Young ITFS – Discover, understand and design animation

How do children and young people learn not only to consume media, but also to critically question it and use it creatively themselves?

The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film has long devoted considerable space in its programme to this highly topical issue – in an age-appropriate, high-quality and socially relevant manner. The ITFS is now bringing all these offerings together under the heading Young ITFS.

‘We bring the exciting world of animation to Stuttgart. Experiencing adventures from foreign countries in the cinema and meet the filmmakers? Or inventing your own stories and bring them to life with the guidance of animation professionals? Young ITFS opens up new perspectives for children and young people in films, games and hands-on activities – on the world and their own creativity.’ Katharina Vogt, Project Manager Young ITFS

In a world heavily influenced by images, video and digital media, high-quality and diverse media are all the more important for children and young people. And what medium is better suited for this than animation? It knows no language barriers, reaches people across age and origin boundaries, and offers a playful approach to complex topics.

The ITFS has set itself the following goals with Young ITFS:

Media education:

Children learn how animated films are made, how images work and how stories are told. This strengthens media literacy and critical thinking.

Democracy education:

Many films address topics such as cohesion, diversity, identity and justice. Sharing the experience and discussing it promotes empathy, opinion-forming and a change of perspective.

Promoting young talent:

Through early creative experiences with animation, young people discover their own means of expression and perhaps even a passion for film and art.

We are delighted when our young visitors in particular experience beautiful moments and stories at the festival that linger in their memories.