Animated togetherness, new contacts and cohesion, that promises our motto for the coming spring. The creativity of the international artists who have already submitted their latest films to the competitions inspires confidence. Clever thoughtfulness, empathy for difficult lives and moments of free laughter emerge when looking through the record-breaking number of submissions from 77 countries. Animation is a universal medium that does not recognize or transcend language and national boundaries.

In 30 editions, the ITFS has become one of the world’s most important festivals for animated film. It is a living showcase for animated film, an open space where professionals and audiences come together live, in the Schlossplatz and in the cinemas in the center of the state capital Stuttgart. The 30th ITFS bridges past and future. It offers tributes and retrospectives as well as the most current films in the various competition categories.

„With a bit of luck, we will create a climate of closeness and inspiration with the artists and the audience, in which everyone’s eyes will be opened to animated film and its wide range of themes, a celebration in the middle of Stuttgart that will radiate out into the wider world,“ says Uwe Schmitz-Gielsdorf, managing director of the ITFS.

Bundled competencies for a strong performance

The management team of the 30th ITFS consists of Andrea Bauer, Annegret Richter, Marlene Wagener and Uwe Schmitz-Gielsdorf. Andrea Bauer and Annegret Richter lead the programmatic work and determine the programme of the anniversary edition in collaboration with the five preselction juries. Marlene Wagener heads the Animation Production Days, the platform in Europe for financing and developing animation projects. Uwe Schmitz-Gielsdorf is responsible for organization and finances as managing director. Please see the vitas below!

 Record number of entries in the film competitions

They are the heart of the festival – the ITFS competitions: In total, more than 2,300 films and projects from 77 countries were submitted in the various cinematic competitions – more than ever before! This year, most of the submissions came from France, South Korea, China and Germany. Compared to last year, an average increase of over 10 percent was achieved.

Especially in the Trickstar Nature competition, there has been a continuous increase for years, which shows that animated films dealing with the topics of nature, environment and sustainability are booming.

The pre-selections for the Young Animation and International Competitions have already been completed. From the viewings, it was clear that gender issues, identity, diversity and social media are high on the agenda among filmmakers. Recurring themes are masquerades that reflect realities and question identities socioculturally.

The local focus of the 30th ITFS is primarily centralized in the cinemas and on the Schlossplatz.

Vitas of the ITFS Team:

Uwe Schmitz-Gielsdorf, Managing Director ITFS:

Uwe Schmitz-Gielsdorf has been entrusted with the management of the Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH for 8 months since October 1, 2022. He has worked as a lawyer in Cologne, as a director and dramaturge in Düsseldorf, Amsterdam and in Italy, and as a theater, concert and festival manager in Munich, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Bochum and Linz on the Danube. In Baden-Württemberg, he previously worked for the Schlossfestspiele Ludwigsburg and the Kunstmuseum Stuttgart. He was born in Cologne and has two daughters.

What you may not have known about Uwe Schmitz-Gielsdorf: Uwe Schmitz-Gielsdorf is studying Perimortal Sciences at the Catholic Faculty of the University of Regensburg and will in the future devote himself to people in death, mourning and dying.

Andrea Bauer, Head of Programme ITFS:

Andrea Bauer has been with the FMF since January 2001: Initially she was responsible for programme realization, later for the programme design. Since 2015, she has headed the programme department. In the course of her work as well as various festival and jury participations, she developed a comprehensive expertise in the field of animated film and has a very good network within the national and international industry. Previously, she worked as a freelance translator and editor and as an assistant festival director, programme and guest coordinator of the French Film Festival Tübingen and the Mediterranean Film Festival Tübingen (1995-2000). Andrea Bauer studied Romance Philology and Art History (M.A.) at the Eberhard Karls University in Tübingen and Lettres Modernes at the Université Rennes 2.

What you may not have known about Andrea Bauer: She won 1st prize for the most original sandcastle on vacation in Italy at the tender age of 6.

