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42. Filmfest München

Tafiti – Across the Desert
Pumuckl’s New Adventures

Two animated projects involving AMCRS members will celebrate their world premieres this coming weekend at the 42. Filmfest München (June 27 to July 6, 2025) – and both are in the running for an award.

“TAFITI – ACROSS THE DESERT” and “PUMUCKL’S NEW ADVENTURES” are screening in the CineKindl” competition and have been nominated for Best Film in this children’s and youth film section.

The animated children’s film “TAFITI – ACROSS THE DESERT” (directed by Nina Wels) was created with the participation of Red Parrot Studios. World sales are handled by Sola Media. The premiere will take place on Saturday, June 28. All information and credits

The animation for the goblin Pumuckl in the TV series “PUMUCKL’S NEW ADVENTURES” (directed by Marcus H. Rosenmüller) – with selected episodes from season 2 nominated – was created by Studio Soi. The premiere is scheduled for Sunday, June 29. All information and credits

The Filmfest München is the second-largest film festival in Germany, after the Berlinale.

Fingers crossed for everyone involved!

More information and sources: Filmfest München | MFG Baden-Württemberg

GDD Indie Award 2025 Nomination for Studio Seufz

Screenshots: Studio Seufz

The game “Lucky Tower Ultimate” by Studio Seufz has been nominated for a GDD Indie Award 2025 – in not just one, but two categories: Best Game and Best Game Mechanics (game design).

Lucky Tower Ultimate is a comedic, roguelike adventure game following the trials and tribulations of a narcissistic knight… as he repeatedly tries to escape the dangerous tower he’s been trapped in. The levels and layout of the tower are procedurally generated, so no two runs of Lucky Tower Ultimate will ever be the same. There are many different traps, weapons, monsters, and rooms to experience.

Lucky Tower Ultimate is the third game in the Lucky Tower series and available on Steam. The publisher of the game is AMC Games, and it was supported, among others, by MFG Baden-Württemberg.

The GDD Indie Awards, with a total prize money of €10,000, will be presented on July 9, 2025, during the GermanDevDays (GDD) game developer conference, taking place on July 9 and 10, 2025 in Frankfurt. Fingers crossed!

More about the game: Lucky Tower Ultimate Webseite | Studio Seufz | AMC Games

More about the GermanDevDays

Nomination source: GamesMarkt

Lena’s Farm wins at Annecy 2025

Picture: Studio Film Bilder
Photo: Studio Film Bilder

Director Elena Walf and Studio Film Bilder are celebrating a successful start to the festival tour of their series LENA’S FARM. After already winning awards in recent days at the Italian festivals Cartoons on the Bay and Periferie Animate, as well as at the festival in Zlín, Czech Republic, the crowning moment came in France: on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at the Festival d’Animation Annecy, Elena Walf was honored on the main stage with the Jury Award for a TV Series.

The series consists of 26 episodes, each 5 minutes and 40 seconds long, which also work as stand-alone short films. It was produced by Studio Film Bilder in co-production with ZDF and Minya Film from Zagreb. Financing was made possible by MFG Baden-Württemberg, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, and the Creative Europe MEDIA program. Global distribution is handled by Meta Media, London.

Congratulations to Elena Walf, Studio Film Bilder and everyone else involved!

Source: Studio Film Bilder | Annecy Festival 2025

Annecy 2025

From June 8 to 14, 2025, this year’s Annecy Festival will take place. As part of the festival, the MIFA animation film market will be held from June 10 to 13. Numerous projects by filmmakers from our network will be featured.

Film still from “Stitch Head”. © Gringo Films

In the competition category “TV Films,”Lena’s Farm” is represented with the episode “Volles Nest” by Elena Walf, produced by Thomas Meyer-Hermann (Studio Film Bilder). More info

The Animationsinstitut of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg is also represented: in the “Graduation Films” category, “Detlev” by Ferdinand Ehrhardt (director and producer) and Saskia Stirn (producer), with distribution by Fabian Driehorst, will be screened. More info
Selected for the “VR Works” category is “lichtung” by Aria Wolf and Janina Zlotos (directors), produced by Cyril Fischer and Christoph Mohr. More info

