The festival wrapped its 33rd edition with a May 9 ceremony honoring winners of the main competition, with Kiana Naghshineh taking home the festival’s big awards.
The 33rd Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film came to an end after six days full of highlights from the world of animation. The festival, which ran May 5-10, handed out 11 awards to films in competition from a juried pool of 208 shorts and 6 features selected from 2,000 submissions.
According to ITFS managing director of Film Heike Mozer, “This year, we wanted to place a particular focus on participatory activities for children and families because it is important to us to make the potential of animated film visible to younger audiences. We were especially delighted that the programs for nursery and school groups were fully booked. Alongside the very well attended screenings and the fantastic atmosphere at the Open Air, what will stay with us above all are the encounters with filmmakers, who often set the course for their careers at ITFS, and who shared their inspiring perspectives on the world with us through films and conversations,”
This year’s competition categories and winners are as follows:
ITFS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Jury: Hisko Hulsing, Melanie Beisswenger, Vera Neubauer
Grand Prix
Animation Award of the State of Baden-Württemberg and the City of Stuttgart in the amount of 10,000 euros. The winning film qualifies for the Academy Awards.
WITH TAPES AND TOASTS IN THE CAR (IM AUTO TAPES UND BUTTERBROT)
Director: Kiana Naghshineh - Germany, France 2025
Production: Laïdak Films, ManicMonday
Producers: Antoine Liétout, Henrik von Müller, Ivan Zuber, Kiana Naghshineh
World Sales: Miyu Distribution
Special Mention:
AMARELO BANANA
Director: Alexandre Sousa - Portugal, Hungary 2025
Production: AIM Creative Studios
Co-production: CUB Animation
Producers: Jonas César, Tiago Ribeiro
World Sales: AGÊNCIA – Portuguese Short Film Agency
Special Mention:
ZWERMEN
Directors: Janneke Swinkels, Tim Frijsinger - Netherlands, Belgium 2025
Production: Murmur Animation
Producers: Janneke Swinkels, Tim Frijsinger
World Sales: Miyu Distribution
Audience Award
Award for the Best Animated Film voted by the Audience in the amount of 6,000 euros, sponsored by SWR.
WITH TAPES AND TOASTS IN THE CAR (IM AUTO TAPES UND BUTTERBROT)
Director: Kiana Naghshineh - Germany, France 2025
Production: Laïdak Films, ManicMonday
Producers: Antoine Liétout, Henrik von Müller, Ivan Zuber, Kiana Naghshineh
World Sales: Miyu Distribution
ITFS STUDENT COMPETITION
Jury: Anastasia Dimitra, Mihai Mitrica, Ülo Pikkov
Student Award
Award for the Best Animated Student Film in the amount of 4,000 euros, sponsored by LFK Baden-Württemberg and MFG Baden-Württemberg, MFG Film Funding.
OUR WALLS (NAŠE ZDI)
Director: Živa Divjak - Czech Republic 2025
Production: FAMU – Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts
Producer: David Horák
World Sales: FAMU – Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts
Special Mention:
GENTLY (KŘEHCE)
Director: Jamaica Kindlová - Czech Republic 2026
Production: BATCH Film s.r.o., FAMU – Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts
Producer: Tereza Havlová
World Sales: Cineöla s.r.o.
Lotte Reiniger Promotion Award
Award for the Best Animated Graduation Film in the amount of 10,000 euros, sponsored by MFG Film Funding Baden-Württemberg.
ANTONIO
Directors: Daniela Zottola, Elisa Fanais - Italy 2025
Production: Centro Sperimentale di Cinematograöa Piemonte, Department of Animation (National Film School)
Producer: Chiara Magri
World Sales: Centro Sperimentale di Cinematograöa Piemonte, Department of Animation (National Film School)
Special Mention:
SENSUAL
Director: Tanja Nuijten - Germany 2026
Production: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH
Producer: Avina Graefe
World Sales: Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH
ITFS TRICKSTAR NATURE AWARD
Jury: Hisko Hulsing, Melanie Beisswenger, Vera Neubauer
Trickstar Nature Award
Award for the Best Animated Short Film on Nature and the Environment in the amount of 7,500 euros, sponsored by Verband Region Stuttgart
BANANA SOUP (LABOUYI BANNANN)
Director: Geena Gasser - Switzerland 2025
Production: Schattenkabinett GmbH
Producer: Gerd Gockell
World Sales: Schattenkabinett GmbH
ITFS ANIMOVIE COMPETITION
Jury: Voline Ogutu, Tigran Arakelyan, Tomer Eshed
AniMovie Award
Award for the Best Animated Feature Film in the amount of 2,000 euros, sponsored by ITFS Booster Club.
