Here you will find interesting talks, panels and webinars that are freely accessible throughout the Festival week. In addition to our established filmmaker talks with artists in the short-film competitions International Competition and Young Animation, there is exciting content to be found as well as formats from the entire spectrum of the animation industry.
HOSTED BY: Anna Henckel-Donnersmarck (Curator, Head of Berlinale Shorts)
Filmmaker Talks: International Competition
Wednesday, May 5 through Sunday, May 9, 5:30 – 6:30 pm daily
The online edition of the ITFS will also feature the popular filmmaker talks. The talks with the filmmakers whose works are represented in the International Competition will take place live via Zoom every day at 5:30 pm: On each day, the directors whose films had their ITFS premiere on ONLINE+ on the same day will answer questions from host Anna Henckel-Donnersmarck and the audience.
HOSTED BY: Franka Sachse (Artistic Staff, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar)
Filmmaker Talks: Young Animation
Thursday, May 6 through Sunday, May 9, 4 – 5 pm daily
The online edition of the ITFS will also feature the popular filmmaker talks. The talks with the up-and-coming filmmakers whose works are represented in the Young Animation competition will take place live via Zoom every day at 4 pm: On each day, the directors whose films had their ITFS premiere on ONLINE+ on the same day will answer questions from host Franka Sachse and the audience.
HOSTED BY: Stefanie Larson (Animation Media Cluster Region Stuttgart, AMCRS)
SPEAKERS: Michael Bohnenstingl, Yi Luo, Matisse Gonzales
Panel: No More Baby Steps
Sunday, May 9, 1:30 pm
Stefanie Larson talks with three young animation artists what it feels like leaving the cocoon and facing how the real world might hit back.
In cooperation with:
HOSTED BY: Andreas Vogel (DJ, Kulturvermittler, Filmfan)
SPEAKERS: Regina Welker (Woodblock), Dominique Schuchmann (THE M.A.R.K.13 – GROUP), Maximilian Schmierer (b.ReX)
Workshop Talk
Saturday, May 8, 1 pm
How did the animation and VFX industry fare in the crisis year of 2020? The year 2020 will go down in history as the year of the coronavirus – and has also left its mark on the animation and VFX industry. Therefore, we would like to talk with various professionals from the Stuttgart region about how they have fared so far. How has the crisis affected the VFX and animation industry – which is actually independent of filming with many people? What difficulties have the companies involved had to deal with? Have new opportunities opened up? And what are the prospects for the industry during and after the pandemic? The talk will be streamed live free of charge.
In cooperation with:
SPEAKERS: Thomas Wagner (Managing Partner, VR Coaster GmbH & Co KG), Marcus Ernst (Creative Project Manager at Europa-Park)
Virtuelle Welten – YULLBE und die Zukunft von VR
Mittwoch, 5. Mai. 16:00 Uhr
In their presentation, Thomas Wagner and Marcus Ernst talk about immersive storytelling using the example of the location-based VR attraction YULLBE and report on the development process of this new form of entertainment. They also take a look at the future of virtual reality, not only in the field of free roaming attractions, but also in other application areas.
SPEAKER: Mia Oberländer (Awardee Comicbuchpreis der Berthold Leibinger Stiftung 2021)
ANNA – The very slow Cartoon Movie or: a Comic Book Reading
Thursday, May 6, 10 am
Anna 2 is in trouble: She is too tall. Everyone in Bad Hohenheim knows: mountains are supposed to be tall, but not women. Anna 1 (the mother) must restore her reputation. Things should be better for Anna 3 (the daughter). In the grey area between a visit to the cinema and a literature lecture, the comic reading is awaiting adequate attention. Although it cannot boast a frame rate of 12 or even 24 frames per second, with 3 seconds per frame it offers enough time to view the individual illustrations – set to live dialogues by the illustrator herself and with selected sound effects. Mia Oberländer will read from her graphic essay “Anna“, for which she was awarded the Comicbuchpreis of the Berthold Leibinger Stiftung 2021. The story is about three women with the same first name, about being different and about a recurring problem. At ITFS, the artist will also show how many a comic page becomes an animation all by itself.
