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Start-up Monday in Ludwigsburg

On 17 November 2025 from 17:00 CET, the Wirtschaftsförderung Stadt Ludwigsburg, together with the agency Pulsmacher, invites everyone to a new edition of the Start-up Monday in Ludwigsburg – an event for aspiring founders, young start-ups, entrepreneurs, and everyone interested in the start-up scene and the creative industries.

At the next Start-up Monday, the impulses will come directly from one of Ludwigsburg’s key creative hubs: Pulsmacher’s neo.Office.

The evening’s topic will be something all founders know all too well: mistakes with consequences – also known as “fuck-ups”. Stories of failure will take center stage and aim to inspire learning as well as laughter. Anyone who would like to share their own story on stage is welcome to contact Max Höllen (m.hoellen@ludwigsburg.de) with their failure story.

Program:
17:00 CET: Admission
18:00 CET: Welcome and introduction of the neo.AI Lab
18:30 CET: Keynote by Katharina Aguilar, founder of UpVisit: “Heulen im Hoodie – Was wir aus dem Scheitern unserer Träume über Zukunft, Führung und Mut lernen können”
Katharina Aguilar offers a radically honest look at entrepreneurship – the tears between term sheets, the weight of responsibility, the quiet moments after the noise, and why it is often exactly there that something new begins.
19:00 CET: Fuck-up Pitches

Venue: pulsmacher GmbH, Kammererstr. 18, 71636 Ludwigsburg

Please register here: Registration

Sources and more information: Stadt Ludwigsburg | Pulsmacher

Wiebke Wiesner New Managing Director of MFG starting in July 2026

The 49-year-old has signed her contract as Managing Director of MFG Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg mbH. She will succeed Carl Bergengruen on July 1, 2026, who has led MFG for 13 years and is retiring. Wiebke Wiesner’s contract is initially set for five years.

Wiebke Wiesner with State Secretary Arne Braun at the signing of the contract. © Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst Baden-Württemberg

State Secretary Arne Braun (Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst BW) said:
“I am delighted that with Wiebke Wiesner we have gained an exceptionally qualified expert for an important future-oriented field in the state. Film funding is an essential part of Baden-Württemberg’s cultural and creative industries. Wiebke Wiesner combines a passion for film with extensive experience. She understands how the industry networks and how film funding works. Wiebke Wiesner brings people together. Her expertise and dynamism convinced the supervisory board. With her, Baden-Württemberg gains a Managing Director who will lead our film and media sector into the future with energy and strategy.”

Clemens Bratzler, Program Director Information at SWR, said:
“Appointing Wiebke Wiesner as Managing Director of MFG underscores our commitment to ensuring that Baden-Württemberg remains relevant and innovative in media, film, and the creative industries. Ms. Wiesner has everything needed to build on the successful era of Carl Bergengruen despite challenging conditions, while also setting new priorities for the future.”

Wiebke Wiesner added:
“I look forward with great enthusiasm and respect to the tasks ahead and to the wide-ranging spectrum of MFG, from film, VFX, and games funding to supporting the entire regional cultural and creative industries.” As Managing Director, she said she is stepping into commendable footsteps: “Carl Bergengruen has shaped MFG over many years with vision and tireless commitment. He deserves the highest recognition and thanks. The current challenges for Baden-Württemberg’s film and media sector, as well as for the entire German film industry, are immense.” Her passion and expertise in film funding have been long-standing. “I am very much looking forward to continuing proven initiatives with the MFG team while developing and implementing sustainable new ideas for the future.”

Wiebke Wiesner has served as Legal Counsel and Deputy Managing Director of the Produktionsallianz since February 2023 and took over as interim Managing Director of the nationwide industry association in May 2025. Previously, she worked at institutions for film funding at both the state and federal level, including the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg and the Filmförderungsanstalt des Bundes (FFA). She is a deputy member of the FFA Board of Directors, chair of the Guidelines Committee, and represents film producers on the Green Filming Advisory Board and the Green Shooting Working Group. She advised the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg on establishing games funding and support for digital productions and negotiated Germany’s first AI collective agreement for the Produktionsallianz.

