The ITFS
The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) is one of the largest and most important festivals for artistic animated film in Europe and worldwide and it is an Oscar-qualifying film festival. Founded in 1982, the ITFS has developed into a key meeting point for the international animation community and is a fixed date in the event calendar of the Stuttgart region.
The ITFS showcases current animated short and feature-length films in the following five competition categories: ITFS International Competition, ITFS Student Competition, ITFS Tricks for Kids Competition, ITFS Trickstar Nature Award, and ITFS AniMovie Competition. In addition to the competition prizes, further industry-specific awards are presented, such as the Trickstar Business Award and two screenplay awards. The games nominated for the Animated Games Award Germany can be played in the GameZone area, alongside with other VR and gaming installations.
As part of the free open-air programme on Schlossplatz, both family-friendly and socially relevant films are screened for a broad audience, and activities are offered with a focus on families and regional visitors. The Young ITFS section features a competition with films for pre-schoolers as well as films for children up to the age of 12. The prizes in this category are awarded by a dedicated children’s jury. Additionally, media education workshops and activities on Schlossplatz, along with film and workshop programmes for school classes round off the programme.
The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film sees itself as a host for filmmakers from around the world and provides a platform for networking and exchange at the festival centre. It also actively promotes knowledge transfer through masterclasses, studio presentations, and work-in-progress sessions. The promotion of young talents is just as much a focus as the discourse on films, aesthetics, techniques, and on animation content.
Together with the industry events Animation Production Days (APD) and the specialist conference FMX – Film and Media Exchange, that take place at the same time, the ITFS forms the Stuttgart Animated Week.
The Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH acts on behalf of its shareholders: the City of Stuttgart, Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation (WRS), and the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (representing the federal state of Baden-Württemberg).
