Call for Entries Launched for Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) 2027

The 34th Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS), one of Europe’s leading Oscarqualifying animation festivals, will run from 27 April to 2 May 2027 in Stuttgart, GermanyInternatio…. Submissions for competition categories will open in autumn 2026. Animators, filmart students, studios and creators worldwide are invited to submit animated short films, featurelength animations and series episodes for international theatrical screening and global industry networking.

About ITFS

Founded in 1982, ITFS is Germany’s largest animation festival, transforming Stuttgart into a vibrant hub for animation art, creativity and crosscultural exchange every springInternatio…. Its diverse programme includes cinema screenings, openair presentations at Schlossplatz, filmmaker talks, panel discussions, handson workshops and interactivegame activities. The Grand Prix winner of the International Competition automatically qualifies for the Academy Awards® longlist, with total prize money exceeding € 50 000 across competition categoriesInternatio….

ITFS forms the core of Stuttgart Animated Week, together with Animation Production Days (APD) and FMXFilm & Media Exchange. This unique oneweek combination of festival, coproduction market and industry conference draws thousands of international professionals for project pitching, prearranged oneonone meetings and cuttingedgetechnology sessionsanimationp….

Call for Entries Timeline

Competition submissions for ITFS 2027 will open in Autumn 2026. All entries must be submitted via the Shortfilmdepot online platform. Full regulations and entry forms are available at the official ITFS website: https://itfs.de/en/professionals_talents/submit/Internatio….

Based on previousedition schedules: shortfilm competitions typically close in midNovember; the AniMovie featurefilm competition closes in midJanuary of the following year. Separate deadlines apply for screenplay, gameaward and businessaward categories. Always refer to the official website for uptodate deadlines.

Main Competition Categories

1. International Competition: International animated short films up to 30 minutes. Submission fee: € 10.
2. Student Competition: Animated short films made by current students or graduates from film, art and media universities, up to 30 minutes. Submission fee: € 5.
3. Tricks for Kids Competition: Animated short films and series episodes targeting children up to 12 years old, up to 30 minutes. Submission fee: € 5.
4. Trickstar Nature Award: Animated short films addressing climate protection, biodiversity, environment and sustainability themes, up to 30 minutes. Submission fee: € 5.
5. AniMovie Competition: Animated feature films of 60 minutes or longer. Submission fee: € 10.
6. Specialindustry Awards: German Animation Screenplay Award, Animated Games Award Germany, Trickstar Business Award and more for screenplays, gameprojects and innovativebusiness modelsInternatio….

Basic entry requirements: Only finished films are accepted. NonEnglishlanguage productions must include embedded English subtitles. Completion date must comply with festivalregulations.

Event Schedule for ITFS 2027

• Main Festival: 27 April – 2 May 2027, Stuttgart, GermanyInternatio…
• Animation Production Days (APD): Parallel to ITFS for coproduction meetings and industry conferences.
• FMXFilm & Media Exchange: Conference covering animation, VFX and digitalmedia innovation.
• Public programme: Competition screenings in downtown cinemas, openair cinema at Schlossplatz, familyfriendly animation workshops, Q&A sessions and retrospective programmes.
• Postfestival highlights: “BestofITFS” touring screenings will take place in later months, showcasing awardwinning highlights from the festival edition.

Further Information

Full calendar, ecatalogue and downloadable festival guide PDF: https://itfs.de/en/programme/calendar/ Official homepage: https://itfs.de/en/home/