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TALENT Meet-Up BW 2025

TALENT Meet-up BW 2025 offers young professionals the opportunity to experience the Stuttgart Animated Week 2025FMX – Film & Media Exchange (May 6-9), the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (May 6-11), and the Animation Production Days Conference (May 6) – with a free Combi Ticket. This initiative supports participants in networking, provides personalized program recommendations, and creates an optimal framework for exchange – both among attendees and within the international industry. Additionally, participants will get to know regional support programs and key contacts.

Ahead of Stuttgart Animated Week, the Studi Stage, part of the Open Stage Games BW on March 12, 2025, in Stuttgart, offers a great opportunity for initial networking and exchanges. The official kickoff of the TALENT Meet-up BW 2025 program will take place on May 5, from 14:00 to 16:30 CET in Stuttgart, bringing participants together to start the week. To wrap up the eventful days, a Get-Together on May 9, from 12:30 to 15:00 CET provides a space for sharing experiences and reflections.

Specifically for talents and start-ups from Stuttgart, Wirtschaftsförderung der Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart offers additional support: Through the FMX NEW_Comer program, they have the opportunity to secure a booth, a workshop slot, and a speaker badge at FMX 2025 (for more information, please get in touch with Hannah Schneider at hannah.schneider@stuttgart.de).

The TALENT Meet-up BW 2025 program is aimed at individuals who are at the beginning of their own startup journey, those in the midst of developing animation-based content – such as games, XR, VFX, and animation – or those from non-industry but related fields, such as students of (humanities) sciences, who want to connect with professionals from the animation, film, and games industries.

Source (MFG Baden-Württemberg) and more information | Applications are possible until February 12, 2025. The program is free of charge.

Initiated and organized by: MFG Baden-WürttembergWirtschaftsförderung Region StuttgartFilm Commission Region StuttgartWirtschaftsförderung der Stadt StuttgartAnimationsinstitut (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg) and AMCRS

GRIMME Award 2025 Nominations announced

A few days ago, the nominations for the Grimme Award 2025 were announced, and we are thrilled that AMCRS CREATORS are among the nominees!

In the Fiction category,Das Grundgesetz der Tiere” (The Constitution of Animals), created by Unterhaltungsfernsehen Ehrenfeld and our CREATORS from Studio Soi (for ZDF), has been nominated. In the Children & Youth category, the series Fritzi und Sophie – Grenzenlose Freundschaft (Fritzi and Sophie – Boundless Friendship) by Balance Film, Trickstudio Lutterbeck, and our CREATORS from Studio Film Bilder (for MDR/WDR/SWR) also earned a nomination.

Congratulations to all the teams involved! We can’t wait for the awards ceremony on March 6, 2025!

All Nominees

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.

„Fritzi und Sophie“ celebrated its World Premiere at the ITFS 2024, Image: Ralf Kukula, Matthias Bruhn, Thomas Meyer-Hermann (Balance Film, Trickstudio Lutterbeck, Studio Film Bilder)

Trailer “Das Grundgesetz der Tiere”

Helping Hands Wanted for the ITFS 2025!

The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film, which takes place this year from May 6 to 11, 2025, is looking for committed and motivated individuals who would like to support the ITFS team in various positions. Whether as a helping hand during the festival week or in a responsible position in advance – there are many opportunities to become part of the team.

During the festival week (May 6 to 11, 2025) they are particularly looking for:

  • Cinema Stage Managers (Saalregie für die Kinos)
  • Guest Assistants (Betreuer*innen für die Festivalgäste)
  • Info Point Staff (Mitarbeiter*innen für die Infopoints)
  • Social Media Coordinators (Social Media Beauftragte)
  • Helping Hands for many areas of the festival (Helfende Hände für viele Bereiche des Festivals)

They also offer positions that start in the run-up to the festival:

  • GameZone Project Manager (February 15 to May 15, 2025)
  • Hosting Staff (March 1 to May 15, 2025)

You can find all the details about the tasks, application and remuneration here (German).