The animated feature film “Stitch Head” by screenwriter and director Steve Hudson will be shown in the “Annecy Presents” section and will celebrate its world premiere! At ITFS 2020, the screenplay received the AMCRS-sponsored award for Best German-language Screenplay for an Animated Feature Film. The film was supported by MFG and involved the studios LAVAlabs Moving Images and PIXOMONDO in its production. More info | News article by MFG

The talent panel “Shape Your Future: Moving European Animation Forward” will present the innovation network PANEURAMA, with Christian Müller from the Animationinstitut joining the discussion. More info

At the German Films booth at MIFA, representatives of our member organizations will be present on site. This year’s German Reception will take place on Tuesday, June 10 (by invitation only) – a joint event organized by German FilmsAnimation GermanyAG Kurzfilm – Bundesverband Deutscher KurzfilmAG Animationsfilm, Animation Media Creators Region Stuttgart, Animation Production DaysFMXAnimationsinstitut of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Mitteldeutsche MedienförderungMFG Filmförderung Baden-Württemberg and ITFS

Two Animationsinstitut projects on the 2025 BAFTA Student Awards longlist!

A few days ago, the longlist for the 2025 BAFTA Student Awards (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) was announced – and two student projects from the Animationsinstitut at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg made it in: A Sparrow’s Song” (Director: Tobias Eckerlin, more information) and kaulquappe (polliwog)” (Director: Julia Skala, more information).

The finalists will be revealed at the end of May – fingers crossed!

Complete 2025 BAFTA Student Awards longlist

A Sparrow’s Song – Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
Kaulquappe – Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
Trailer Polliwog
Show Reel Animationsinstitut 2025

Our Creators @ ITFS on Saturday, May 10, 2025!

Hands up, it’s the weekend – and Day 5 of the STUTTGART ANIMATED WEEK 2025! Enjoy your time at ITFS and check out which of our CREATORS – and which of their projects – you can catch on Saturday, May 10.
In the evening, the big ITFS Awards Ceremony will take place – fingers crossed for all the nominees!

Photo: ITFS, Max Kullmann

10:00
ITFS, Gloria 2
Tricks for Kids 3: Vertrautes entdecken (Family ab 4)
Der Stachel im Po (Studio FILM BILDER)
https://itfs.de/en/show/tricks-for-kids-3-vertrautes-entdecken-family-ab-4-2/

11:00-17:00
ITFS, Staatsgalerie, Konrad-Adenauer-Str. 30-32, GameZone
Hochschule der Medien, Animationsinstitut / FABW, Merz Akademie
https://itfs.de/en/show/gamezone-10/

12:00
ITFS, Festival Centre, Filmmakers‘ Lounge
Filmmakers’ Talk: Student Competition 3+4?
Do Something (Sofija Zivkovic, FABW)
https://itfs.de/en/show/filmmakers-talk-student-competition-34-2/

12:30
ITFS, Gloria 2
Best of Fantoche 2024
Pear Garden (Shadab Shayegan, FABW)
https://itfs.de/en/show/best-of-fantoche-2024-2/

12:30
ITFS, Open Air
Trickstar Nature Kids & Family 2025
Rettergut – What was I made for? (Anja Giele, FABW)
https://itfs.de/en/show/trickstar-nature-kids-family-2025-2/

15:00
ITFS, Cinema
School Presentation: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg & Animationsinstitut
various Animationsinstitut / FABW projects
https://itfs.de/en/show/school-presentation-filmakademie-baden-wuerttemberg-animationsinstitut-2/

17:30
ITFS, Gloria 2
Student Competition 4: Don’t Give Up (Repetition)
Do Something (Sofija Zivkovic, FABW)
https://itfs.de/en/show/student-competition-4-dont-give-up-repetition-2/

20:00
ITFS, Gloria 1
Award Ceremony
https://itfs.de/en/show/award-ceremony-2/

18:00
ITFS, White Noise, Eberhardtstr. 35
Exhibition: It’s Just a Whole
Exhibition by Animationsinstitut / FABW graduate Bianca Scali / Winner ITFS 2024 “Student Competition“
https://itfs.de/en/show/exhibition-its-just-a-whole-10/

The Winners of the AniX Awards at ITFS 2025!

The first award winners of the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) 2025 have been chosen: 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 8, 2025 at the Festival Centre in the Haus der Katholischen Kirche.

