Filmmakers can submit their entries for the 32. Filmschau Baden-Württemberg and the 23. Jugendfilmpreis until August 31, 2026. The festival, taking place in Stuttgart from December 2-6, 2026, is accepting submissions in the categories feature film, short film, documentary, animated film, VFX (by students or professional filmmakers), and commercial.
All submissions must have a connection to the state of Baden-Württemberg, for example, by having been filmed in the region, supported by the MFG Filmförderung, produced by SWR, or created at one of the state’s media universities.
Entries must be submitted using the application forms available for download on the Filmschau BW and Jugendfilmpreis websites www.filmschaubw.de and www.jugendfilmpreis.de.
Jury Animation:Nina Prange (Creative Producer, graduate of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut), Regina Welker (Creative Director, first feature film “Latte Igel und der magische Wasserstein”, graduate of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut), and Sveta Yuferova (Director and Animator, “Little Fan”).
Jury VFX Studios:Jan Adamczyk (VFX Supervisor, credits include “The Dark Knight”, “Sherlock Holmes”, lecturer in VFX and Animation at Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart), Johanna Manz (VFX Producer, including at RISE FX, credits include “Stranger Things 3”, “Avatar: The Last Airbender”), and Julia Smola (credits include “Oblivion”, “Hugo Cabret”, including at Scanline, Pixomondo).
Jury VFX Students: Heiko Burkardsmaier (VFX Executive Producer and Head of Business & Legal Affairs at Accenture Song VFX, credits include “Hugo Cabret”, “Game of Thrones”, recipient of the Baden-Württemberg Honorary Film Award in 2024), Johanna Manz (VFX Producer, including at RISE FX, credits include “Stranger Things 3”, “Avatar: The Last Airbender”), and Julia Smola (credits include “Oblivion”, “Hugo Cabret”, including at Scanline, Pixomondo).
Further information about the juries is available here.
All submissions will first be reviewed by the festival’s head of program. Based on this selection process, the films selected for the Filmschau BW program and those nominated for the Baden-Württemberg Film Awards and the Jugendfilmpreis competitions will be announced. At the conclusion of the festival and the Jugendfilmpreis, all award winners will be revealed and honoured. The Filmschau BW is organized by the Filmbüro Baden-Württemberg.
Learn more about the nominees and winners from the AMCRS network at the 2025 Filmschau BW.
This year, five indie studios from Baden-Württemberg will showcase their games at the Indie Arena Booth (Hall 10.2) at Gamescom, taking place in Cologne from August 26-30, 2026. Among them is our AMCRS member Mucks! Games, presenting their atmospheric detective point-and-click adventure “Frieda is Changing“.Learn more about “Frieda is Changing”
Also exhibiting at the THE LÄND booth at the Indie Arena Booth are Games2Beat Studio with “Beats of Betrayal”, Jam Jar Jet with “Skapheim: The Tenth Realm”, julien & ērika with “Little Chef: Cozy Cooking”, and Sharkbomb Studios with “Crownbreakers”.
Furthermore, Kaleidoscube will present their game “Recur” at the Indie Arena Booth.
Find out more about the Indie Arena Booth 2026 here.
Since 2013, MFG has also organized the Baden-Württemberg state joint pavilion THE LÄND in the business area (Hall 4.1, Stand C51). The booth gives exhibiting companies and institutions the opportunity to present their latest developments to an international trade audience and connect with the global games industry. This year, eight companies are represented: Bruce B. (Stuttgart), Cozy Cabbage Studio (Waiblingen), ENSO (Heidelberg), kr3m. media (Karlsruhe), Myriad Tales (Tübingen), Phantom Island (Ludwigsburg), StickyStoneStudio (Gundelfingen), and Walk The Frog (Ludwigsburg).
On July 25 and 26, 2026, the IPAI Foundation’s KI Festival in Heilbronn creates a space for people of all generations to experience artificial intelligence firsthand, engage with it critically, and actively help shape its future. Bringing together research, real-world applications, and art, the two-day interactive festival showcases what human-centered AI looks like – from innovative use cases and interactive art installations to inspiring keynotes, hands-on workshops, live music, and street food.
