventure about Nero, a black cat living in Venice. Mark Ruffalo voices Nero and Laurence Fishburne voices Rocco, the cat to whom he owes a debt. Enrico Casarosa directs and Andrea Warren produces.
How Venice enters Nero’s story
Nero already knows how to get around Venice and has spent years making his way through the city. His debt to Rocco gives him a reason to reconsider how he has been getting by. The studio describes an unexpected friendship as the way out of his predicament and the start of a bigger question about what he wants from his life.
If a viewer remembers a black cat in a city of canals, the setting is a strong first clue. Pair Venice with Nero or Rocco to distinguish this film from another animated story about a cat. An image of a cat alone tells you less than the combination of place and character.
What the Luca connection tells you
Pixar points to Luca when introducing Casarosa and Warren. They directed and produced that feature as well. Their shared credits are useful if you remember the filmmakers from an interview, while the names Nero and Rocco identify the new story.
For a viewer interested in the two films because of the Italian settings, start with the characters’ relationship to their surroundings. Gatto begins with an animal who already lives in Venice and has old obligations there. That is the opening premise to look for when choosing between the titles.
Voice credit or character name?
Use Mark Ruffalo as Nero or Laurence Fishburne as Rocco to match the original performances to a studio clip. If you are comparing another language edition, use Nero and Rocco to match the scene and then check its cast or audio labels. The characters can still identify the film when the performers differ.