ITFS 2024, Photo: Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film, Reiner Pfisterer

ITFS ANIMATION SPECIAL – The Most Precious Of Cargoes

The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film will be showing DAS KOSTBARSTE ALLER GÜTER (THE MOST PRECIOUS OF CARGOES) – before its German cinema release on March 6 as an Animation Special in January. The screening is part of the nationwide cinema initiative ’27 January – 80 Years of the Liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau” in cooperation with the Haus des Dokumentarfilms and the Haus der Geschichte Baden-Württemberg.

The film is based on the young adult book by Jean-Claude Grumberg. It is the first animated film by director and Oscar winner Michel Hazanavicius (THE ARTIST) and screened in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, among others. More information

Monday, January 27 2025, 18:45 CET
EM (Stuttgart Innenstadtkinos, Bolzstraße 4)
Tickets

As part of the cinema initiative “27 January – 80 Years of the Liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau”, numerous other events are on the program, such as the documentary film drama DIE ERMITTLUNG (2024) – a cinema adaptation of the stage drama of the same name by Peter Weiss (1965) at the Haus der Geschichte Baden-Württemberg on January 26, 2025, followed by a panel discussion. Admission is free, please register at veranstaltungen@hdgbw.de. More information

In addition, the exclusive film series Filmreihe im Bundesplatz-Kino will take place in Berlin from January 26 on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. More information

Calls for Entries ITFS – German Animation Screenplay Award and Animated Games Award Germany

The 32nd Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) will take place from May 6 to 11, 2025. It focuses on artistic animated films and the promotion of young talent. In addition to the short and feature film competitions (submission deadlines: short film competitions – November 15, 2024; feature film competition – January 15, 2024), additional categories are now open for submissions: the German Animation Screenplay Award, the Animated Games Award Germany, and the Work in Progress section.

The German Animation Screenplay Award recognises outstanding screenplays for feature-length animated films. The goal of the competition is to honor the central role of professional screenwriters in the creation of outstanding films and to encourage the development of exceptional stories for 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.

For the best screenplay award submissions are possible in German and English, for the market potential award submissions are only possible in English. Submission Deadline: February 1, 2025 | Regulations | Submit here

Winner German Animation Screenplay Award for a Feature-Length Animated Film at ITFS 2024: Das Neinhorn, Photo: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart, Reiner Pfisterer
Winner Animated Games Award Germany at ITFS 2024: Closer the Distance, Photo: Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart, Reiner Pfisterer

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.

Eligible for submission are completed games for commercially available platforms that were released after January 1, 2024. The top five games will be nominated for the GameZone and showcased to the public during the event.
Submission Deadline: February 1, 2025 | Regulations | Submit here

The Work in Progress section provides a platform for animation projects in the concept, development, or production stages. Producers and directors have the opportunity to present their current projects in film, TV, web, games, and immersive media to an international professional audience.

Each presentation lasts approximately 20 minutes and includes initial visual insights, trailers, and a follow-up Q&A session. The audience gains exclusive behind-the-scenes access and can connect directly with the creative teams behind the projects. Submission Deadline: February 15, 2025 | Submit here

Pre-Fixe with Animation Lounge with Dominique Schuchmann

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.

The next event will take place on December 9, 18:00 CET. In his presentation “‘Minus Drei & Die Wilde Lucy’ – Eine 9-jährige Zeitreise zur eigenen IP (Dinomite & Lucy – A 9-year journey through time to our own IP), Dominique Schuchmann (M.A.R.K.13™) will talk about the production of the animation and children’s series “Minus Drei & Die Wilde Lucy” (Dinomite & Lucy).

Dominique Schuchmann | © Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH
Dinomite & Lucy

Dominique Schuchmann has been the owner and executive producer of our CREATORS at The M.A.R.K.13™ – Group in Stuttgart since 2004. He is also a member of the ADC (Art Directors Club Germany), the VES (Visual Effects Society), the Deutschen Werbefilmakademie  and the Deutschen Produzentenallianz as well as Chairman of the IHK Film- und Medienausschuss in Baden-Württemberg.

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

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