Sources (translated with the help of AI): Press Release Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst BW | MFG Baden-Württemberg

Panel Discussion: Gaming@Museum

© MFG Baden-Württemberg

Games and other playful formats create connections – and open up new opportunities for museums in terms of education and participation. With the panel discussion “Gaming@Museum – neue Spielräume für Co-Creation?” on November 12, 2025, 18:00 CET, MFG Baden-Württemberg is highlighting the potential of games for culture as part of the Level Up! Gamification im Museum program. The focus lies on the question of how museums can become more open and co-creative spaces.

Actors from museums, academia, cultural policy, media education, and the games and creative industries will discuss playful formats for culture as well as the opportunities and challenges of cooperation. Taking part in the discussion are:

  • State Secretary Arne Braun (Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst BW)
  • Kevin Körner (Lecturer Digital Humanities, Universität Tübingen)
  • Jonas Kirchner (Managing Director Pixelcloud)
  • Laura Schuppli (Curator of Digital Media at the Stadtmuseum Aarau & Co-Founder Spielekultur GmbH)
  • Dejan Simonović (Media Education Officer ComputerSpielSchule Stuttgart)

Moderation: Tina Lorenz (Head of Hertzlab, ZKM Karlsruhe) 

Afterwards, MFG invites attendees to a reception for networking and exchange. Previously, starting at 16:00 CET, visitors can explore and try out different video game genres and consoles – guided by puzzle designer and game author Annekatrin Baumann.

Venue: Literaturhaus Stuttgart, 1. OG
Breitscheidstraße 4
70174 Stuttgart

Registration until November 11, 2025

Source and more information

Pre-Fixe with Animation Lounge – Mucks! Games

Together with the Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH (organizer of Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film) and the AMCRS, MFG organizes the Pre Fixe with Animation Lounge as a prelude to the monthly network meeting of the film industry (Jour Fixe). Speakers from the animation film scene present practical examples of current projects and provide insights into their work.

The next Animation Lounge will take place on Monday, November 10, 2025, 18:00 CET. Under the title “Making Meaningful Games – Social Impact without the Seriousness,” the founders of Mucks! Games will talk about their studio and the games they create.

About Mucks! Games: We are a weird bunch of creatives located in Ludwigsburg, Germany. After working together on games and interactive installations during our studies at Animationsinstitut in Ludwigsburg, we decided to start something all our own. A place to show our unique visual style, to tell stories that go deep and create experiences with an impact. We want to make meaningful, beautiful games that stay with you, long after you have turned off the screen.

The event will take place at the Kulturzentrum Merlin, Augustenstraße 72, 70178 Stuttgart. Admission is free.

All participants are cordially invited to attend the subsequent MFG Jour Fixe from 19:00 CET. The Jour Fixe offers a unique opportunity for exchange and networking with colleagues from the MFG Film Funding Unit.

More information

The Spot: Recap of the Ludwigsburger Mediendialoge

On October 21, 2025, the opening event of the Ludwigsburger Mediendialoge took place on the campus of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. Leading representatives from politics, business, and culture came together to discuss the future of the media landscape in southwest Germany – Arne Braun, State Secretary, Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst Baden-Württemberg, Dr. Patrick Rapp, State Secretary, Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Arbeit und Tourismus Baden-Württemberg, Carl Bergengruen, Managing Director, Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg (MFG), Stefanie Larson, Director Animation Media Creators Region Stuttgart (AMCRS), Clemens Bratzler, Program Director Information SWR, and Lisa Purtscher, producer at LiseLotte Film and graduate of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (FABW). The panel discussion was moderated by Andreas Bareiß, Director of the Filmakademie. The event was held in cooperation with the industry magazine The Spot.

„Klare Worte statt leerer Versprechen“(“Clear words instead of empty promises”) – that was the conclusion drawn by The Spot’s editor-in-chief Marc Mensch in his article published on October 22, 2025.

Read the full article here.