Annegret Richter, Programme Consulting / Curation ITFS:

Already after her studies, she taught and researched animated documentaries and hybrid formats as a research assistant in the field of communication and media studies at the University of Leipzig. A short time later she took over the position of festival director at the international short film festival „Filmfest Dresden“. Afterwards, she worked as the director for the programme area animation at the International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film „DOK Leipzig“. Since 2016, she has been the executive director of AG Animationsfilm, the federal association of the German animation film industry, and works as a curator, consultant and moderator for film events and film policy talks. In July 2022, she also became Vice President for Communication at ASIFA International, the largest and oldest association of animation filmmakers. She is a member of the award committee of the Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung and the award commission animation of the Züricher Filmstiftung.

What they may not have known about Annegret Richter: Back then, she had to take the compulsory subject of practical work at school and learned sewing, welding, woodturning and many other exciting skills. Today she is still pretty good with tools and can repair almost anything.

Marlene Wagener, Head of Animation Production Days

Back in 2008, for the second edition of the Animation Production Days (APDs), Marlene Wagener joined the APDs team as project manager. Since 2019, she has been managing the event, which has long since established itself as an important co-production and financing platform in the European animation industry.  Marlene Wagener studied applied cultural sciences with a focus on media and public relations at the University of Lüneburg and subsequently worked, among others, for the communications agency muehlhausmoers in Cologne and for film production companies such as Colonia Media (Cologne) and UFA (Babelsberg).

What you may not have known about Marlene Wagener: She doesn’t stand a chance against her 108-year-old grandma at Doppelkopf (card game).

Der Beitrag First glimpses of the anniversary edition of the ITFS 2023 erschien zuerst auf ITFS - Internationales Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart.

It is with profound sadness that we bid farewell to Gil Alkabetz, The award-winning and internationally renowned Israeli animation artist passed away at the age of 64 on September 15, 2022.

With Gil Alkabetz we lose an outstanding artist, loyal friend and ally of ITFS. who accompanied us for more than two decades with his extraordinary sense of humor and warm-hearted aura. With his animations, creative ideas and unique personality, he had a significant impact on the Festival: his films “Swamp”, made in 1990 at the State Academy of Fine Arts, “Rubicon” (1997) but also “Morir de Amor” (2005), “Da Vinci Timecode” (2009) and “Beseder” (2020) enriched the ITFS competitions and programs. His very special and endearing humor was also particularly evident in his films for children, such as “Wollmond” (2009) or also “Ein sonniger Tag” (2007), which ran in the Tricks For Kids competitions of the ITFS. His involvement in the Program Advisory Board and support for animated film were outstanding. He provided consistently illustrations for the ITFS – lastly for the Trickburg-project in May 2022. We also planned a trailer production for one of the next festivals together with Gil…

Since 1995 Gil Alkabetz lived in Stuttgart, worked with Studio Film Bilder on projects for SDR, Nickelodeon and MTV. With his wife Nurit he founded his own film studio “Sweet Home Studio” in 2000. In 1998, he also helped Tom Tykwer’s “Run Lola Run”, one of the most successful German feature films of the late nineties of the last century, to achieve an international breakthrough with his design of the animation sequences.

Gil, we thank you very much for your friendly connection with the ITFS, your personal commitment and your great passion for animated film! You leave a gap at the ITFS, in the German animation scene and with us in the team. We will miss you very much!

Our deepest sympathy goes to your family and all your relatives.

Your ITFS Team & Uli

Der Beitrag Obituary of animation artist Gil Alkabetz erschien zuerst auf ITFS - Internationales Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart.

Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH organises, among other events, the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) and Raumwelten – Platform for Scenography, Architecture and Media in Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart.

