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Call for Entries ITFS 2025

ITFS, Photo: Reiner Pfisterer

The 32nd Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) will take place from May 6 to 11, 2025. With focuses on artistic animated films and the promotion of young talent prizes totalling over 45,000 euros will be awarded across five competitions. Filmmakers worldwide are invited to submit their works starting September 1, 2024.

The submission deadline for the following short film competitions is November 15, 2024:

  • International Competition for animated short films 
  • Student Competition for animated short films
  • Tricks for Kids – competition for animated short films and series for children 
  • Trickstar Nature Award – competition for animated short films on nature and the environment

The submission deadline for the feature-length film competition AniMovie is January 15, 2025.

Film submissions are handled via the online submission platform Shortfilmdepot. Registration forms and regulations as well as more information about the festival, the competition categories, and the contact persons can be found on the ITFS website.

The STUTTGART ANIMATED WEEK leverages synergies with parallel events: At the same time as ITFS, the co-production market Animation Production Days (APD) and the FMX – Film and Media Exchange conference take place. This unique combination of festival, conference, and market draws up to 6,000 professional visitors to Stuttgart each year.

Source: Press Release ITFS

ITFS, Photo: Reiner Pfisterer

Jobs at ITFS!

The Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH (FMF) is the organizer of the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS), one of the world’s largest animation festivals, which takes place annually over six days in April/May. It is also co-organizer of the Animation Production Days (APDs), which take place at the same time as FMX – Film & Media Exchange.

They currently have two job openings:

Traineeship in Communications (m/f/d), starting September 1, 2024, full-time:
TikTok is not a means of transportation for you, Insta immediately makes you think in squares, YouTube is your channel and content is queen! Do you want to do more than “something with social media”, are you a strong communicator, think visually and know what’s important in communication? Then apply for a traineeship to strengthen the ITFS communications team!
Job advertisement

Junior Project Manager in Sponsoring & Marketing (m/f/d), starting September 15, 2024, full-time:
Are you convinced that really big festival highlights can be better realized with a strong partner network? Does the thought of many curious and enthusiastic faces make your heart beat faster? Your skills include strong communication and organizational skills? Are you not afraid to pick up the phone from time to time? Then apply now as a Junior Project Manager at ITFS!
Job advertisement

Apply now until July 31, 2024 by e-mail to: bewerbung@festival-gmbh.de

The ITFS team is looking forward to new members! (Photo: ITFS, Reiner Pfisterer)

23. NaturVision Filmfestival, July 18-21, 2024

The NaturVision Film Festival Ludwigsburg aims to provide effective impetus for the transformation of our society – from July 18 to 21, 2024, with current nature and environmental films on the big screen, in the cinema and with free admission to the open air. The next generation is particularly important to the NaturVision team. A wide range of films and hands-on activities are aimed at families, children and schools. In addition to environmental education, the main aim is to awaken enthusiasm for nature and show even the youngest children what and how they themselves can contribute to environmental protection.

A recurring theme of the 23rd edition is activism and its many forms. How is it lived? How can it succeed? And where does it reach its limits? This is shown in the differentiated portraits of young climate activists such as the documentaries System Change – A Story of Growing Resistance, Was brennt or Bis hierhin und wie weiter. On the other hand, NaturVision promotes young talent behind the camera with the award for Best Newcomer Film and the presentation of the films on the big screen. The creative potential of tomorrow’s filmmakers is enormous. This is proven by the focus on New Filmmakers with top-class contributions from film students from all over the world, including the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg and the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield.

But even beyond the big screen, becoming active is the central theme and the main concern of the festival. Festival director Beatrix Wesle emphasizes: “It was very important to us to encourage more optimism in climate protection with NaturVision – with inspiration instead of frustration, action instead of passivity.” This hands-on approach is reflected in formats such as the „Anders Wirtschaften“ ideas exchange in cooperation with environmental and sustainability start-ups from the region and the “Market of Perspectives” with stands from relevant companies and initiatives, both open air in the Akademiehof.

Our CREATORS from the Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH and the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) are also on board – FMF as co-organizer and ITFS as a partner. On Friday, July 19, at 15.00 CET, in the TRICKSTAR NATURE AWARD program, a selection of outstanding animated short films from the ITFS dealing with nature, animals and the environment will be screened at the open air.

More about NaturVision | Program & Tickets

Source: Press Release NaturVision

Start-up BW Summit 2024 on July 11

The Start-up BW Summit 2024 is a trade fair and congress with exhibiting start-ups, pitches and keynotes plus a festival on the Börsenplatz in Stuttgart with music and informal discussions. Start-ups, representatives of start-up ecosystems and companies as well as investors from Baden-Württemberg, Germany, Europe and the world meet at the Haus der Wirtschaft to pitch, network, exchange ideas and learn from each other.