In German Language
In cooperation with:
HOSTED BY: Lilian Klages (CEO & Executive Producer, Dreamin’Dolphin Film)
SPEAKERS: Reza Memari & Maite Woköck (CEOs, Telescope Animation)
Creating Outstanding Stories – The Last Whale Singer
Monday, May 3, 3 pm
“The Last Whale Singer” is an animated feature film project by Telescope Animation Studios that tells the epic story of a teenage humpback whale who must face his fears and summon a mystical song to save the oceans from destruction by a monstrous creature. The film is due to release in 2024. In the webinar Reza Memari (Director and Writer) and Maite Woköck (Producer) the CEOs of Telescope Animation Studios will share their insights and findings on the development and financing of this ambitious project, which in addition to the feature film also includes a TV series and a game. With Telescope Animation Studios they are committed to diversity and inclusivity in their projects, as well as in the workforce, green production workflows, humane working conditions and integrated remote work capabilities and will show which strategies they use to implement these principles in the development and production process of their project.
In cooperation with:
HOSTED BY: Annegret Richter (Managing Director, AG Animationsfilm)
SPEAKERS: Maite Woköck (Telescope Animation), Eliza Plocieniak-Alvarez (Blaue Pampelmuse)
Panel: Alway Look on the Bright Side – How Lockdown Measures Accelerate Chances for Women in Animation
Wednesday, May 5, 2 pm
The pandemic has been a catalyst for digitalisation in Germany. In our panel discussion, we talk about what has changed in the animation industry in the last year, especially from a women’s perspective, and what advantages the new technological developments bring. Is it easier now to work internationally or is the regional workforce becoming more important after all? And what opportunities does remote work offer also for diversity in teams? The podium will be conducted in English. The panel will take place on Zoom and access is free of charge.
A Panel in cooperation with the womens initiative of AG Animationsfilm.
SPEAKERS: Andrea Eberhart, Daniel Stolz (SWR X LAB)
SWR X LAB – The New Innovation Lab of SWR
Freitag, 7. Mai, 10:00 Uhr
SWR X Lab is the new innovation lab of Südwestrundfunk and develops digital and innovative formats, products and services together with editorial teams. SWR wants to reach new users in the digital world, which is helped by the user-centred methods applied in the X Lab. Current projects such as a “Tatort” gaming app are presented at ITFS along with the digital Festival experience.
Presentation in German Language
HOSTED BY: Bernard Payen (Head of Programming at the Cinémathèque Française)
SPEAKERS: Marie Jacotey & Lola Halifa Legrand (Filles bleues, peur blanche), Delphine Priet-Maheo (Colocataires), Sophie Racine (Rivages), Agnès Patron (L’Heure de l’ours), Chloé Mazlo (Asmahan la diva), Julie Caty (Normal), Justine Vuylsteker (Étreintes), Lucrèce Andreae (Pépé le morse), Regina Pessoa (Oncle Thomas – La Comptabilité des jours), Caroline Cherrier (Horacio)
Panel: Voices of French Animation
Friday, May 7, 3 pm
Eleven talented women filmmakers will tell about their imaginary world through the prism of animation. How do they put the technique and their artistic intentions at the service of storytelling? Are festival selections a driving force for the future and what projects are they invested in?
Discussion available in French and English
In cooperation with:
HOSTED BY: Katharina Vogt (Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH)
SPEAKERS: Fabian Driehorst (Producer, Fabian&Fred), Nicolas Fattouh (Regisseur)
Film Talk: How my Grandmother Became a Chair
Sunday, May 9, 12 noon
“How my Grandmother became a Chair” took the first big step from concept to project at ITFS 2017, where director Nicolas Fattouh and producer Fabian Driehorst met at the Arab Animation Forum, a joint event of the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film. After winning the Arab Animation Forum Pitching Award in 2017, the project went on to win the Film Prize for International Cooperation of the Robert Bosch Stiftung in 2018. Back with the completed film, at ITFS Filmtalk Nicolas Fattouh and Fabian Driehorst speak about how they accompanied Nicolas’ grandmother during her transformation into a chair together and about the stumbling blocks, opportunities and enriching experiences of an Arab-German co-production.