In his time as Artistic Managing Director, Wegenast established the ITFS Open Air Cinema on Stuttgart’s Schlossplatz (from 2006) together with his colleague as Commercial Managing Director at the time, Dittmar Lumpp. Moreover, together with Vincent Ferri, former manager of MIFA in Annecy, he founded the Animation Production Days in 2006, which have since become the most important event for animation production in German-speaking countries and take place during ITFS.

On Wegenast’s initiative, the GameZone has been taking place as part of ITFS since 2013, exploring the intersection of computer games and animated film as well as bringing the subject of games in the classroom to the fore.

During the coronavirus crisis, ITFS was the first animation festival in the world to be held exclusively on the internet, setting new standards in the online presence of film festivals.

ITFS is one of the largest animation film festivals worldwide and one of four Oscar-qualifying festivals in Germany. It reaches an audience of up to 100,000 and receives over 2,000 (film and project) submissions per year.

Since 2012, Wegenast has also been developing the conference “Raumwelten – Platform for Scenography, Architecture and Media”, which takes place in Ludwigsburg and Stuttgart and is the leading event for spatial communication in Germany.

Dr. Walter Rogg:

“As Chairman of the Supervisory Board, I have accompanied Prof. Ulrich Wegenast in his 17 years as Managing Director and thank him and the entire team on behalf of the supervisory board and the associates for spectacular festivals of international acclaim and the creation of further significant formats.  Ulrich Wegenast has made a great contribution to the development of our location for film and media.”

Lord Mayor Dr. Matthias Knecht, Ludwigsburg:

“Prof. Ulrich Wegenast has created considerable attention in the Stuttgart region with several series of events. In Ludwigsburg, in particular, he has succeeded in making a magnificent mark with the Lichtwolke at Raumwelten. With his courageous, artistic eye and his sense for exciting development potential, he has opened up new paths in animated film, scenography and architecture. For this, the City of Ludwigsburg is very grateful to him.”

First Mayor Dr Fabian Mayer, Stuttgart:

“The ITFS Open Air Cinema on Stuttgart’s Schlossplatz is a highlight in the event calendar for many thousand people in Stuttgart and for international guests, and an important showcase for our city. We are strongly committed to film and media and thank Prof. Wegenast for his important work and support over many years; we wish him all the best in his new role.”

Ulrich Wegenast:

“I would like to thank our Supervisory Board Chairman Dr. Walter Rogg and my colleague, Commercial Managing Director Dieter Krauß, who was already given his farewell into retirement (starting in autumn) at ITFS 2022, for the good and trusting cooperation. I owe a lot to the entire FMF team and at this point would like to make special mention of my colleague Andrea Bauer, Head of Programme, who I worked with intensively for many years. My time at FMF was fascinating and successful, but also – especially during the time of the coronavirus – very challenging. The ITFS is a ‘jewel’ in the German festival scene with a high international reputation and charisma, and Raumwelten has developed into the most important event for scenography in the German-speaking regions over the last ten years.”

Ulrich Wegenast will remain with the Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH in an advisory capacity for the next few months.

Vita Prof. Ulrich Wegenast

Ulrich Wegenast, born in 1966, studied history and art history at the University of Stuttgart and completed postgraduate studies in cultural and media management at the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” Berlin. From 1987-2006 he was a founding and board member of Wand 5 e.V. (Stuttgarter Filmwinter – Festival for Expanded Media) and from 1993-2005 programme consultant at the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film and the Ludwigsburg European Short Film Biennale. Since November 2005 he has been Artistic Managing Director of Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH (Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film, Raumwelten – Platform for Scenography, Architecture and Media).

From 2005-2013 he was a member of Goethe-Institut’s programme advisory board for film, television and radio. From 2005-2015 he was head of the department of media studies and a board member at Freie Kunstakademie Nürtingen/FKBW. Since 2012 he has been an honorary professor for Expanded Animation at Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf. He has been a consultant and author for Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, Filmfest München and documenta Veranstaltungs GmbH, among others. In 2012 he received the Willi Haas Award for the best DVD edition in German-speaking regions for “Geschichte des deutschen Animationsfilms”. He is a founding member of AG Kurzfilm and AG Filmfestivals.