A STORY ABOUT FIRE (RAN BI WA)
Director: Li Wenyu - China 2025
Production: Shanghai Animation Film Studio
Producers: Su Donghai, Chen Bo, Wang Aiyi
World Sales: Parallax International Sales
Special Mention:
LITTLE AMÉLIE OR THE CHARACTER OF RAIN (AMÉLIE ET LA MÉTAPHYSIQUE DES TUBES)
Directors: Maïlys Vallade, Liane-Cho Han - France 2025
Production: Maybe Movies, KKI Films
Producer: Mireille Sarrazin
World Sales: Goodfellas
Special Mention:
ALLAH IS NOT OBLIGED (ALLAH N'EST PAS OBLIGÉ)
Director: Zaven Najjar - Canada, France, Luxembourg, Belgium 2025
Production: Creative Touch Studios
Producers: Anne-Laure Guéguan, Géraldine Sprimont, Adrien Chef, Annemie Degryse, Daniela Mujica, Paul Thiltges, Sébastien Onomo
World Sales: MK2 Films
ITFS TRICKS FOR KIDS COMPETITION
Tricks for Kids Award
Award for the Best Animated Short Film for Children in the amount of 4,000 euros, sponsored by L-Bank, Staatsbank für Baden-Württemberg.
THE NAUGHTY SEAT
Director: David Johnson - United Kingdom 2025
Producer: David Johnson
World Sales: Famous Flying Films
Special Mention:
BALDIES – WHAT ABOUT MY HAIR? (PLEŠOUNI - KDE JSOU MOJE VLASY?)
Director: Eliska Soffer Podzimek
Screenplay: Steen Agro
Producer: Jindrich Trcka
World Sales: Cineöla s.r.o.
Animated Games Award Germany
Jury: Freyja Melhorn, Vanessa Zeuch, Ilja Burzev
Award for the Best German Animated Computer Game in the amount of 5,000 euros, sponsored by Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg, MFG Games BW Förderung.
CONSTANCE
Developer: Robert May
Production: Blue Backpack GmbH
Publisher: ByteRockers’ Games GmbH & Co. KG
Special Mention:
THE DARKEST FILES
Developer: Jörg Friedrich
Production: Paintbucket Games UG
Publisher: Paintbucket Games UG
German Animation Screenplay Award
Jury: Matthias Drescher, Sophia Bierend, Solveig Langeland, Jørn Precht, Silke Wilönger
Award for the Best German Screenplay for an Animated Feature Film in the amount of 2,500 euros, sponsored by Animation Media Creators Region Stuttgart (AMCRS).
EMMI & EINSCHWEIN – EINHORN KANN JEDER! (EMMI & UNIPIG – ANYONE CAN BE A UNICORN!)
Author: Anna Böhm
Production: Carte blanche Media
Producer: Stephan Wagner
Special Mention:
PETRONELLA APFELMUS – DER FILM (PETRONELLA APPLEWITCH)
Authors: Claudio Winter, Seraina Nyikos
Production: Akkord Film Produktion
Producer: Dirk Beinhold, Valentin Greulich
German Animation Screenplay Award
Jury: Matthias Drescher, Sophia Bierend, Solveig Langeland, Jørn Precht, Silke Wilönger
Award for the German Screenplay with the Biggest International Market Potential in the amount of 2,500 euros, sponsored by Sola Media GmbH.
DREAMERS – THE HUNT FOR SHADOWCLAW
Authors: Jörg Ihle, Dominik Hochwald, Christopher Jenkins, Robert Moreland, Alison James
Production: parapictures ölmproductions
Producers: Ulrich Schwarz, Ivy Stein
Special Mention:
TRÜFFEL
Author: Sonja Knyssok
Trickstar Business Award
Jury: Jan Hameeuw, Viola Gabrielli, Jens Gutøeisch, Uli Seis, Gabriele M. Walther
Award for the Best Innovative and Groundbreaking Business Model for a Project or a Company in the Field of Animation in the amount of 7,500 euros, sponsored by Verband Region Stuttgart.
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CEO: Guy van der Walt
Source: ITFS
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