Screenshot The Spot, 22. Okt. 2025

TECHTALKS on November 3, 2025, at Das Gutbrod

The TechTalks Stuttgart present technical topics from the fields of visual effects (VFX) and animation for scientists, creative professionals, students and the interested public. After the keynote speeches, people can spontaneously take to the microphone on their own behalf. The next event will take place on November 3, 2025 at 18:00 CET at Das Gutbrod, Friedrichstr. 10, 70174 Stuttgart.

Admission is free! Please register in advance at contact@amcrs.de. Please note: The event is not hybrid, but will be recorded and available at YouTube afterwards.

Program Schedule:

“Node-basiertes 2.5D Rendering“ | Michael Weigl, Student Technical Directing at Animationsinstitut
Michael Weigl presents a stylized rendering framework that was developed as part of a research project and several animation productions. The prototype of this framework was implemented as a node-based toolset within Blender’s “Geometry Nodes.” The goal is to enable new, complex visual styles – both graphic and painterly – in open-source software. The framework includes, among other things, lighting nodes, algorithms for vectorization, tracking functions, as well as a novel 2.5D layer management logic that allows abstract image operations directly within the rendering process. Together with the native functions of Blender’s “Grease Pencil” engine, this enables innovative workflows that combine 2D and 3D within a single context, thus making it possible to intuitively integrate painterly techniques into a 3D production.

“Hybrid Cloud Rendering“ | Holger Schönberger, Royal Render
We will explore how the combination of local infrastructure and the flexibility of the cloud can change your rendering workflows. From accelerating production to scaling resources according to demand, hybrid cloud solutions offer the best of both worlds: efficiency, security, and cost-effectiveness. Let us embark on this journey together and discover how you can overcome your creative challenges faster and more intelligently.

Infoflyer (PDF)

TechTalks Stuttgart is an initiative of the following institutions: Animation Media Creators Region Stuttgart | MFG Baden-Württemberg | Film Commission Region Stuttgart | Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart | Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg | Animationsinstitut

TechTalks Stuttgart on Facebook

Japan Prize for LENA’S FARM

Image: Studio Film Bilder

The series LENA’S FARM, created by our CREATORS from Studio Film Bilder, has won the renowned Japan Prize in the Pre-School category. Director Elena Walf will accept the award on November 20, 2025, in Tokyo.

LENA’S FARM is aimed at young children and their families, portraying the colorful life on a farm. With empathy and humor, Elena Walf transforms the relationships among the farm’s animal residents into poetic stories and lovingly drawn images. Animated in classic hand-drawn style, each film bears the author’s distinctive touch down to the finest detail, and every one of the 26 episodes (each 5 minutes and 40 seconds long) also works as a self-contained short film.

Produced by Studio Film Bilder in co-production with ZDF and Minya Film (Zagreb), the series received funding from MFG Baden-Württemberg, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, and Creative Europe MEDIA.

Within just a few months of its release, LENA’S FARM has already won 17 awards, including at Cartoons on the Bay and the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. The series was broadcast on KiKA and has so far been sold to twelve international broadcasters and streaming platforms, including Disney Europe. The world sales company Meta Media (London) believes that the highly regarded Japan Prize will help LENA’S FARM win the hearts of even more children around the world.

Source: Studio Film Bilder

The Creators Pitch Lab on October 22, 2025

Are you working on an idea for a game, an animated series, or an animated short film? Are you convinced of its potential and wondering when the right people will finally listen? Do you live in Baden-Württemberg?

Then the Creators Pitch Lab is your chance! On October 22, 2025, you can present your idea to experienced industry professionals, gain valuable insights from their expertise, and receive honest feedback to help you develop your vision and move it forward professionally. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to make valuable connections within the industry.

Secure your slot for the pitch now – we can’t wait to hear your idea!

Register by October 17, 2025 via contact@amcrs.de (time slots will be assigned).

Venue: MFG Medien- und Filmgesellschaft BW, Breitscheidstr. 4, 70174 Stuttgart

Organized by the AMCRS.