Award winners and nominees, juries, and sponsors AniX Award ITFS 2025, Photo: Reiner Pfisterer

The prize 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 “Fräulein Dezember und die Mondschein-Bande“ (“Miss December and the Moon Clan”) by Lisa Fechner (Producer: Peter Keydel, Production: Mistral Filmstudio GmbH)

From the jury statement: Miss December is a loving, exciting, and funny Mary Poppins story, paired with magic and scary moments. Based on an Italian children’s book by Antonia Murgo, Lisa Fechner succeeds in crafting the dialogues in a fresh yet profound way. The plot is exciting, humorous, quirky, and has the necessary nostalgic feel, reminiscent of Charles Dickens’ stories and quirky families à la Wednesday and Hotel Transylvania.

The Award for the Screenplay with the Greatest International Market Potential is endowed with €2,500, sponsored by SOLA MEDIA – and the winner is Nessie Junior (Authors: Matthias Drescher, Jens Opatz, Producer: Matthias Drescher, Production: FFL – Film und Fernsehlabor Ludwigsburg GmbH & Co. KG)

From the jury statement: The story of the young sea monster Fin, who teams up with 13-year-old Kellina to uncover long-buried secrets about his origins, impresses with emotional depth, narrative strength, and a compelling sense of storytelling. […] Nessie Junior addresses universal themes such as friendship, identity, family, and the search for belonging – topics that resonate across cultures and are relevant to audiences worldwide. The legendary figure of Nessie is internationally recognized and sparks curiosity and empathy across generations, especially among family viewers. […] With Nessie Junior, Jens Opatz and Matthias Drescher have crafted a heartfelt, original, and internationally accessible story with the potential to become a beloved favorite among audiences worldwide.

The jury consisted of Solveig Langeland (Founder and Managing Director, Sola Media GmbH, Stuttgart), Jørn Precht (Author, Screenwriter, Professor for Storytelling, Hochschule der Medien, Stuttgart), Ron Segal (Author, Screenwriter, Berlin), Holger Weiss (CEO & Founder, Executive Producer, M.A.R.K. 13 Group, Stuttgart) und Silke Wilfinger (Founder & Owner, SILKWAYFILMS, Munich).

Winners Jens Opatz, Matthias Drescher
Matthias Drescher, Annegret Richter (ITFS), Solveig Langeland (Sola Media), Jens Opatz
Stefanie Larson (AMCRS), Winner Peter Keydel
Matthias Drescher, Jens Opatz, Solveig Langeland (Sola Media), Silke Wilfinger (Silkway Films), Peter Keydel, Holger Weiss (M.A.R.K. 13), Jørn Precht (Hochschule der Medien), Ron Segal

The Trickstar Business Award, the prize for the best innovative and forward-looking business model in the animation sector in the amount of € 7,500 sponsored by Verband Region Stuttgart, goes to SYNK by ThePack (CEO: Jan Hameeuw) – a real-time content generator and workflow management system that creates synergies and enables a huge increase in the efficiency of 3-D productions.

Congratulations to all the award winners!

Our Creators @ FMX, ITFS and APD on Thursday, May 8, 2025!

Our CREATORS are involved in numerous talks, presentations, screenings, meetings and events at FMX, ITFS and APD on Thursday, May 8 – Day 3 of the STUTTGART ANIMATED WEEK 2025. Find out where and when!

ITFS, Photo: Reiner Pfisterer

9:00-12:15
APD, Landesmuseum Württemberg – Altes Schloss, Schillerplatz 6
Co-Production and Financing Market (pre-arranged one-to-one meetings)
3 CAPTAINS (Studio FILM BILDER), 48ers (The M.A.R.K.13™ – Group), A Trip with a Drip (gretels gold)
https://animationproductiondays.de/projects-2025/

9:30-19:00
FMX, List-Saal, Marketplace
MFG / AMCRS, RnDeep
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/32710

9:30-19:00
FMX, Max-Eyth-Saal, Recruiting Hub
Accenture Song VFX, Pixomondo, Recom Film, RISE | Visual Effects Studios
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/33031

9:30-19:00
FMX, Steinbeis-Saal, School Campus
Animationsinstitut / FABW, Hochschule der Medien, Merz Akademie
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/32825

11:00-20:00
ITFS, Staatsgalerie, Konrad-Adenauer-Str. 30-32, GameZone
Hochschule der Medien, Animationsinstitut / FABW, Merz Akademie
https://itfs.de/en/show/gamezone-6/

