ITFS opens its Competitions to animated Films worldwide

The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) is kicking off its 34th edition: filmmakers from Germany and around the world are now invited to submit their animated films. The festival will take place from 27 April to 2 May 2027 and will award prizes to films in five competition categories.

The ITFS invites international animation studios, filmmakers, artists and producers, as well as up-and-coming talents from film, art and media schools, to submit short and feature-length films to the festival. In its film competitions, Germany’s largest animation film festival every year presents a selection of the latest animation films and awards prize money totalling 60,000 euros. The ITFS is an Oscar-qualifying festival: whoever wins the Grand Prix, the top prize in the ITFS International Competition, is automatically placed on the longlist for the Academy Awards in Los Angeles.

Films can be submitted from 1 September:

Short Film Competitions
Submission Deadline: 15 November 2026

• ITFS International Competition (animated short films from around the world)
• ITFS Student Competition (animated short films by students from international film and art schools)
• ITFS Tricks for Kids Competition (animated short films and series for children)
• ITFS Trickstar Nature Award (animated short films about nature and the environment)

Feature-length Film Competition
Submission Deadline: 15 January 2027

• ITFS AniMovie Competition (from 60 minutes in length)

Films must be submitted via the Shortfilmdepot online platform. The necessary information and regulations can be found on the ITFS website (https://itfs.de/en/professionals_talents/submit/). Submissions for the ITFS project competitions will also open from November 2026.

Following a pre-selection process by a jury in autumn, the selected films will be screened several times during the festival week at cinemas in Stuttgart city centre and are accompanied by post-screening discussions with the directors and producers in attendance. The main juries – comprising renowned international industry experts – will announce the winners on Saturday evening, 1 May, during the grand awards ceremony.

Through its competitions and the awarded prizes, the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film promotes artistic animated film and supports emerging talent in the industry, whilst providing a platform for films that would otherwise rarely be seen in cinemas. Furthermore, the ITFS sees itself as an international industry hub: by inviting filmmakers, the festival brings the animation community together in Stuttgart and facilitates exchange and the development of future projects.

Contact:

Lena Demmer
Head of Communications & Marketing
Phone: +49 (0) 170 232 46 67
E-Mail: xbzzhavxngvba@srfgviny-tzou.qr

Photo: Reiner Pfisterer