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THE PANIC INSIDE wins Student Academy Award in Silver

TORONTO, ONTARIO – SEPTEMBER 14: (L-R) Matthias Strasser and Gemma Chan appear onstage during the 2026 Student Academy Awards on September 14, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Kennedy Pollard/The Academy/Getty Images for The Academy)

Press Release Animationsinstitut, September 15, 2026

Student Academy Award for THE PANIC INSIDE: Screenwriter and director Matthias Strasser and his team were awarded Silver in the ‚Animation‘ category at the 53rd Student Academy Awards on Monday evening. For the first time, the awards ceremony took place as part of the Toronto International Film Festival.

With THE PANIC INSIDE, a remarkable series continues: For the second year in a row, a graduation film from the Animationsinstitut of FABW has received a Student Academy Award. This marks the ninth Student Academy Award for Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, making the Ludwigsburg film school the leading institution in Europe in this competition. For Matthias Strasser and his team, the award marks the culmination of several years of collaborative work.

The nearly ten-minute film tells the story of chronic people-pleaser Jacob, who collapses under the pressure of constantly meeting expectations and finds himself in a surreal limbo. There, he is forced to confront his own needs. Combining 2D and 3D animation with live-action elements, the film team creates a visually distinctive work about self-care, setting boundaries and personal freedom.

Matthias Strasser, director and screenwriter, on the personal starting point for THE PANIC INSIDE: ‚People pleasing is a topic I have a very personal connection to. At the same time, it is particularly prevalent in the film and animation industry: When you are just starting out, you can quickly get the feeling that you always have to say yes in order to move forward. With THE PANIC INSIDE, I wanted to explore this pressure and the question of what happens when you lose sight of your own needs in the process.‘ Sabina Stöckler, producer, says: ‚We are proud that this deeply personal story, which we were able to bring to life with such a wonderful and talented team, is reaching such a wide audience through the awards and seems to be resonating with so many people.‘

Dr. Jan Pinkava, Director of the Animationsinstitut: ‚On behalf of everyone at Filmakademie’s Animationsinstitut, huge congratulations to Matthias, Sabina, and their team! We are proud of your achievement. The Student Academy Award is the pinnacle of prizes in student film, and has been won by Filmakademie students for two years running. This recognition from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences reflects great credit on the hard work and imagination of our talented students, and on the dedicated staff and teachers who support them on their journey to becoming powerful storytellers. At Animationsinstitut students can find their voice, learn their craft and achieve the highest level. The films can be pretty good too!‘

Matthias Strasser is a Swiss director and animator. After gaining initial experience in film and video production and studying film, he turned his focus to animation. Since 2020, he has been studying directing at the Animationsinstitut of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. THE PANIC INSIDE is his graduation film, in which he explores personal themes through a distinctive visual language.

Press Release Animationsinstitut with further information | News AMCRS Student Oscar 2026

Nominations for Filmakademie Projects at the First Steps Awards

Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg is delighted to have received five nominations at this year’s FIRST STEPS Awards. The awards ceremony will take place on 5 October 2026 at the Stage Theater des Westens in Berlin. Each nomination comes with a prize of 1,000 euros and recognises the creative work of emerging filmmakers from German-speaking countries.

No fewer than three short films, all produced at FABW´s Animationsinstitut, are in with a chance of winning a First Steps Award in the Short Steps category:

The animated film SENSUAL (directed by Tanja Nuijten) depicts the sensation of physical closeness and tenderness during sexual foreplay: slugs crawling around a lip, a big cat clinging tightly to a woman’s body, and flamingos gently stroking her legs. The animals represent the partner’s touches. Through a succession of visual and abstract metaphors, the various sensations within the body are brought to life. “Animal metaphors, the subtlest of movements and an extraordinary soundscape merge to create a cinematic experience that makes touch almost physically tangible. It is precisely in the observation of the smallest details that the film unfolds its greatest impact and demonstrates the narrative possibilities that animation opens up beyond realistic depiction,” said the jury. More information