You can expect a varied program with top-class speakers, a trade fair with start-ups, pitches and competitions as well as many offers for founders and all those who want to become one. The complete program can be found here.

MFG Baden-Württemberg will be represented in the “Länd of Start-ups” and has invited three innovative start-ups and young start-up teams from the cultural and creative industries: Eloquio from Heidelberg, Mucks! Games from Ludwigsburg (recently awarded the German Computer Game Award, the alumni from Animationsinstitut also created the trailers for FMX and ITFS 2024) and to teach from Stuttgart.

Participation in the summit is free of charge, registration is requested.

More information and sources:
Start-up BW Summit 2024 | MFG | Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism Baden-Württemberg

Pre-Fixe with Animation Lounge: KI in der Animationsproduktion

Together with the Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH (organizer of Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film) and the AMCRSMFG 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.

On July 8, 18:00 CET, Maximilian Pfisterer, communication designer (FH) / co-owner of our CREATORS from Frischvergiftung will give a presentation on the topic of “KI in der Animationsproduktion” (“AI in animation production”).

Maximilian Pfisterer

Frischvergiftung from Stuttgart is already successfully using imaging AI in its workflows. In projection mappings to completely transform existing buildings, to create visuals for music festivals or in collaboration with Andreas Hykade to generate morphings between given artworks. On July 8, the studio will provide some insights and give some keywords to get started yourself.

Maximilian Pfisterer radicalized himself as a VJ with his friend and partner Willy Löbl in the Stuttgart club scene and shortly afterwards switched from print to film. That was a while ago and Frischvergiftung has since become a flourishing animation studio.

The Jour Fixe offers a unique opportunity for exchange and networking with colleagues from the MFG Film Funding Unit. All participants are cordially invited to attend the subsequent Jour Fixe from 19:00 CET.

The event will take place at the Kulturzentrum Merlin, Augustenstraße 72, 70178 Stuttgart. Admission is free.

More information

German Reception at Annecy 2024

The Festival d’Animation Annecy (June 9 to 15, 2024) took place last week. And traditionally, German FilmsAnimation GermanyAG Kurzfilm – Bundesverband Deutscher KurzfilmAG Animationsfilm / ASIFA Germany, Animation Media Creators Region Stuttgart, Animation Production DaysFMXAnimationsinstitut of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Mitteldeutsche MedienförderungMFG Filmförderung Baden-Württemberg and ITFS invited to the German Reception at the Annecy lake.

We thank all participants and attendees for the great afternoon and the many wonderful conversations!

FMX 2024 Presentations available online!

FMX, Photo: Dominique Brewing

The Stuttgart Animated Week 2024 came to an end on Sunday, April 28, 2024, with the grand awards gala at the ITFS. Note down the dates for next year in the calendar right away – the next ITFS will take place from May 6 to 11, 2025, and the FMX – Film & Media Exchange from May 6 to 9, 2025.

If you were unable to attend FMX this year or would like to watch individual FMX presentations again – most of the conference content will be available online via FMX On Demand until May 31, 2024. Watch out for the turquoise VoD flags in the FMX Program Schedule indicating which presentations are included in FMX On Demand. Tickets are available at the FMX Ticket Shop, the FMX On Demand Guide explains in detail how to get access.

FMX 2024, Panel “EU XR”, Photo: D. Brewing
FMX 2024, World of Gra, Photo: D. Brewing
FMX 2024, Improve Profitability in VFX and Animation, Photo: D. Brewing
FMX 2024, Being the Change through Mentorship, WIA, Photo: D. Brewing

ITFS Awards for Animationsinstitut Graduates!

On Sunday evening, April 28, 2024, the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film 2024 came to an end with the festive awards gala. Among the winners are also animated film projects by graduates and alumni of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg’s Animationsinstitut!

Yi Luo, Photo: ITFS, Reiner Pfisterer
Dodo (directed by Yi Luo)

In the International Competition, the Lotte Reiniger Promotion Award for Animated Film (award for the best graduation film with a cash prize of 10,000 Euro, sponsored by MFG Film Funding Baden-Württemberg) goes to

Dodo, Director: Yi Luo, Producer: Jiayan Chen (Germany 2023)
More about the film and the complete credits

Jury Statement:
We saw a film that deals with the trauma of losing a father in a crucial stage child’s development. Executed in a very impressive art style that meticulously draws the viewer into the essence of the story.