He has given around 250 lectures and workshops in Germany and abroad on animation, film, scenography, games, and cultural management, including at the University of Toronto, Harvard University, ARS Electronica Linz, Festival d’Animation Annecy, Bangkok Culture Center, Chicago Cultural Center, Nanyang University Singapore, Nanjing University of the Arts, KASK Gent, Goethe-Zentrum Harare.

About Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH

The non-profit company Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH (FMF) based in Stuttgart and has been successfully implementing its public mission since 2000 by organising top-class creative event formats in the Stuttgart region. Its tasks and objectives are the promotion of high-quality media content, the creative conception and professional realization of outstanding film and media events, and thus to strengthen the creative industries in the Stuttgart region.

FMF acts on behalf of the company‘ associates: the City of Stuttgart, Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (for the State of Baden-Württemberg), and the City of Ludwigsburg. Since its foundation, FMF has built up a broad portfolio of events. Their largest event is the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) which takes place at the end of April/ beginning May of each year. It is one of the world’s largest animation festivals and evolved into a crowd puller and must-go for professionals thanks to its programme, numerous (Oscar-qualifying) competitions, and its intersections with other disciplines such as games and music, art, and science.

Animation Production Days (APD) takes place in parallel with ITFS. It is the most important German co-production and financing market for animation and is organised by FMF in cooperation with the FMX Conference on Animation, Effects, Games and Immersive Media. With the special combination of film festival, specialist conference and financing market, the events have become a unique platform for the financing and development of animation projects and attract up to 6,000 professional visitors to Stuttgart every year.

The second highlight of the FMF is Raumwelten – Platform for Scenography, Architecture and Media, Germany`s leading industry event for spatial communication, which takes place annually in November in Ludwigsburg and Stuttgart. Here visitors and the general public can learn, by means of workshops, panels, and keynote lectures, how space can become an experience in a holistic way and how to create exciting connections between digital media and real space.

In addition, FMF is also co-organising the NaturVision Filmfestival, Germany’s oldest and largest film festival on nature, wildlife and the environment which takes place in Ludwigsburg.

Der Beitrag Ulrich Wegenast leaves Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH (Stuttgart Inter-national Festival of Animated Film, Raumwelten Ludwigsburg …) erschien zuerst auf ITFS - Internationales Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart.

Die Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH veranstaltet u.a. das Internationale Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart (ITFS) und Raumwelten – Plattform für Szenografie, Architektur und Medien in Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart.

Wegenast hat in seiner Zeit als künstlerischer Geschäftsführer gemeinsam mit dem damaligen Geschäftsführerkollegen Dittmar Lumpp das ITFS-Open Air Kino auf dem Stuttgarter Schlossplatz etabliert (ab 2006). Außerdem gründete er gemeinsam mit Vincent Ferri, dem ehemaligen Leiter der MIFA in Annecy, 2006 die Animation Production Days, die sich zur wichtigsten Veranstaltung für Animationsproduktion im deutschsprachigen Raum entwickelt haben und während des ITFS stattfinden.

Auf Initiative von Wegenast findet seit 2013 die GameZone im Rahmen des ITFS statt, die sich mit der Schnittstelle von Computerspielen und Trickfilm beschäftigt sowie das Thema Games im Schulunterricht in den Vordergrund rückt.

Während der Corona-Krise war das ITFS das erste Animationsfestival weltweit, das ausschließlich im Internet stattfand und damit neue Maßstäbe in der Onlinepräsenz von Filmfestivals setzte.

Das ITFS ist eines der größten Animationsfilmfestivals weltweit und eines von vier Oscar-qualifizierenden Festivals in Deutschland. Es erreicht bis zu 100.000 Zuschauer*innen und erhält über 2.000 (Film- und Projekt-)Einsendungen pro Jahr.