SEND NUDES (directed by David Sick) has already been nominated for the Student Academy Awards this year. It tells the story of two young lovers in a long-distance relationship at the end of the 16th century. As their parents do not allow them to meet, they exchange their fantasies via carrier pigeon. “With a fine sense of timing and situational comedy, the film combines a historical world with modern forms of communication to create a story that holds the viewer’s attention from the first to the last minute. The high-quality 3D animation and the cleverly constructed screenwriting complement each other to form a thoroughly coherent whole. An animation film of exceptional quality that is as funny as it is technically impressive,” was the jury’s verdict. More information

QAMAJAI (directed by Yerkezhan Sabitbekova): A woman lies on the floor; her friends comfort her and process the traumatic experience through dance. The confrontation with the tormentor ultimately exposes him as a small, pathetic man. The jury was impressed: “QAMAJAI finds a visual language for something that can scarcely be put into words. With impressive clarity, the film explores violence, trauma and the power of collective solidarity, without resorting to sensational imagery or simplistic answers. (…) Stylistically original, emotionally precise and universally accessible, Yerkezhan Sabitbekova has created a cinematic miniature of remarkable power.” More information

Also nominated are the the 80-minute film NICHTS BLEIBT UND NICHTS VERSCHWINDET (directed by Paul Sonntag) in the Documentary Film category, as well as Tristan Schneider and Julius Wieler for the graduation film PARADEISA (directed by Marleen Valien) in the competition for the NO FEAR Bernd Eichinger Award for young producers.

Sources: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg | First Steps Awards, Press Release

Sensual, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
Send Nudes, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg

Diploma film THE PANIC INSIDE wins Student Academy Award 2026!

Press Release Animationsinstitut, Ludwigsburg, August 6, 2026

A second consecutive Student Academy Award for the Animationsinstitut of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (FABW): Matthias Strasser and his team have been honoured for the graduation film THE PANIC INSIDE.

The Panic Inside, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
The Panic Inside, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
The Panic Inside, Team
The Panic Inside, Team

This is FABW’s ninth Student Academy Award overall, making the film school the most successful one outside the USA in this competition.

Those who can’t say no easily lose themselves in self-exploitation: director and screenwriter Matthias Strasser strikes a chord with his animated short film THE PANIC INSIDE, and has impressed the judges of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: The film will receive one of the three 2026 Student Academy Awards in the Animation category at the 53rd Student Academy Awards ceremony.

“We are very proud that this deeply personal story, that we got to create with such a dedicated, talented team, reached so many people through the Awards and seems to resonate with a lot of the viewers”, says Sabina Stoeckler on behalf of the whole team (Director / Screenplay / Animation: Matthias Strasser, Producer: Sabina Stöckler, Film Music: Leon Maximilian Brueckner, Sound Design: Lukas Huber, Animation Lead: Elisabeth Caesar, Melanie Schnaidt, Production Company: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH).

For the second year running, a diploma project of the Animationsinstitut at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (FABW) has been recognized with this prestigious award for emerging filmmakers. In 2025, director Tobias Eckerlin received the Gold Medal, the highest honour, for A SPARROW’S SONG. This year’s Gold, Silver and Bronze medal winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on September 14, 2026, taking place for the first time at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Dr. Jan Pinkava, Director of Animationsinstitut: “Wow! Again? To receive an Academy Award is always a great honour, and a testament to the talent and dedication of our students and staff at Filmakademie’s Animationsinstitut.  Congratulations to director Matthias Strasser, producer Sabina Stöckler, and the whole team! We’re proud of you. This award puts a spotlight on Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg as the leading Animation voice of Germany’s film schools and among the best in the world. Let’s not get cocky.”

