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Animation Production Days 2026: Call for Projects

Animation Production Days (APD) is the most important co-production and financing market for animation in Germany. It brings together co-production, financing and distribution partners for animation projects in efficient one-to-one meetings and offers focused debates and lectures on current challenges of the industry in a conference. APD is organized by Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH, is a Joint Venture of Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) and FMX – Film & Media Exchange, and takes place from May 5 to 7, 2026, in Stuttgart.

APD 2025 Co-Production Market, Photo: Reiner Pfisterer
APD 2025 Talent Pitch, Photo: Reiner Pfisterer

APD is open to:

(European) Producers with a new animation project looking for partners (Registration/Submission Deadline: February 4, 2026, Early Bird Deadline: January 15, 2026) –> Producer Accreditation

Emerging European talents (up to 35 years old) with a project of their own (Registration/Submission Deadline: February 4, 2026) –> Talent Accreditation

Studios and companies looking to co-produce or offer services (Registration/Submission Deadline: February 26, 2026) –> Co-Producer Accreditation | Co-Producer Accreditation (online)

Broadcasters, streamers, distributors, investors and sales agents interested in fresh content, and film and media funding institutions (Registration/Submission Deadline: February 4, 2026, Early Bird Deadline: January 15, 2026) –> Investor Accreditation

APD 2025 Best of Trailer

Calls for Entries ITFS 2026 – German Animation Screenplay Award, Animated Games Award and Trickstar Business Award

The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) 2026 will take place from May 5 to 10, 2026. It focuses on artistic animated films and the promotion of young talent. In addition to the feature film competition (submission deadline January 15, 2026), additional categories are now open for submissions: the German Animation Screenplay Award, the Animated Games Award Germany, and the Trickstar Business Award.

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, 2026 | Regulations | Submit here

The two awards will be presented on May 7, 2026, as part of the AniX Awards.

Stefanie Larson with Peter Keydel, Producer of the Best Screenplay at ITFS 2025, “Miss December and the Moon Clan”
Jens Opatz (Authors) and Matthias Drescher (Author, Producer): Winner Screenplay with the Greatest International Market Potential ITFS 2025, “Nessie Junior“

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, 2025. The top five games will be nominated for the GameZone and showcased to the public during the event.
Submission Deadline: February 15, 2026 |  Regulations | Submit here

The Trickstar Business Award honours the best innovative and groundbreaking business model for a particular project or a company in the field of animation. The prize of €7,500 is sponsored by the Verband Region Stuttgart and will be awarded on May 7, 2026, as part of the AniX Awards.

Submission Deadline: February 25, 2026 | Regulations | Submit here

Winner Animated Games Award ITFS 2025: Slow Bros. GmbH with “Harold Halibut“
Winners AniX Award ITFS 2025, all photos: 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. The next ITFS will be held from May 5 to 10, 2026.

They are currently offering several job opportunities:

Trainee in Sponsorship & Marketing (m/f/d)
Starting January 7, 2026, full time (40 hours/week)
Application with résumé by November 30, 2025, via email to bewerbung@festival-gmbh.de – Job Posting (German)

Guest Management / Hosting Staff (m/f/d)
Starting Dezember 1, 2025, part time (60 %, 24 hours/week)
Application with résumé, cover letter, and information on salary expectations and start date by November 30, 2025, via email to bewerbung@festival-gmbh.de– Job Posting (German)

All job offers at ITFS

Team ITFS 2025, Photo: Max Kullmann

Call for Entries ITFS 2026 – Submit your Films now!

Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS), one of Europe’s leading animation festivals, is now open for submissions for its 2026 edition, taking place from May 5 to 10, 2026, in Stuttgart, Germany.

ITFS 2026 Key Visual

Filmmakers and studios worldwide are invited to submit their works for the festival’s competitions. The Grand Prix, awarded in the International Competition, qualifies the winning film for the Academy Awards® longlist. In total, prize money of more than € 50,000 will be awarded across five competition categories.

Competitions & Deadlines:

Short Film Competitions (Deadline: November 15, 2025):

  • International Competition – animated shorts from around the world
  • Student Competition – animated shorts by students
  • Tricks for Kids – animated shorts and series for children
  • Trickstar Nature Award – animated shorts on nature and the environment

Feature Film Competition AniMovie (Deadline: January 15, 2026): Animated feature films (60 minutes or longer)

Submission Process: Film submissions are accepted via the online platform Shortfilmdepot. Regulations and forms are available on the ITFS website: https://itfs.de/en/participate/submit/

Project submissions will open in November 2025 via the festival website.

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. The next ITFS will be held from May 5 to 10, 2026.

They are currently offering several job opportunities:

Head of Communication and Marketing (f/m/d) (Leitung Kommunikation und Marketing (m/w/d)), starting no later than November 1, 2025, part-time (75–80%), initially limited to 2 years – Job Posting (German)

Trainee for Print Logistics & Program Organization (f/m/d) (Volontär Kopienlogistik & Programmorganisation (m/w/d)), starting October 1, 2025, initially limited to 2 years – Job Posting (German)

Working Student in IT & Application Support (f/m/d) (Werkstudent IT- & Anwendungsbetreuer (m/w/d)) – Job Posting (German)

Please submit your application by August 31, 2025, via email to bewerbung@festival-gmbh.de

All job offers at ITFS

Team ITFS 2025, Photo: Max Kullmann