Außerdem entwickelte Wegenast seit 2012 die Konferenz „Raumwelten – Plattform für Szenografie, Architektur und Medien“, die in Ludwigsburg und Stuttgart stattfindet und die führende Veranstaltung für „Kommunikation im Raum“ in Deutschland ist.

Dr. Walter Rogg:

„Als Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats habe ich Prof. Ulrich Wegenast in seinen 17 Jahren als Geschäftsführer begleitet und danke ihm und dem ganzen Team im Namen des Aufsichtsrats und der Gesellschafter für international beachtete spektakuläre Festivals und die Schaffung weiterer bedeutender Formate. Ulrich Wegenast hat sich um die Entwicklung unseres Film- und Medienstandorts große Verdienste erworben.“

Oberbürgermeister Dr. Matthias Knecht, Ludwigsburg:

„Prof. Ulrich Wegenast hat in der Region Stuttgart mit mehreren Veranstaltungsreihen große Aufmerksamkeit erzielt. In Ludwigsburg ist ihm insbesondere mit der Lichtwolke im Rahmen der Raumwelten ein großartiges Zeichen gelungen. Mit seinem mutigen, künstlerischen Blick und seinem Gespür für spannende Entwicklungspotenziale hat er neue Wege erschlossen im Animationsfilm und in Szenografie und Architektur. Dafür ist ihm die Stadt Ludwigsburg sehr dankbar.“

Erster Bürgermeister Dr. Fabian Mayer, Stuttgart:

„Das ITFS Open Air Kino auf dem Stuttgarter Schlossplatz ist für viele tausend Stuttgarter und internationale Gäste ein Höhepunkt im Veranstaltungskalender und ein wichtiges Aushängeschild für unsere Stadt. Wir engagieren uns sehr im Bereich Film und Medien und danken Prof. Wegenast für seine langjährige wichtige Arbeit und Unterstützung, für seine neue Aufgabe wünschen wir ihm alles Gute.“

Ulrich Wegenast:

„Ich danke unserem Aufsichtsratsvorsitzenden Dr. Walter Rogg und meinem Geschäftsführerkollegen Dieter Krauß, der während des ITFS 2022 schon in den (ab Herbst startenden) Ruhestand verabschiedet wurde, für die gute und vertrauensvolle Zusammenarbeit. Dem gesamten Team der FMF habe ich sehr viel zu verdanken und möchte an dieser Stelle meine Mitarbeiterin Andrea Bauer, Leitung Programm, hervorheben, mit der ich über viele Jahre intensiv zusammengearbeitet habe. Meine Zeit bei der FMF war spannend und erfolgreich, aber auch – insbesondere während der Corona-Zeit – sehr herausfordernd. Das ITFS ist ein ‚Juwel‘ in der deutschen Festivallandschaft mit hoher internationaler Reputation und Ausstrahlung, und Raumwelten hat sich in den letzten zehn Jahren zur wichtigsten Veranstaltung für Szenografie im deutschsprachigen Raum entwickelt.“

Ulrich Wegenast wird der Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH in den nächsten Monaten in beratender Funktion erhalten bleiben.

Vita Prof. Ulrich Wegenast

Ulrich Wegenast, geb. 1966, hat Geschichte und Kunstgeschichte an der Universität Stuttgart studiert und ein Aufbaustudium Kultur- und Medienmanagement an der Hochschule für Musik „Hanns Eisler“ Berlin absolviert. Von 1987-2006 war er Gründungs- und Vorstandsmitglied Wand 5 e.V. (Stuttgarter Filmwinter – Festival for Expanded Media) und von 1993-2005 Programmberater beim Internationalen Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart und bei der Europäische Kurzfilmbiennale Ludwigsburg. Seit November 2005 war er künstlerischer Geschäftsführer der Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH (Int. Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart, Raumwelten – Plattform für Szenografie, Architektur und Medien).