10:00
FMX, König-Karl-Halle & VOD
Crafting the Carnage | HOUSE OF THE DRAGON S2
Sabrina Christoforidis, Sven Martin, Matt Perrin, Mark Spindler, Pixomondo
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/31839

10:00
FMX, Meidinger-Saal & VOD
HAGEN – VFX for Series and Feature (Panel VFX for Features)
Sebastian Lauer, Katharina Hoffmann, RISE | Visual Effects Studios
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/31798

10:00
FMX, Raum Reutlingen & VOD
AI@AI 1 – The Students
various Animationsinstitut / FABW projects (Panel “Raw & Relavant” curated by Andreas Hykade, Animationsinstitut / FABW)
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/31854

10:00
FMX, Raum Tübingen
Animation Schools Exchange
Animationsinstitut / FABW
If you would like to join the Animation Schools Exchange please reach out to study@animationsinstitut.de. This is an invite only event.
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/31851

10:00
FMX, Steinbeis-Saal
FMX Experience
ZONE PANEURAMA zone (PANEURAMA) (R&D Animationsinstitut / FABW)
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/33090

11:15
FMX, König-Karl-Halle & VOD
Bringing CASSANDRA to life with In Camera Realtime Visual Effects
Rouven Dombrowski, Accenture Song VFX
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/31840

11:15
FMX, Raum Reutlingen & VOD
AI@AI 2 – The Alumni & Teachers
Gottfried Mentor, Studio FILM BILDER, Volker Helzle & NN, Andreas Hykade, Animationsinstitut / FABW, Maximilian Pfisterer & Isabel Kohlhagen, Frischvergiftung (Panel “Raw & Relavant” curated by Andreas Hykade, Animationsinstitut / FABW)
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/31855

12:30
FMX, Turm Aalen & VOD C
Creative Resilience: Women Redefining Success in Animation and VFX
Kader Bagli, RISE | Visual Effects Studios
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/31818

12:30
FMX, Raum Reutlingen & VOD
AI@AI 3 – The Panel
Animationsinstitut / FABW (Panel “Raw & Relavant” curated by Andreas Hykade, Animationsinstitut / FABW)
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/31856

13:00
ITFS, Festival Centre, Veronika-Saal
Workshop Talk: Nominees of the German Animation Screenplay Award
FFL Film und Fernsehlabor Ludwigsburg
https://itfs.de/en/show/workshop-talk-nominees-of-the-german-animation-screenplay-award-2/

14:00
ITFS, Festival Centre, Eugen-Bolz-Saal
Trickstar Business Pitches
https://itfs.de/en/show/trickstar-business-pitches-2/

14:00
ITFS, Open Air
Grenzen(los): Fritzi und Sophie Special
Studio FILM BILDER
https://itfs.de/en/show/grenzenlos-fritzi-und-sophie-special-2/

14:30
FMX, Turm Aalen
Strategies for Success In Today’s Job Market
Julien Klein, Scanline VFX
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/33033

15:00
FMX, Filmakademie Campus, Ludwigsburg
Diploma Showroom 2025 Animationsinstitut
various Animationsinstitut / FABW projects
https://animationsinstitut.de/en/beyond-study/diplomashowroom

15:45
FMX, Turm Aalen & VOD
Building a Career without Borders: the Power of Global Connections
Claudia Marvisi, Pixomondo
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/31817

16:00
ITFS, Festival Centre
Filmmakers‘ Lounge
Get together Industry – Networking event with Swiss colleagues
https://itfs.de/en/show/get-together-industry-2/

17:30
ITFS, Gloria 2
Student Competition 2: Emotion in Motion
Pear Garden (Shadab Shayegan, FABW)
https://itfs.de/en/show/student-competition-2-emotion-in-motion-2/

18:00
ITFS, Gloria 1
Trickstar Nature Award (Repetition)
Rise Age (Can Erduman, Tatjana Theuer, FABW)
https://itfs.de/en/show/trickstar-nature-award-repetition-2/

18:00
FMX, Bertha-Benz-Saal, Houdini Suite
Session RISE | Visual Effects Studios
Andreas Giesen, RISE | Visual Effects Studios
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/33238

