VIEW Conference is excited to announce that Oscar-winner Yvett Merino (Encanto, Moana 2, Zootopia 2), producer of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ upcoming animated feature Disney’s Hexed, is attending VIEW Conference 2026 in Turin, Italy, this October. Taking the stage before our international audience, Merino will deliver a spectacular presentation including exclusive clips from this much-anticipated new movie. Directed by Fawn Veerasunthorn and Jason Hand, co-directed by Josie Trinidad and produced by Roy Conli and Merino, Disney’s Hexed opens exclusively in cinemas November 27, 2026.
In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ all-new magical coming-of-age saga, Disney’s Hexed, an impulsive and unconventional teenage girl named Billie (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) discovers secret magical abilities which, once unleashed, hurtle her into a spectacle-filled journey out of suburbia and into a vast witch realm called Hexe. Forced to team up with her cautious mother, Alice (voiced by Rashida Jones), they uncover family mysteries that could change the world of witches forever.
Earlier this year, Merino was one of a select group of influential women to receive the VIEW Conference “Trailblazer” Award, which shines a spotlight on professionals who have made an outstanding contribution to the motion picture industry, recognizing the achievements not only of outstanding creative directors and artists, but also those active in the fields of public relations and politics, who dedicate themselves to the forging of meaningful partnerships within the arts and beyond.
"Like so many people, I am counting down the days to the upcoming release of Hexed,” says Conference Director Dr. Maria Elena Gutierrez. “It is a privilege to host this exclusive preview of the latest movie from Walt Disney Animation Studios, and I know Yvett’s presentation will cast a magical spell over our whole audience!”
An English speaking event, VIEW Conference 2026 takes place October 12-16, 2026. Registration is now open. Visit the official website for further details and to book tickets: https://www.viewconference.it/pages/registration
About Yvett Merino
Yvett Merino is the first producer in animation history to have two animated features in a row exceed over a billion dollars at the box office with Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 2026 “Zootopia 2,” and the 2025 record-breaking hit, “Moana 2.” “Zootopia 2” is the #1 MPA animated feature of all time and for her work on the film, Merino received the BAFTA and NAACP Image Awards.
Merino is also the first Latina to receive the Oscar for Animated Feature for her producing work on “Encanto.” She also received the Producers Guild of America Award, BAFTA and Golden Globe for the film.
In 2023, Merino also produced the Emmy Award®-winning Disney Animation 100th anniversary short film, “Once Upon a Studio.”
Merino first came to Disney Animation more than 30 years ago and has worked in a variety of production capacities on some of the most popular animated features of all time. Launching her Disney Animation career in the Technology department, she moved into the world of Production as a supervisor on “Tangled” and continued in that role on “The Lion King 3D,” “Wreck It Ralph” and in Disney Animation’s Development department. She then went on to serve as production manager on the Oscar-winning feature, “Big Hero 6,” as well as the Oscar®-nominated “Moana.”
Merino was also a part of the team that started Voces@Disney, the Studio’s first Latino/a employee resource group, where she served as co-president for two years. She currently serves as the Executive Champion to HOLA – Disney Animation’s own employee resource group focusing on the Latino/a community.
Merino lives in Los Angeles, Calif., with her family. She holds an MBA from Loyola Marymount University and an undergraduate degree in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
About VIEW Conference
VIEW Conference 2026 takes place from October 12-16, 2026, in the stunning baroque city of Turin, Italy. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to network with award-winning film directors, animators, designers and thought leaders as they deliver an incredible program of keynotes, panels, talks, workshops and masterclasses at VIEW Conference 2026. Explore cutting-edge thinking with a stellar line-up of stars from Hollywood and Silicon Valley, celebrate the latest achievements in animation, VFX, games and AI, and share inspirational visions of the future. VIEW Conference 2026 is an English speaking event.
The conference’s vibrant and inclusive atmosphere is designed to energize and enlighten, with an extensive live program of talks, presentations, workshops and masterclasses embracing cutting-edge thinking on such diverse topics as Storytelling, Virtual Produection, Computer Graphics, Interactive & Immersive Media, VR/AR/Mixed Reality and the Metaverse, Artificial Intelligence, Real-Time Rendering and much, much more.
More about VIEW Conference: https://www.viewconference.it
Images courtesy of Disney