Press Release Animationsinstitut, Ludwigsburg, August 6, 2026
A second consecutive Student Academy Award for the Animationsinstitut of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (FABW): Matthias Strasser and his team have been honoured for the graduation film THE PANIC INSIDE.
This is FABW’s ninth Student Academy Award overall, making the film school the most successful one outside the USA in this competition.
Those who can’t say no easily lose themselves in self-exploitation: director and screenwriter Matthias Strasser strikes a chord with his animated short film THE PANIC INSIDE, and has impressed the judges of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: The film will receive one of the three 2026 Student Academy Awards in the Animation category at the 53rd Student Academy Awards ceremony.
“We are very proud that this deeply personal story, that we got to create with such a dedicated, talented team, reached so many people through the Awards and seems to resonate with a lot of the viewers”, says Sabina Stoeckler on behalf of the whole team (Director / Screenplay / Animation: Matthias Strasser, Producer: Sabina Stöckler, Film Music: Leon Maximilian Brueckner, Sound Design: Lukas Huber, Animation Lead: Elisabeth Caesar, Melanie Schnaidt, Production Company: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH).
For the second year running, a diploma project of the Animationsinstitut at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (FABW) has been recognized with this prestigious award for emerging filmmakers. In 2025, director Tobias Eckerlin received the Gold Medal, the highest honour, for A SPARROW’S SONG. This year’s Gold, Silver and Bronze medal winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on September 14, 2026, taking place for the first time at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Dr. Jan Pinkava, Director of Animationsinstitut: “Wow! Again? To receive an Academy Award is always a great honour, and a testament to the talent and dedication of our students and staff at Filmakademie’s Animationsinstitut. Congratulations to director Matthias Strasser, producer Sabina Stöckler, and the whole team! We’re proud of you. This award puts a spotlight on Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg as the leading Animation voice of Germany’s film schools and among the best in the world. Let’s not get cocky.”
In THE PANIC INSIDE, Matthias Strasser tells the story of Jacob, a chronic people-pleaser, who breaks down under the pressure of constant expectations and finds himself in a surreal liminal world. There, he is forced to confront his own needs. By combining 2D and 3D animation with live-action elements, this visually outstanding film explores themes of self-care, setting boundaries and personal freedom.
Prof. Dr. Andreas Bareiss, Managing Director of FABW: “This ninth Student Academy Award confirms the creative excellence of our students. It demonstrates the importance of a practice-oriented education that encourages young people to develop their own cinematic style, tell their own stories and flourish as independent artistic personalities. On behalf of the entire Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to the award winners. Through their success, they are not only outstanding ambassadors for our film school, but also for the next generation of German filmmakers on the international stage.”
The Student Academy Awards, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, are among the most prestigious awards for student film productions worldwide. Nearly 3,000 productions were submitted for the 2026 edition. Among the finalists in the ‘Animation’ category were two productions from FABW´s Animationsinstitut: THE PANIC INSIDE and SEND NUDES by David Sick.