Download Flyer

A SPARROW’S SONG wins Gold Student Academy Award!

Press Release Animationsinstitut, Oct. 7, 2025

The diploma film A SPARROW’S SONG by Tobias Eckerlin, produced at Animationsinstitut of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg was officially awarded a Gold Student Academy Award on Monday, Oct. 6! The short film is one of only 12 award recipients, from more than 3,000 entries for the 52nd Student Academy Awards.

This prize is not only a special honour for the team, but also makes the film officially eligible for consideration for the 98th Oscars in 2026 – a significant milestone for Animationsinstitut as well, although not the first time!

A SPARROW’S SONG team (l.t.r.): Rebecca Liebelt, Jiro Magracia, Tobias Eckerlin, Vincent Maurer, Lilli-Luisa Heckmann & Elias Weber
A SPARROW’S SONG, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg

Tobias Eckerlin, director and producer, describes the ceremony as a unique experience and adds, on behalf of the entire team: “We are very grateful and incredibly happy about the recognition, the great time we had in New York, and the contacts we made there. A big thank you to the Academy, German Films, and the Animationsinstitut for their support! Now we are eagerly looking forward to next year’s Oscar ceremony.”

Dr. Jan Pinkava, Director of the Animationsinstitut, adds “We are thrilled at the success of A Sparrow’s Song, and delighted that the creativity and talent of the students of Animationsinstitut has once again been recognized with this Student Academy Award. Congratulations!”

A SPARROW’S SONG is a 3D animated short film based on a true story. It tells the story of an elderly widow during World War II, who unexpectedly draws new hope through her connection with an injured sparrow. Together, they spread this newfound hope and thus manage to offer some comfort to others in these difficult times.

In the day leading up to the awards ceremony, Tobias took part in a special Academy programme in New York – including panels with industry experts, media trainings and an exclusive dinner with high ranking representatives of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Accompanied by his core team – Lilli-Luisa Heckmann, Jiro Magracia, Vincent Maurer, Rebecca Liebelt and Elias Weber – he accepted the Gold Student Academy Award on behalf of all 56 students and graduates who contributed to this project

This marks already the eighth Student Academy Award for the Filmakademie and the second for Animationsinstitut – further proof of the outstanding quality of education at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg and the international visibility of its diploma projects.

Source: Press Release Animationsinstitut

Live stream Student Academy Awards 2025, Award for A SPARROW’S SONG min. 37:10

ITFS Animation Special & Premiere “Stitch Head”

MFG Baden-Württemberg and Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film present the Baden-Württemberg premiere of “Alles voller Monster“ (“Stitch Head”), as ITFS Animation Special on Saturday, October 18, 15:00 CET, in the EM 1 (Innenstadtkinos Stuttgart). Following the screening, there will be a discussion with director and screenwriter Steve Hudson, producer Sonja Ewers and further guests.

Stitch Head

The ITFS is closely connected with the development of “Alles voller Monster”. At the ITFS 2020, the screenplay received the German Animation Screenplay Award – the award for the best screenplay for a feature film, sponsored by AMCRS. At the ITFS 2025 at the beginning of May, director Steve Hudson presented a making-of – from illustrated children’s book to fully rendered animated feature.

Our CREATORS from LAVAlabs and PIXOMONDO were also involved in the creative process. The production was carried out by Gringo Films (Sonja Ewers), Fabrique d’Images, Senator Film Produktion, Traumhaus Studios, Mia Wallace Productions, and Senator Film Köln.

Synopsis:
In a castle, a mad professor brings monstrous creatures (almost) to life… and promptly forgets about them. Who will take care of the castle and the monsters, who will teach them NOT to be monstrous? Stitch Head – the professor’s very first creation. He does all the work until one day the “Travelling Fair of Unnatural Wonders” run by the shady circus director Fulbert Freakfinder arrives in town. In desperate need of a new attractions, he promises Stitch Head fame, fortune – and love.

Source: ITFS

Trailer “Alles voller Monster” (“Stitch Head”)