ITFS brings Industry and Audiences together
Animation at the Heart of Stuttgart
Animation is diverse and socially relevant. This is demonstrated by the 33rd Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS), taking place from 5 to 10 May 2026 with around 150 events across Stuttgart’s city centre. Alongside competition films from around the world, this year’s festival focuses on animated films for families, children and young people. The highlights were presented yesterday at the press conference.
From artistic short films and games to workshops and feature films rarely seen outside the festival circuit, the 2026 programme promises animation for all age groups and tastes. At ITFS, the animation industry meets a regional audience: around 150 filmmakers from across the globe will present their works in the cinemas. This offers a unique opportunity to engage with them directly and gain insight into the process of animation filmmaking.
“The festival is, and will remain, a platform for artistic voices and social discourse. This also includes the free Open Air screenings as a key component. Here, we offer a low-threshold point of access to encounter art, culture and animation film – right on Königstraße,” says Annegret Richter, Artistic Director of Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH.
The five film competitions remain the heart of the festival, showcasing some of the world’s best current animated shorts and features. From around 2,000 submissions, the selection committees have curated 104 short films. As ever, the works in the International Competition are personal, thought-provoking and multi-layered, exploring decisions and turning points, memory and the present, and extraordinary encounters. The AniMovie competition includes the Oscar-nominated LITTLE AMÉLIE OR THE CHARACTER OF RAIN (directed by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han). A particular highlight this year: the feature films in competition are primarily aimed at adult audiences – and deserve the big screen platform they rarely receive.
Animation for adults can do anything, dares everything and pushes boundaries. Accordingly, ITFS also presents dedicated programmes for young adult audiences, including a preview of RICK AND MORTY season nine in cooperation with Adult Swim (7 May), as well as the programme German Adult Animation Series.
Animation Classic with Live Music
One hundred years ago, the animation classic THE ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ACHMED by Lotte Reiniger premiered. Widely regarded as the oldest surviving feature-length animated film in cinema history, it will be screened on 8 May in cooperation with SWR in Stuttgart’s Innenstadtkinos. Members of the SWR Symphony Orchestra will accompany the screening live, performing the original score by Wolfgang Zeller.
In this context, ITFS will present further short film programmes, feature films and two exhibitions that trace the development of silhouette animation from its origins to the present day.
Films and Media Education for Families
Join in, think along, and get creative: under the umbrella of Young ITFS, this year’s festival offers an expanded programme for families, children, schools and daycare centres. At the Open Air on Schlossplatz, age-appropriate feature films will be screened daily from Wednesday to Sunday from 4 pm, including STITCH HEAD by Steve Hudson (9 May). The thematic focus on silhouette animation will also be made accessible to younger audiences with THE SEVENTH RAVEN by Jörg Herrmann (7 May).
The Activity Area complements the film programme with hands-on activities that encourage creativity – such as a one-and-a-half-day animation workshop (9–10 May), where children learn to adopt new perspectives. This creates space for exchange, creative participation and democratic education.
“With our films and the Activity Area at Schlossplatz, we enliven the city centre and promote culture in public space. So celebrate the full diversity of animation with us and visit the festival,” invites Heike Mozer, Managing Director of Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH.
Strengthening the Regional Cultural Scene with ITFS Connects
With the aim of fostering connections within the cultural scene, the new ITFS Connects series offers a stage for regional cultural practitioners at the Open Air from Wednesday to Saturday at 5:30 pm. For example, ComicJuju e. V. will present a comic battle as part of Europe Day on 9 May, creatively interpreting the theme “Europe in Motion”, hosted by Clarissa Corrêa da Silva (“Wissen macht Ah!”).
Speaking Minion: Pierre Coffin at ITFS
Accredited guests will gain exclusive insight into the development and dubbing of a global phenomenon: director and voice actor Pierre Coffin will introduce “Minionese”, the language of the iconic yellow characters. He will also present a first look at MINIONS & MONSTER, a production by Universal Pictures International Germany GmbH and the third part of the popular series, which will celebrate its worldwide premiere on 1 July.
Animation Production Days celebrate 20th Anniversary
ITFS is part of the Stuttgart Animated Week: together with the FMX – Film and Media Exchange conference and the Animation Production Days (APD), the three events form a week of inspiration, networking and animation. Stuttgart Animated Week will open on 4 May with a ceremonial state reception in the White Hall of Neues Schloss. The keynote will be delivered by Reza Memari, whose production THE LAST WHALE SINGER exemplifies the synergies created by the combination of film festival, market and conference. As winner of the German Animation Screenplay Award 2020, he will present the completed film at ITFS 2026 (8 May).
The Animation Production Days (APDs) will take place for the 20th time this year. As Germany’s leading co-production and financing market for animation, the event is also organised by Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH. A total of 178 participants from 27 countries are expected for this anniversary edition. Conference panels, roundtables and networking events will complement the programme, providing further opportunities for exchange on current industry topics.
Contact:
Lena Demmer
Head of Communications & Marketing
Phone: +49 (0) 170 232 46 67
E-Mail: xbzzhavxngvba@srfgviny-tzou.qr