Our HEROES will also be part of the program:
Sat., July 25, 2026, 15:45-16:35 CET| “Gaming in Zeiten von KI“ Max Schmierer, CEO b.rex, Anna Katharina Brinkschulte, Head of Interactive Media Animationsinstitut / FABW, Sebastian Tyzak, Journalist, and Prof. Dr. Sabiha Ghellal, Professor for Experience and Game Design at Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart (Moderator) | Wirtschaftsministerium Baden-Württemberg The panel explores how AI is transforming the development, design, and player experience of modern games. | More information
Sat., July 25, 2026, 11:00-19:00 CET / Sun., July 26, 2026, 11:00-18:00 CET | “Carl Laemmle Institut AI Startup Colibri Project“ The joint booth of the Colibri Project and the Carl Laemmle Institut (CLI) at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg demonstrates practical applications of AI in media production – running locally, ensuring data privacy, and operating independently of cloud services. More information
Sat., July 25, 2026, 17:45-18:45 CET | “AI in Film: Insights into the Creative Use of Artificial Intelligence at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg“ Prof. Volker Helzle (Director Carl Laemmle Institut (CLI)/ FABW) and Jan Pinkava (Director Animationsinstitut / FABW) The session opens with a screening of productions from the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg that explore artificial intelligence either as a subject or through its use in the production process. The screening is followed by a discussion offering deeper insights into the creative and technical workflows behind the films. More information & registration
Sat., July 25, 2026, 11:00-19:00 CET / Sun., July 26, 2026, 11:00-18:00 CET | “The Länd of Games“ The Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Handwerk und Tourismus presents the joint pavilion “The Länd of Games” together with the SWR X Lab, featuring, among other things, the arcade game “Fish of Zen” and the VR experience “lichtung”, both by Animationsinstitut / FABW. More information
Sun., July 26, 2026, 12:30-13:20 CET | “KI & Film“ Cedric Engels (Doktor Whatson) and Prof. Volker Helzle (Director Carl Laemmle Institut (CLI)/ FABW) present new AI films showcasing the latest possibilities available today. More information
Admission to the KI Festival is free of charge. The festival takes place at Zukunftspark Wohlgelegen, at the IPAI SPACES in Heilbronn.
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
The final day of the STUTTGART ANIMATED WEEK 2026 is here – after a week full of events and inspiration, amazing encounters with old and new friends, tons of input on the latest developments in art, technology, and research, hopefully lots of new project ideas and collaborations – and, of course, a celebration of films, games, and all kinds of media projects and experiences! We hope you made it this far and had an incredible time!
Here’s where you can find out how our CREATORS are involved with ITFS on Sunday, May 10, 2026.
By the way: Accredited FMX attendees can watch selected program sessions on demand from May 9 to June 9, 2026 via FMX on Demand: https://fmx.de/en/on-demand. Accredited ITFS industry visitors can, upon request, view the submitted animated films in the Animated Video Market: https://itfs.de/en/practical-info/animated-video-market/.
Extra tip: the German theatrical premiere of “The Light of Aisha” (“Aisha und das verlorene Buch”) takes place at 15:00 CET in EM 4 – director Shadi Adib and additional guests will be present (tickets here). The film was co-produced by M.A.R.K. 13.
ITFS, Photo: Max Kullmann
11:00-17:00 ITFS, Staatsgalerie Säulensaal GameZone Extended Hochschule der Medien, Animationsinstitut / FABW, Merz Akademie, Studio Seufz https://itfs.de/en/show/gamezone-extended-4/
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).
Let’s head into the weekend – and into Day 5 of STUTTGART ANIMATED WEEK 2026! Enjoy your time at ITFS and check out who from our CREATORS – and which of their projects – will also be featured there on Saturday, May 9. In the evening, the big ITFS awards ceremony will take place – we’re keeping our fingers crossed for all the nominees!
ITFS, Photo: Max Kullmann
11:00-20:00 ITFS, Staatsgalerie Säulensaal GameZone Extended Hochschule der Medien, Animationsinstitut / FABW, Merz Akademie, Studio Seufz https://itfs.de/en/show/gamezone-extended-8/
11:00 ITFS, Gloria 2 Tricks for Kids 3: Komm, ich helfe dir! “3 Kapitäne” by Julia Ocker, Thomas Meyer-Hermann (producer, Studio Film Bilder); “Kito, Maja und die Kugelkiste – Vom PUMPHUT und der Windstille” by Eliza Plocieniak-Alvarez, Alumna Animationsinstitut / FABW https://itfs.de/en/show/tricks-for-kids-3-komm-ich-helfe-dir-2/
Our Creators @ FMX, ITFS und APD on Thursday, May 7, 2026!
Our CREATORS are involved in numerous talks, presentations, screenings, meetings and events at FMX, ITFS and APD on Thursday, May 7 – Day 3 of the STUTTGART ANIMATED WEEK2026. Find out where and when, and discover many more highlights!
