How Is Our Programme Created?
Have you ever wondered how a festival programme comes together? We’ve broken it down for you – both as an illustrated guide and a detailed description.
Have you ever wondered how a festival programme comes together? We’ve broken it down for you – both as an illustrated guide and a detailed description.
Call for Entries (Autumn)
More than six months before the festival, we publish the call for entries on our website and elsewhere, inviting filmmakers from around the world to submit their projects. This “Call for Entries” marks the starting point for the next festival. From then on, we actively promote the festival to attract as many strong films as possible. In 2024, approximately 2,206 films from 74 countries were submitted.
Viewing the Entries (Winter)
Five juries, the “pre-selection committees,” review the submissions for the five competitions:
Additionally, the ITFS presents other awards:
More Programme Content:
The artistic and programme directors, along with partners and external curators, curate the rest of the programmes.
Important To-Dos (from the start of the year)
Selection for the Competitions (Spring)
The pre-selection committees compile films for the competitions. At ITFS 2024, 129 short films and six feature films from 34 countries were selected, representing Europe as well as Japan, Taiwan, Iran, Colombia, and Mexico.
The jurors consider which films fit thematically or aesthetically – by style or craft – and can be presented together in a programme block. In 2024, 35 films were featured in the International Competition across five programme blocks with different themes.
DURING THE FESTIVAL
During the festival week, ITFS offers a wide variety of events for all tastes:
Judging
During the festival, our juries watch and evaluate all nominated films in the five competition categories (International Competition, Student Competition, Trickstar Nature, AniMovie, Tricks for Kids). They discuss and decide who will receive the awards and whether a film deserves a special mention. Such a “Special Mention” isn’t financially rewarded but is a significant honour for the filmmakers.
The audience also gets to vote: In the International Competition and Tricks for Kids, an audience award is given.
Award Ceremony
12 golden Trickstar awards, five competitions, and a total of over €45,000 in prize money.
ITFS Animation Tour
Starting in October, the best films from the festival go on tour and are showcased in three programmes worldwide: