Accenture Song VFX have received an EMMY nomination for their work on the third season of the series “Foundation”!
In the category “Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or a Movie,”Stephan Schaefholz, VFX Supervisor at Accenture Song VFX, can look forward to the possibility of taking home an Emmy Award, alongside numerous other team members, including Stefan Schorer, David Anastácio Ferreira, Uwe Majer, Nico Klein, Bernd Nalbach, and Jörg Wohnsiedler from Accenture Song VFX).
The series is produced for Apple TV+ (Skydance Television in association with Apple) and was funded by MFG Baden-Württemberg.
Congratulations from all of us! We’re keeping our fingers crossed for the awards ceremony on September 14, 2026, in Los Angeles.
What a beautiful summer event! Our heartfelt thanks go to everyone who helped organize the German Reception, and to everyone who joined us. We truly enjoyed the many wonderful conversations and the chance to spend such a lovely afternoon together.
Impressions Annecy 2026, German Reception, all photos: Rémi TISSOT
July 3, 2026
The Creators Pitch Lab on July 20, 2026
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 July 20, 2026, 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 July 15, 2026 via contact@amcrs.de (time slots will be assigned).
Venue: MFG Medien- und Filmgesellschaft BW, Breitscheidstr. 4, 70174 Stuttgart
Student projects from Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitutare in the running for prestigious awards. Congratulations to the teams – we’re keeping our fingers crossed!
The interactive experience LICHTUNG(Director: Aria Wolf; Producers: Cyril Fischer and Christoph Mohr) has been selected as a finalist for the BAFTA Student Awards 2026 in the “Immersive” category. In the interactive VR game (developed by third-year Interactive Media students), players enter a quiet, mysterious world that gradually comes to life as they explore and interact with it – revealing its light and hidden beauty. The BAFTA Student Awards 2026 will be presented on July 17, 2026.
Among the semifinalists for the Student Academy Awards 2026 are THE PANIC INSIDE (Director: Matthias Strasser) and SEND NUDES (Director: David Sick) in the “Animation” category. In addition, the project DREAMS OF A SLEEPING DRAGON(Director: Johann Schilling) has been selected in the “Documentary” category.
More information and team THE PANIC INSIDE: Animationsinstitut | More information and team SEND NUDES: Animationsinstitut | All Student Academy Awards Semifinalists: List
Still THE PANIC INSIDE, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
Still SEND NUDES, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
June 19, 2026
Pre Fixe with Animation Lounge – Monster Mia
Together with the Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH (organizer of Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film) and the AMCRS, the 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.
Monster Mia
On Monday, July 13, 2026, at 18.00 CET, the topic will be “MONSTER MIA – von der Filmakademie an die Finsterwald Akademie in 27 Jahren“ (MONSTER MIA – From the Filmakademie to the Rottwich Academy in 27 Years).
It all began in 1997 at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg: a chance encounter led to M.A.R.K.13™, which grew into a group of companies – and ultimately into MONSTER MIA, an international animated feature film with deep roots in the region.
Verena Fels (Director) and Dominique FLINX Schuchmann (Producer) – both alumni of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut – will share the story of the film’s journey to the big screen. Joined by numerous artists from Baden-Württemberg and local partners such as Sola Media, they will provide insights into the making of the film, which is set to premiere just in time for Halloween 2026.
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.
Futuromundo Cross Innovation Festival & Cyberländ Futuromundo 2026
Stuttgart will once again become a meeting point for changemakers and future shapers from across Europe on June 25 and 26, 2026. At the FUTUROMUNDO Cross Innovation Festival, around 150 international speakers will come together across five conferences to discuss key challenges of the future and develop practical solutions. The interdisciplinary festival brings together stakeholders from business, education, politics, and technology, offering inspiring and hands-on insights for the transformation of companies, organizations, and educational institutions. The event will take place at venues including the Liederhalle and the Haus der Wirtschaft. The program will be complemented by open-format events held throughout Stuttgart’s city center.
CYBERLÄND FUTUROMUNDO 2026 is the conference on the future of immersive technologies (June 26, 2026 | Haus der Wirtschaft | Content partners: MFG Baden-Württemberg & Acameo). Members of the AMCRS will also be involved, contributing their expertise and perspectives to the program.
10:45 CET | Von Strategie zur Anwendung: Kick-Off CyberLÄND-Stream: with, among others, Dr. Ellen Koban (MFG Baden-Württemberg) | Information
14:30 CET | Wie VR medizinisches Lernen verändert: with, among others, Christoph Brosius (Program Curator GiG – Games & Gamification im Gesundheitswesen, MFG) | Information
MASTERCLASS-AREA (Konferenzraum Heilbronn)
11:00 CET | KI-Avatare: Maximilian Schmierer (Co-Founder & CTO, b.ReX) | Information
12:00 CET | Industrial Metaverse Reallabor: with, among others, Dr. Alexander Kreische (Carl Laemmle Institut, FABW), Volker Helzle (Head of Carl Laemmle Institut) | Information
15:30 CET | Game Design für Training im Gesundheitswesen: Christoph Brosius (Program Curator GiG – Games & Gamification im Gesundheitswesen, MFG) | Information
CO & VISION – How does innovation succeed in CO-partnerships in practice? (June 25 & 26, 2026 | Organizer: MFG, Literaturhaus, Breitscheidstr. 4)
In the MFG Clubhouse “CO & VISION”, the funding program CO.VISION meets the open festival space of FUTUROMUNDO. Over two days, the practical application of cross innovation becomes tangible: CO-partnerships from Baden-Württemberg provide insights into their pilot projects, their collaborations, and their next development steps. Participation is free of charge and possible without a FUTUROMUNDO ticket. Information & Program
Speakers & Topics, among others:
Mira Kleine, Project Manager for Entrepreneurial Action at the MFG Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg
MyMilo – Gamifizierte Bewegungstherapie für krebskranke Kinder, with, among others, Maximilian Schmierer, b.ReX | Information
From June 21 to 27, 2026, this year’s Annecy Festival will take place. Part of the festival is the MIFA Animation Film Market, which runs from June23 to 26. Projects by filmmakers from our network will also be represented.