11:00-20:00 ITFS, Staatsgalerie Säulensaal GameZone Extended Hochschule der Medien, Animationsinstitut / FABW, Merz Akademie, Studio Seufz https://itfs.de/en/show/gamezone-extended-2/
9:00-12:15 APD, Landesmuseum Württemberg – Altes Schloss Co-Production and Financing Market, Tailored One-to-One Meetings “The Little Dormouse”, gretels gold https://animationproductiondays.de/programme/market/
10:00 FMX, König-Karl-Halle The Craft of Sound: Innovation and Workflows at Walt Disney Animation Studios Panel “Sound Design” curated by Nami Strack, Animationsinstitut / FABW https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2026/detail/event/35083
10:00 FMX, Raum Reutlingen From Prototype to Market: Building the Next Wave of Creative Startups and Founders in Baden-Württemberg Veljko Sekelj, Hochschule der Medien, Panel “LÄND-made” curated by Christian Müller, Animationsinstitut / FABW https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2026/detail/event/35068
10:30 ITFS, Festival Centre, Veronika-Saal Making of: German Children’s Series “Kito & Maja – The Dream Globe Tales” by Eliza Plocieniak-Alvarez & Carol Ratajczak, Alumni Animationsinstitut / FABW https://itfs.de/en/show/making-of-german-childrens-series-2/
12:30 FMX, Meidinger-Saal & VOD From Pixels to Waveforms: How AI Bridges the Gap Between Picture and Sound Panel “Sound Design” curated by Nami Strack, Animationsinstitut / FABW https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2026/detail/event/35085
17:00 FMX, Raum Reutlingen & VOD Adult Animation in a Kids’ Industry: Making Task Force Querlitz in Germany Arne Hain, Alumnus Animationsinstitut / FABW; Panel “Fresh Visions” curated by Christian Müller, Animationsinstitut / FABW https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2026/detail/event/35022
19:00 ITFS, Festival Centre, Eugen-Bolz-Saal AnixAwards German Animation Screenplay Awards (sponsored by AMCRS, Sola Media), Trickstar Business Award https://itfs.de/en/show/anixawards-2/
21:30 Die Note, Berliner Platz 1 Animation Lounge AMCRS
May 5, 2026
Our Creators @ FMX, ITFS and APD on Wednesday, May 6, 2026!
Day 2 of the STUTTGART ANIMATED WEEK 2026! Discover when and where our CREATORS are participating at FMX, ITFS, and APD on Wednesday, May 6! And further highlights!
11:00-20:00 ITFS, Staatsgalerie Säulensaal GameZone Extended Hochschule der Medien, Animationsinstitut / FABW, Merz Akademie, Studio Seufz https://itfs.de/en/show/gamezone-extended-6/
9:00-12:15 APD, Landesmuseum Württemberg – Altes Schloss Co-Production and Financing Market, Tailored One-to-One Meetings “The Little Dormouse” (gretels gold) https://animationproductiondays.de/programme/market/
10:00 ITFS, Robert-Bosch-Saal (vhs Stuttgart) Kitaprogramm: Komm, ich helfe dir! “3 Kapitäne” by Julia Ocker, Thomas Meyer-Hermann (producer, Studio Film Bilder); “Lenas Hof: Volles Nest” by Elena Walf, Thomas Meyer-Hermann (producer, Studio Film Bilder); “Kito, Maja und die Kugelkiste – Vom PUMPHUT und der Windstille” by Eliza Plocieniak-Alvarez, Alumni Animationsinstitut / FABW https://itfs.de/en/show/kitaprogramm-komm-ich-helfe-dir-2/
10:00 FMX, Turm Aalen & VOD CrossDot / Umbraven – A Dark Fantasy Short / On the Road to Caen / Blue Tent / Hang In There School Presentations, presented by Alexandra Joshi, Animationsinstitut / FABW and Mark Szilagyi, FABW https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2026/detail/event/35005
11:15 FMX, Turm Aalen & VOD DOPAMIN100 / The Tyrant / SCREWED / Vincent School Presentations, presented by Alexandra Joshi, Animationsinstitut / FABW and Mark Szilagyi, FABW https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2026/detail/event/35006
18:15 FMX, Turm Aalen & VOD The future of immersive excellence, innovation, and collaboration in THE CYBERLÄND. Maximilian Schmierer, b.ReX, Panel “LÄND-made” curated by Christian Müller, Animationsinstitut / FABW https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2026/detail/event/35036
19:00 ITFS, Staatsgalerie, Metzler Saal Open Stage Games BW, Keynote „Animation und Immersion in The Longing und Lucky Tower Ultimate“ Anselm Pyta, Studio Seufz, MFG https://itfs.de/en/show/open-stage-games-bw-2/
19:45 FMX, Metropol Cinema METROPOL CINEMA: Special Screening of Independence Day with Introduction by Roland Emmerich To attend the screening, pick up your ticket at the ticket counter on Level 0 starting on Wednesday, May 6 at 11:00! https://fmx.de/en/program/program-2026/detail/event/36445
Our Creators @ FMX, ITFS and APD on Tuesday, May 5, 2026!
Let’s dive into STUTTGART ANIMATED WEEK 2026! Animation, VFX and games fans, professionals, and students from around the world are coming together in Stuttgart to explore the latest trends, cutting-edge technologies, stunning projects, and the most exciting stories. With FMX – Film & Media Exchange (On Site: May 5-7, Online & On Campus: May 8, On Demand: May 9 – June 9), the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (May 5-10) and the Animation Production Days (May 5-7), there’s a lot to look forward to!
FMX, Photo: Dominique Brewing
Alongside numerous highlights, of course our CREATORS are on board as well! Let’s take a look at how they’re contributing during these inspiring days: the talks, presentations, and workshops they’re leading, where you can meet and chat with them in person, what they’ve curated – and which of their projects you can see on site or even try out for yourself. You can find more information via the links. We’re kicking things off on Tuesday, May 5, 2026!
9:00-12:15 APD, Landesmuseum Württemberg – Altes Schloss Co-Production and Financing Market, Tailored One-to-One Meetings gretels gold “The Little Dormouse” https://animationproductiondays.de/programme/market/