In THE PANIC INSIDE, Matthias Strasser tells the story of Jacob, a chronic people-pleaser, who breaks down under the pressure of constant expectations and finds himself in a surreal liminal world. There, he is forced to confront his own needs. By combining 2D and 3D animation with live-action elements, this visually outstanding film explores themes of self-care, setting boundaries and personal freedom.

Prof. Dr. Andreas Bareiss, Managing Director of FABW: “This ninth Student Academy Award confirms the creative excellence of our students. It demonstrates the importance of a practice-oriented education that encourages young people to develop their own cinematic style, tell their own stories and flourish as independent artistic personalities. On behalf of the entire Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to the award winners. Through their success, they are not only outstanding ambassadors for our film school, but also for the next generation of German filmmakers on the international stage.”

The Student Academy Awards, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, are among the most prestigious awards for student film productions worldwide. Nearly 3,000 productions were submitted for the 2026 edition. Among the finalists in the ‘Animation’ category were two productions from FABW´s Animationsinstitut: THE PANIC INSIDE and SEND NUDES by David Sick.

Learn more about the film.

Press Release Animationsinstitut

Press Release Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Emmy Nomination for Accenture Song VFX

Image: Accenture Song VFX

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.

Sources: LinkedIn Post Heiko Burkardsmaier | Emmy Nominations | Complete List of Emmy Nominations (PDF)

BAFTA Student Awards and Student Academy Awards

Student projects from Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut are 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.

More information LICHTUNG: Animationsinstitut | All BAFTA Student Awards Finalists: Press Release BAFTA

Still LICHTUNG, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg

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

ITFS 2026 – Winners announced

ITFS 2026, photo: Reiner Pfisterer

For one week, Stuttgart was immersed in animation fever as ITFS invited both the national and international industry as well as a broad regional audience to discover and experience the very best of animation on screen across around 150 events. The Award Ceremony took place on Saturday evening, May 9, 2026, at Gloria 1. Six film awards and one project award were presented across the various competition categories.

The ITFS International Competition Grand Prix, endowed with € 10,000, went to the short film WITH TAPES AND TOASTS IN THE CAR by Stuttgart-based filmmaker Kiana Naghshineh, a graduate of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut. The award automatically qualifies the film for the Academy Awards. The French-German co-production also impressed audiences and additionally received the Audience Award, sponsored by SWR. The graduation film SENSUAL by Tanja Nuijten, a graduate of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut, recieved a Special Mention at the Lotte Reiniger Promotion Award.

WITH TAPES AND TOASTS IN THE CAR, Kiana Nagshineh
Kiana Nagshineh receives the Trixie statue, photo: ITFS, Reiner Pfisterer
Kiana Nagshineh, photo: ITFS, Reiner Pfisterer
SENSUAL, Tanja Nuijten, FABW

ITFS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Grand Prix (Animation Award of the State of Baden-Württemberg and the City of Stuttgart in the amount of 10,000 euros) and Audience Award (Award for the Best Animated Film voted by the Audience in the amount of 6,000 euros,
sponsored by SWR):

WITH TAPES AND TOASTS IN THE CAR (IM AUTO TAPES UND BUTTERBROT)
Germany, France 2025
Director: Kiana Naghshineh | Production: Laïdak Films, ManicMonday | Producers: Antoine Liétout, Henrik von Müller, Ivan Zuber, Kiana Naghshineh | World Sales: Miyu Distribution

Jury: Hisko Hulsing, Melanie Beisswenger, Vera Neubauer

Special Mention at the Lotte Reiniger Promotion Award (Award for the Best Animated Graduation Film in the amount of 10,000 euros, sponsored by MFG Film Funding Baden-Württemberg)

SENSUAL
Germany 2026
Director: Tanja Nuijten | Production: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH | Producer: Avina Graefe | World Sales: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH

Earlier in the festival, on Thursday evening, the German Animation Screenplay Awards and the Trickstar Business Award were presented during the AniX Awards ceremony at the Festival Centre. The festival’s final award was presented on Sunday afternoon on the Open Air stage: the Kids’ Jury honoured the best lm in the ITFS Tricks for Kids Competition in front of an eagerly awaiting audience.