Bianca Scali, Photo: ITFS, Reiner Pfisterer
it’s just a whole (directed by Bianca Scali)

The Award for the best student film with a cash prize of 2,500 Euro, sponsored by LFK Landesanstalt für Kommunikation Baden-Württemberg and MFG Film Funding Baden-Württemberg goes to:

It’s just a whole, Director: Bianca Scali, Producer: Paulina Larson (Germany 2023)
More about the film and the complete credits

Jury Statement:
We would like to give the award to the film “It‘s just a whole“  for the brilliant way in which the artists lead us into a dramatic experience in which one negotiates one’s existence  facing a sometimes cold reality, loneliness and the  primal fear of disappearance. For the film’s unique animation style in which graphics, sounds and textures are used in a way that immediately convey emotions that are transposed into physical reactions.

At the Grand Prix (State of Baden-Württemberg and the City of Stuttgart Grand Award for Animated Film with a cash prize of 10,000 Euro), director and Animationsinstitut alumna Sofiia Melnyk was honored with a Special Mention for Mariupol. A Hundred Nights (Ukraine 2023).

All winners of the ITFS 2024

We wholeheartedly congratulate all the winners!

Our CREATORS @ ITFS on Sunday, April 28, 2024!

The last day of STUTTGART ANIMATED WEEK – a week full of events and inspiration, great meetings with old and new friends, an incredible amount of new background knowledge about current developments in art, technology and research, hopefully many new project ideas and collaborations and above all films, games and other media projects and experiences – has almost arrived! We hope you’ve made it this far – here come the events our CREATORS are involved in at the ITFS on Sunday, April 28, 2024. We are keeping our fingers crossed for all nominees for the grand ITFS 2024 award ceremony!

ITFS, Photo: Reiner Pfisterer

12:30
ITFS Gloria 1
International Competition 2: Welcome to the Dark Side!
Dodo (Yi Luo), Mariupol. A Hundred Nights (Sofiia Melnyk), Animationsinstitut / FABW alumni
https://www.itfs.de/en/events/international-competition-2-welcome-to-the-dark-side-3/

15:00
ITFS Cinema
School Presentation: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg & Animationsinstitut
Animationsinstitut / FABW diverse projects
https://www.itfs.de/en/events/school-presentation-filmakademie-baden-wurttemberg-animationsinstitut/

15:30
ITFS Gloria 2
German Premiere! AniMovie Kids Special: Giants of La Mancha
The M.A.R.K. 13 – Group
https://www.itfs.de/en/events/animovie-kids-special-giants-of-la-mancha/

Giants of La Mancha

The Winners of the AniX Awards at ITFS 2024

The first award winners of the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) 2024 have been chosen: In a joint awards ceremony – the AniX Awards – the German Animation Screenplay Award, the Trickstar Business Award, and the ASIFA Prize were presented on the evening of April 25, 2024 at the Festival Centre in the Haus der Katholischen Kirche.

Marcus Sauermann, Stefanie Larson (AMCRS), Silke Wilfinger (jury member), Photo: ITFS
on the left: Gisela Schäfer (gretels gold), Sunna Isenberg, Photo: AMCRS

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:

Das NEINhorn, Authors: Marc-Uwe Kling, Marcus Sauermann), Producer: Nicole Kellerhals, Production: X Filme Creative Pool

A Special Mention goes to

Die Olchis – Dino-Alarm! (The Ogglies – Rexy Alarm!), Author: Toby Genkel, Producer: Sunna Isenberg, Production: Gisela Schäfer, gretels gold GmbH

We are delighted that gretels gold – one of our CREATORS – is among the honored!

The prize for the German screenplay with the greatest international market potential in the amount of € 1,500 sponsored by Pink Parrot Media goes to:

Out of Frame, Authors: Keiron Self, Giles New, Producers: Emely Christians, Sonja Matthes, Production: Ulysses Film Production

The jury consisted of: Peter Keydel (Producer, Mago Production, Barcelona/Düsseldorf), Nicole Kellerhals (Producer, Dramaturge, Berlin), Marco Kreuzer (Dramaturge/Script Consultant, member of the board of VeDRA – Verband für Film- und Fernsehdramaturgie e.V.), Tania Pinto de Cunha (Vice-President, Partner, Head of International Sales & Acquisitions, Pink Parrot Media, Madrid), Holger Weiss (CEO & Founder, Executive Producer, M.A.R.K. 13 Group, Stuttgart) und Silke Wilfinger (Founder & Owner, SILKWAYFILMS, Munich).

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 Black Goblin, Ana Betancourt (CEO), United Kingdom, a Special Mention to Zeuniks, David Aguirre Hoffmann (Art Director & Illustrator), Germany.

Furthermore, the ASIFA Prize was awarded to the Czech director and animator Michaela Pavlátová.

We congratulate all the winners!