Von 2005-2013 war er Mitglied des Programmbeirats Film, Fernsehen, Hörfunk des Goethe- Institut. Von 2005-2015 war er Studienbereichsleiter Medien und Vorstandsmitglied Freie Kunstakademie Nürtingen/FKBW. Seit 2012 ist er Honorarprofessor für „Expanded Animation“ an der Filmuniversität Babelsberg „Konrad Wolf“. Er war Berater und Autor u.a. für die Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt, das Filmfest München und die documenta Veranstaltungs GmbH. 2012 erhielt er den Willi Haas Preis für die beste DVD-Edition im deutschsprachigen Raum für „Geschichte des deutschen Animationsfilms“. Er ist Gründungsmitglied der AG Kurzfilm und der AG Filmfestival.

Er hielt ca. 250 Vorträge und Workshops im In- und Ausland zu Animation, Film, Szenografie, Games und Kulturmanagement, u.a. an der University of Toronto, Harvard University, ARS Electronica Linz, Festival d’Animation Annecy, Bangkok Culture Center, Chicago Cultural Center, Nanyang University Singapore, Nanjing University of the Arts, KASK Gent, Goethe Center Harare.

Über die Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH

Die gemeinnützige Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH (FMF) mit Sitz in Stuttgart setzt seit 01.12.2000 erfolgreich ihren öffentlichen Auftrag um und organisiert hochkarätige und kreative Veranstaltungsformate in der Region Stuttgart. Aufgaben und Ziele sind die Förderung hochwertiger Medieninhalte, die kreative Konzeption und professionelle Durchführung herausragender Film- und Medienereignisse und damit die langfristige Stärkung der Kreativregion Stuttgart.

Die FMF handelt im Auftrag der Gesellschafter Stadt Stuttgart, Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart, der Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (für das Land Baden-Württemberg) und der Stadt Ludwigsburg. Seit der Gründung hat sich die FMF ein breites Veranstaltungsportfolio erarbeitet. Die größte Veranstaltung ist das jährlich Ende April/Anfang Mai stattfindende Internationale Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart (ITFS). Seines Zeichens eines der weltweit größten Animationsfestivals, das sich durch sein reichhaltiges Programm, zahlreiche (Oscar-qualifizierende) Wettbewerbe und Schnittstellen zu anderen Disziplinen wie z. B. Games und Musik, Kunst und Wissenschaft zum Publikumsmagneten und Must-Go für Professionals entwickelt hat. Parallel zum ITFS finden die Animation Production Days (APDs), der bedeutendste deutsche Koproduktions- und Finanzierungsmarkt für Animation statt, die von der FMF in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Fachkongress „FMX – Conference on Animation, Effects, Games and Immersive Media“ organisiert werden. Durch die besondere Kombination aus Filmfestival, Fachkongress und Finanzierungsmarkt haben sich die Veranstaltungen zu einer einmaligen Plattform zur Finanzierung und Entwicklung von Animationsprojekten entwickelt und locken bis zu 6.000 Fachbesucher*innen jährlich nach Stuttgart.

Das zweite Highlight der FMF ist Raumwelten – Plattform für Szenografie, Architektur und Medien, das führende Branchenereignis für Kommunikation im Raum in Deutschland, das jährlich im November in Ludwigsburg und Stuttgart stattfindet. Hier erfahren Fachbesucher*innen und Publikum mittels Workshops, Panels und Keynotes, wie man einen Raum ganzheitlich zum Erlebnis werden lässt und spannende Verbindungen zwischen digitalen Medien und realem Raum herstellen kann.

Zudem ist die FMF Mitveranstalterin von NaturVision Filmfestival, Deutschlands ältestem und größtem Natur-, Tier- und Umweltfilmfestival in Ludwigsburg.

Der Beitrag Ulrich Wegenast verlässt die Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH (Internationales Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart, Raumwelten Ludwigsburg …) erschien zuerst auf ITFS - Internationales Trickfilm-Festival Stuttgart.