All Winners at ITFS 2026: https://itfs.de/en/programme/winners-2026/

Save the Date: The 34th Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film will take place from 27 April to 2 May 2027. https://itfs.de/

The Winners of the AniX Awards at ITFS 2026!

The first award winners of the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) 2026 can be announced: In a joint awards ceremony – the AniX Awards – the German Animation Screenplay Award and the Trickstar Business Award were presented on the evening of May 7, 2026 at the Festival Centre in the Haus der Katholischen Kirche.

The Award for the Best German Screenplay for an Animated Feature Film in the amount of € 2,500 sponsored by the Animation Media Creators Region Stuttgart (AMCRS), goes to EMMI & EINSCHWEIN – EINHORN KANN JEDER!
(EMMI & UNIPIG – ANYONE CAN BE A UNICORN!) by Anna Böhm (Producer: Stephan Wagner, Production: Carte blanche Media)

From the jury statement: The jury honours a screenplay whose powerful storytelling demonstrates just how vibrant, witty, and at the same time moving contemporary animated films for the whole family can be. “Emmi & Unipig – Anyone can be a Unicorn!” creates a world brimming with imagination without relying on mere cuteness. Instead, the story uses its wealth of magical creatures to explore very real emotions: shame, exclusion, the longing for belonging—and the courage to accept oneself, even when that doesn’t fit with the shiny expectations of others.

The Special Mention goes to PETRONELLA APFELMUS – DER FILM (PETRONELLA APPLEWITCH) by Claudio Winter and Seraina Nyikos (Producer: Dirk Beinhold, Valentin Greulich, Production: Akkord Film Produktion, Co-Producer: SERU Animation, funded by MFG)

Stefanie Larson, Sophia Bierend, Solveig Langeland, Silke Wilfinger, Stephan Wagner, Matthias Drescher and Jørn Precht (left to right), photo: ITFS, Reiner Pfisterer
Stefanie Larson, Seraina Nyikos, Claudio Winter and Sebastian Runschke (SERU) (left to right), photo: ITFS, Reiner Pfisterer

The Award for the German Screenplay with the Biggest International Market Potential in the amount of € 2,500, sponsored by SOLA MEDIA – and the winner is DREAMERS – THE HUNT FOR SHADOWCLAW by Jörg Ihle, Dominik Hochwald, Christopher Jenkins, Robert Moreland, and Alison James (Producers: Ulrich Schwarz, Ivy Stein, Production: parapictures filmproductions).

From the jury statement: DREAMERS is a wonderfully humorous, action-packed, and heartwarming screenplay featuring charmingly anthropomorphized animals who embrace their disabilities and use them as special, valuable abilities. This is done in an effortless, exciting, and highly entertaining way for all ages. Important messages such as tolerance, friendship, and inclusion are conveyed playfully. Because in the end, we are all Dreamers—a little bit normal, a little bit quirky, and each one special. The jury of this year’s screenplay award sees all the ingredients and potential for a successful international release in this emotional story.

The Special Mention goes to TRÜFFEL by Sonja Knyssok.

The jury consisted of Matthias Drescher, Sophia Bierend, Solveig Langeland, Jørn Precht and Silke Wilfinger.

Stefanie Larson, Solveig Langeland, Ulrich Schwarz, Jørn Precht, Ivy Stein, Silke Wilfinger, Sophia Bierend, Matthias Drescher and Robert Moreland (left to right), photo: ITFS, Reiner Pfisterer
Sonja Knyssok, photo: ITFS, Reiner Pfisterer

The Trickstar Business Award, the award for the Best Innovative and Groundbreaking Business Model for a Project or a Company in the Field of Animation in the amount of € 7,500 sponsored by Verband Region Stuttgart, goes to Atomedge (CEO: Guy van der Walt).

Congratulations to all the award winners!