As part of the “2026 Annecy Presents” program, “Monster Mia” will be screened. The film is directed by Verena Fels (an alumna of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut), produced by Arx Anima Animation Studio GmbH, and co-produced, among others, by Holger Weiss and Dominique Schuchmann (PENG! BOOM! TSCHAK! – FILMS / The M.A.R.K. 13 Group). International sales: Solveig Langeland (Sola Media). The project received funding from MFG Baden-Württemberg. More information
Also featured in “2026 Annecy Presents” is “The Last Whale Singer” (Der letzte Walsänger), directed by Reza Memari. The film, which was likewise supported by MFG Baden-Württemberg, was also part of the ITFS 2026program. More information
Competing in the “Graduation Film” category is “The Amazing Kitsuverse”, directed by Leo Neumann. The film is a graduation project from Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut. More information
Additional program events will offer insights into the upcoming productions “Twisted” and “ViQueens”, both of which involve Sola Media. More information
DOKVILLE, the industry gathering hosted by the Haus des Dokumentarfilms, will take place this year on June 18 and 19 at Hospitalhof Stuttgart. The central theme of DOKVILLE 2026 is: DEMOKRATIE UNTER DRUCK – IST UNSERE ZIVILGESELLSCHAFT AM ENDE?(DEMOCRACY UNDER PRESSURE – IS OUR CIVIL SOCIETY COMING TO AN END?) Through keynotes, panels, and case studies, DOKVILLE will examine the growing threats facing democracy today. Those unable to attend in person can follow the event via livestream.
Civil societies around the world are increasingly under pressure. One consequence is a growing loss of trust in democratic institutions, a development that can now be observed in many countries. This erosion is being accelerated by aggressive populism spread through digital platforms, aimed at systematically destabilizing democratic norms. Strategically deployed disinformation and algorithm-driven manipulation of information undermine the credibility of reliable media and democratic discourse.
What responses can, and must, institutions committed to democracy find in the face of this radical questioning of our social order? How can our society continue to safeguard the rule of law and fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and freedom of the press? These questions will be discussed at DOKVILLE 2026 by renowned filmmakers, journalists, and experts from politics and academia.
Among the speakers providing key impulses on the topic are former German President Prof. Dr. Joachim Gauck as opening speaker, journalist and human rights activist Düzen Tekkal, Katharina Willinger, head of the ARD studios in Istanbul and Tehran, director Stephan Lamby, media executive Nathalie Wappler (Chair of the Medienrat), and Paul Ronzheimer of BILD.
For the third time, the industry event will also include the MFG-funded pitch format “Speed Dating,” giving directors the opportunity to present new projects and project ideas to commissioning editors from attending broadcasters.
In the “Best Visual Effects” category at the Deutscher Filmpreis 2026 (German Film Awards 2026), Michael Wortmann (RISE) and Frank Schlegel won the LOLA for “Momo.” Michael Wortmann is a graduate of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut. Also nominated in this category were VFX supervisors Max Riess and Mona Mohr (PIXOMONDO) for “Woodwalkers 2,” as well as Tomer Eshed, Dennis Rettkowski, and Frank Kaminski for “Die Schule der magischen Tiere 4” – both productions funded by MFG Baden-Württemberg.
Michael Wortmann, Frank Schlegel (not there) · MOMO I BESTE VISUELLE EFFEKTE at DEUTSCHER FILMPREIS 2026 in Berlin. Copyright: Eventpress Fuhr
The film “In die Sonne schauen”(“Sound of Falling”) received the Golden Lola for Best Feature Film and won a total of ten Lolas. Numerous alumni of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg were involved in the production. The awards spanned nearly all creative and technical disciplines – from directing and screenwriting to cinematography, editing, production design, costume design, makeup, and sound design. Back in 2023, directors Mascha Schilinski and Louise Peter had already received the Thomas Strittmatter Award from MFG Baden-Württemberg for the screenplay of “In die Sonne schauen”.
Kickstarter campaign launched for “Frieda is Changing”
Mucks! Games, award-winning three-person and female-led indie studio from Ludwigsburg, launched the Kickstarter campaign for their second title “Frieda is Changing”. A detective point & click adventure set in the isolated island village of Rausching, “Frieda is Changing” follows a young girl determined to uncover the truth behind her sister’s disappearance. But as she digs deeper, something inside her begins to change. Can the players solve the mystery before Frieda transforms into a werewolf under the next full moon?
Blending emotional storytelling with eerie atmosphere, the game explores themes of grief, anger, and transformation. Its distinct hand-drawn visual style, mirroring 90s cartoons, brings Rausching to life as a place filled with strange glances, quiet tension, and secrets lurking beneath the surface. “We wanted to create a story that feels personal, unsettling, and honest,” says the team at Mucks! Games. “Frieda is a character who doesn’t let things go – and that makes her both powerful and dangerous. The game is about what happens when emotions you’ve tried to bury refuse to stay hidden.”
The Kickstarter campaign launched on June 2, 2026, will run for 30 days with a 15.000 Euro funding goal. This will support the final stages of development, allowing the team to expand the game’s narrative depth, collaborate with additional writers, composers, and sound designers. “Frieda is Changing” is planned to release late 2026. A free demo is available on Steam.
