FAQ

The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film is organised by Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH. We act on behalf of the shareholders City of Stuttgart, Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart, and the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg (for the state of Baden-Württemberg). A total of around 20 employees work on the festival together with many other service providers, supporters and volunteers.

Every year in spring, the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film shows current animated short and feature-length films from all over the world for a week. The films are shown in several competitions and are honoured with awards. A special characteristic about a film festival is that you can not only watch films, but also get to know the filmmakers.

In the Special Programme, we also show films by individual artists and on specific topics. Every year there is a focus, which means you can get to know the animation scene of a country, e.g. Ireland, South Africa or Switzerland. In addition to the films, there is also an extensive range of workshops and hands-on programmes for families and children.

There is also animation in the GameZone: here you can play games that have been nominated for the Animated Games Award Germany. And at the Open Air Schlossplatz, you can enjoy a free film programmes or get active at the various stations.

No! Animated films can make things visible where live-action film reaches its limits. Animators, directors, sound technicians, etc. give free rein to their creativity and create new worlds using a wide variety of techniques. Animation is not only shown in cinemas, but is also used in television and advertising as well as in video games, design, architecture and science.

Yes! As a filmmaker or professional by submitting your film, game, screenplay or project. But you can also help out during the festival week: We are always looking for volunteers to support us – be it in the cinemas or at the Open Air Schlossplatz. Just check the website regularly or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date.

The ITFS screens short films (from a few minutes until half an hour), which are shown together within one screening, and feature-length films (60 minutes or longer). As the films are made by filmmakers from all over the world, they often have original language and English subtitles.

The focus of the ITFS is on artistic animated film. Which means that the films are often challenging – both in terms of subject and style. Particularly in the competitions, the films deal with social or political issues, refer to current events or deal with personal stories. But there are also humorous and entertaining films.

The styles and techniques are just as varied: stop-motion with handmade puppets, drawing and painting, 3D animation, artificial intelligence – there are no limits to the artists’ ingenuity when it comes to animation.

Of course! They are among our most important guests. Filmmakers are present at the screenings of the films in the competition and talk about their approach in a moderated Q&A. There is also a follow-up discussion to each competition programme, the Filmmakers’ Talks in the Festival Centre. International directors, producers and animators are also present at other events such as premieres and provide insights into their work.

In the calendar, you will find all events organised by the ITFS – both during the festival week and events throughout the year, such as the Animation Special, the Animation Tour and the Animation Lounge.

We will publish the festival programme gradually from around the end of February. As soon as the first events are online, you can click on a button to jump directly to the festival period and view the festival dates.

Calendar functions

• Search: You can search for specific dates and events (but not for individual films).
• Timetable: Instead of a chronological view, you can also view the dates in a planner and compare events at the same time period in different locations.
• Favourites: Want to save individual events? Then you can mark them with a heart. Use the heart slider at the top of the calendar to view all your favourites in a list. You can also share this list with friends and family using the ‘Share favourites’ function at the bottom left – clicking on the button copies a URL to the clipboard, which you can then forward.
• Filters: Here you can filter events by target group, format, price, location and much more.
• Events and films: When you click on an event, you will see an overview with all the important information about the event and you can also see which short films will be shown. When you expand this you can see more information about each individual film.

Accredited industry guests will have access to the Animated Video Market and can watch the films in competition for up to three months after the festival. Visitors with a Festival Pass or single tickets can only watch the films at the cinema.

Every year, each competition has its own jury consisting of international professionals. They watch the films in the cinema during the festival week and evaluate them.

Every year in September, the Call for Entries is launched: filmmakers from all over the world are invited to submit their films. A pre-selection jury watches all the films, selects for the competitions and compiles the film programmes.

The cinema screenings for the ITFS International Competition, the ITFS Student Competition and the ITFS Trickstar Nature Award are only accessible from the age of 18. The feature-length films in the ITFS AniMovie Competition each have their own age rating. The films in the ITFS Tricks for Kids Competition have different age ratings.

The Open Air Stuttgart’s Schlossplatz offers animation for everyone!

Film screenings:
During the festival week, from Wednesday to Sunday free short and feature-length films will be shown on the large LED screen.

Special atmosphere:
Make yourself comfortable in front of the screen and enjoy the moderated programme.

Activity Area:
Around the Schlossplatz you will find partner and activity offers with catering and interactive workshops to join.

We recommend bringing a seating pad with you, so you can make yourself comfortable wherever you go.

Yes, because we want everyone to get a taste of the festival atmosphere. We bring the ITFS to the city centre and screen great animated films for everyone outside the cinemas.

The films will be screened in all weathers. As we all know, there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. So wrap up warm – and waterproof – and make yourself comfortable in front of the LED screen. You won’t be alone there, we promise!

If you’ve got any questions about the festival and the programme, you can contact our information points on Schlossplatz and in the Gloria Passage at any time.

Any child between the ages of ten and twelve can apply for the ITFS Kids’ Jury and – like the big juries – award a prize.

The filmmakers will be present at the cinema screenings. Here you have the opportunity to ask them everything about a film production.

If you would like to make your own animated film, you can try it out in our animation, games and sound workshops. They take place at the weekend during the festival week on various topics. Pre-registration is required.

But there are also various free hands-on activities at the Open Air Schlossplatz – from Wednesday to Sunday during the festival week. The ITFS Family Day also takes place on Sunday with great films and activities.

The films submitted to the ITFS Tricks for Kids Competition are viewed by a pre-selection jury and compiled for the cinema programme. The jury is made up of filmmakers and media educators. They make sure that the programmes are suitable for a specific age group.

Yes – foreign-language films are translated live into German in the cinema. The Q&A session with the filmmakers will be translated by the moderators.

A parent or guardian is welcome to accompany the child to the cinema. The film programme is also fun for adults! The animation film workshops with fixed times and pre-registration are exclusively for children.