Further information

CONTENTshift 2026

(c) MFG Baden-Württemberg

Start-ups with innovative business models for the content industry can apply for the CONTENTshift innovation program until April 30.

Over the past ten years, CONTENTshift has established itself as a key innovation platform for the publishing and media industry. Since 2026, the program has been organized by the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels Baden-Württemberg, under the umbrella of the strong publishing hub Baden-Württemberg. The program promotes innovative business models, provides industry knowledge, and connects start-ups across sectors with established companies and experts from the publishing and media industry in Baden-Württemberg and beyond.

Start-ups selected by a distinguished jury receive mentoring and coaching, as well as the chance to win the CONTENTshift Award, endowed with €10,000. They also gain a spot as co-exhibitors at the state booth “THE LÄND” at the Frankfurter Buchmesse 2026 (October 7-11), organized by MFG Baden-Württemberg with support from regional partners. Under the motto “Future Publishing – Future Content,” the Baden-Württemberg booth at the Frankfurter Buchmesse 2026 offers a unique stage for innovative business models and forward-looking applications for the book market.

Application CONTENTshift 2026 until April 30, 2026 | Further information (MFG)

Photos: THE LÄND stand Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025
(c) MFG Baden-Württemberg

Grimme Award for “Lena’s Farm”!

Lena’s Farm, Studio FILM BILDER

“Lena’s Farm” has been awarded a Grimme Award 2026! The series by Studio FILM BILDER and MINYA Film for ZDF (broadcast on KiKA) received the Audience Award from the Marler Gruppe.

We congratulate the entire team – Director: Elena Walf, Producer: Thomas Meyer-Hermann, and many more (you can find the full list of contributors here: https://filmbilder.de/lenas-farm/)! The series was funded, among others, by MFG Baden-Württemberg.

You can find all award winners here: https://www.grimme-preis.de/62-grimme-preis-2026/preistraeger

The award ceremony will take place on April 24, 2026.

About the Grimme Award, presented by the Grimme-Institut: The Grimme Award honors television programs and achievements that serve as exemplary and model contributions to broadcasting. The guiding principle of the television critique institutionalized in the Grimme Award is to encourage a comprehensive engagement with television as a central and significant medium that has diverse societal connections and impacts. This critical examination encompasses all topics and forms of television.

Cartoon Movie 2026

Director Reza Memari was honored with the Cartoon Tribute for Director of the Year at the European animation forum Cartoon Movie in Bordeaux. He received the award for the animated film “The Last Whale Singer.”

“The Last Whale Singer” is Memari’s second animated feature film following „Überflieger – Kleine Vögel, großes Geklapper“ (“Richard the Stork”). An animated fantasy for family audiences, the film follows Vincent, the orphaned son of the last Whale Singer, who must overcome his fears and discover his own voice to help save the oceans.

The award is presented annually by the attending industry professionals and recognizes outstanding achievements in the European animation industry. The ceremony took place at the Palais des Congrès in Bordeaux, concluding the 28th edition of the international pitching and co-production forum. The project was presented at Cartoon Movie at different stages – from concept in 2018 to development in 2020 and production in 2025 – and is an international co-production between Germany, the Czech Republic, and Canada. The film has already been sold to more than 30 territories worldwide and was funded by MFG.

In 2020, the screenplay won the German Animation Screenplay Award at Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film. It was also selected for Animation Production Days 2020. At ITFS 2026, “The Last Whale Singer” will appear multiple times in the program, including a talk, a making-of session, and a screening.

Cartoon 2026 Winners, Photo: Cartoon Movie, © Celia Lenoir

Presentation „Sam & Julia“, Photo: Cartoon Movie, © Celia Lenoir
Director of the Year: Reza Memari, Photo: Cartoon Movie, © Celia Lenoir

At Cartoon Movie 2026, several projects were presented that involve members of the AMCRS:

Sources: News MFG | Cartoon Movie, Press Release | ITFS