18:15
FMX, Raum Karlsruhe & VOD
RISE FX Recruiting Presentation RISE | Visual Effects Studios
Marian Dobrunz, RISE | Visual Effects Studios
https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2025/detail/event/32961

19:00
ITFS, Haus der Katholischen Kirche, Königstr. 7
German Animation Screenplay Award at AniX Awards
Stefanie Larson, AMCRS (Sponsor of German Animation Screenplay Award), FFL Film und Fernsehlabor Ludwigsburg
https://itfs.de/en/show/anix-awards-2/

18:00
ITFS, White Noise, Eberhardtstr. 35
Exhibition: It’s Just a Whole
Exhibition by Animationsinstitut / FABW graduate Bianca Scali / Winner ITFS 2024 “Student Competition“
https://itfs.de/en/show/exhibition-its-just-a-whole-6/

19:00
FMX, In front of Haus der Wirtschaft
Get-Together sponsored by One of Us

19:00
RISE, Schloßstr. 70
Party RISE | Visual Effects Studios

ITFS 2025: Nominations German Animation Screenplay Award and Animated Games Award Germany

ITFS Award Statue, Photo: ITFS, Reiner Pfisterer

The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (May 6-11, 2025) not only awards animated films, but also honors screenplays, projects & business ideas, and German video games.

The German Animation Screenplay Award recognises outstanding screenplays for feature-length animated films. The Award for the Best Screenplay for a Feature-Length Animated Film comes with €2,500, sponsored by the Animation Media Creators Region Stuttgart (AMCRS). The Award for the Screenplay with the Greatest International Market Potential is endowed with €2,500, sponsored by our CREATORS from SOLA MEDIA.

The nominees are:

  • Die Schule der Schurken / The School of Villains (Author: John Chambers)
  • Fräulein Dezember und die Mondscheinbande (Author: Lisa Fechner, Producer: Peter Keydel, Production: Mistral Filmstudio GmbH)
  • Nessie Junior (Authors: Matthias Drescher, Jens Opatz, Producer: Matthias Drescher, Production: FFL – Film und Fernsehlabor Ludwigsburg GmbH & Co. KG)
  • Treasure Island (Authors: Florens Huhn, Sophia Bierend, Producer: Frank Geiger, Production: Little Dream Entertainment GmbH)

The awards will be presented as part of the Anix Awards on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 19:00 CET. The Trickstar Business Award will also be presented during the ceremony. Earlier that day, at 13:00 CET, Jørn Precht (Stuttgart Media University) will speak with the nominees for the German Animation Screenplay Award about storytelling and the development of their nominated scripts (To the event).

The Animated Games Award Germany is endowed with €5,000 and is sponsored by MFG Baden-Württemberg. It targets developers of high-quality video games who have their primary or secondary residence in Germany.

The nominees are:

  • Harold Halibut (Slow Bros.)
  • Duck Detective: The Secret Salami (Happy Broccoli Games)
  • MINI MINI GOLF GOLF (Three More Years Studio)
  • Songs of Silence (Chimera Entertainment)
  • PRIM (Application Systems Heidelberg)

More about the nominated games. The Animated Games Award will be presented during the Award Ceremony on Saturday evening, May 10, 2025. Festival visitors can try out the five nominated games in the GameZone, located at the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart.

Source and more information

Fingers crossed for all the nominees!

Save the Date – Night of Shame on May 9, 2025!

The Night of Shame is the curated film show that celebrates filmmakers’ worst! From charmingly incompetent to all out shameful – established directors from all over the world excavate their questionable films and submit them to the fascinated gaze of a live audience.

The Studio Seufz Event (powered by Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg‘s Animationsinstitut, supported by AMCRS) takes place on Friday, May 9, 2025 at 20:30 CET – during Stuttgart Animated Week (aka ITFS (May 6-11, 2025)FMX (May 6-9, 2025) and APD (May 6-8, 2025)) – at a new location, the Kulturwerk in Stuttgart (Ostendstr. 106 A, 70188 Stuttgart).

Ticket Sale will start April 7, 2025. All past shows have sold out fast, so be faster!

Night of Shame makes you feel humbled, elated, and a bit closer to each other. Because ultimately: “We’re all the same in our shame.”

Follow them on Insta to stay up to date and get all the shameful details! Or check their web site: https://www.nightofshame.com/