The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) is kicking off its 34th edition: filmmakers from Germany and around the world are now invited to submit their animated films. The festival will take place from April 27 to May 2, 2027 and will award prizes to films in five competition categories.
The ITFS invites international animation studios, filmmakers, artists and producers, as well as up-and-coming talents from film, art and media schools, to submit short and feature-length films to the festival. In its film competitions, Germany’s largest animation film festival every year presents a selection of the latest animation films and awards prize money totalling 60,000 euros. The ITFS is an Oscar-qualifying festival: whoever wins the Grand Prix, the top prize in the ITFS International Competition, is automatically placed on the longlist for the Academy Awards in Los Angeles.
Short Film Competitions: Submission Deadline November 15, 2026
- ITFS International Competition (animated short films from around the world)
- ITFS Student Competition (animated short films by students from international film and art schools)
- ITFS Tricks for Kids Competition (animated short films and series for children)
- ITFS Trickstar Nature Award (animated short films about nature and the environment)
Feature-length Film Competition (ITFS AniMovie Competition (from 60 minutes in length)): Submission Deadline: January 15, 2027
Films must be submitted via the Shortfilmdepot online platform. The necessary information and regulations can be found on the ITFS website. Submissions for the ITFS project competitions will also open from November 2026.
Source: Press Release ITFS, September 1, 2026
