The 33rd Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film will present around 150 events, including the film competitions, outdoor screenings, workshops and games for audiences of all ages; runs May 5–10.
The 33rd Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) will take place May 5–10, 2026, presenting approximately 150 events across Stuttgart’s city center, including international competition films, feature screenings, games, and workshops aimed at audiences of all ages.
The festival will host around 150 filmmakers from across the globe, offering opportunities for direct audience engagement and insight into animation production. From roughly 2,000 submissions, selection committees have curated 104 short films for competition, with programs exploring themes such as personal decision-making, memory, and contemporary social perspectives.
"The festival is, and will remain, a platform for artistic voices and social discourse," said Annegret Richter, Artistic Director of Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH. "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," she added.
The AniMovie competition includes the Oscar-nominated Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, directed by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han, alongside feature films primarily aimed at adult audiences. Additional programming includes a preview of Rick and Morty Season 9 in collaboration with Adult Swim and the German Adult Animation Series showcase.
A centennial highlight will feature a screening of The Adventures of Prince Achmed by Lotte Reiniger, widely regarded as the oldest surviving feature-length animated film, accompanied live by members of the SWR Symphony Orchestra performing Wolfgang Zeller’s original score. The festival will also present exhibitions tracing the development of silhouette animation.
Family-focused initiatives under Young ITFS will include daily Open Air screenings at Schlossplatz, featuring films such as Stitch Head and The Seventh Raven, alongside workshops and interactive activities designed to encourage creative participation and media education for children and young audiences.
The new ITFS Connects series will provide a platform for regional cultural practitioners, including events such as a comic battle organized by ComicJuju e. V. as part of Europe Day. Industry-focused programming will also include insights from director and voice actor Pierre Coffin, who will present the language of the Minions and preview Minions & Monsters.
ITFS forms part of Stuttgart Animated Week alongside FMX – Film and Media Exchange and Animation Production Days (APD), which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026. The combined events will bring together industry professionals for panels, networking, and project development, with approximately 178 participants from 27 countries expected at APD.
The festival, founded in 1982, continues to position itself as a meeting point for international animation and regional creative industries, with an annual audience of around 70,000 visitors and recognition as an Oscar-qualifying event.
Source: ITFS
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
