ITFS and APD 2025: Stop Motion, Swiss Focus, and Exciting New Trailers
Skwigly
At the 32nd Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS), the focus is on handmade films: one of the main focuses is on stop motion as a technique. For this year’s country focus ITFS and the Animation Production Days (APD) take us to neighbouring Switzerland. And of course, the festival organisers have plenty more up their sleeves for the week from 6 to 11 May 2025. In any case, the new trailers for ITFS and the APD will whet your appetite for animation.
Artistic animated film is at the centre of the 2025 festival – with a clear focus on stop motion. Puppet animation in particular has been very popular again for years. This is also reflected in the submissions and therefore in the current competition programmes of Tricks for Kids and the International Competition. Olga Bobrowska from the StopTrik Festival (Łódź and Maribor) is putting together two programmes for the Focus on Stop Motion with a best of and historical puppet animation films.
The programme will also include recent feature films. Audiences can look forward to MEMORY HOTEL (D, 2024) by German animator Heinrich Sabl, a project 25 years in the making, as well as the stop-motion animation comedy VENGANCE MOST FOWL (UK, 2024) by the renowned British animation studio Aardman. Aardman animator and director Will Becher will attend ITFS 2025 to host a masterclass and share some behind-the-scenes insights including the new Wallace & Gromit film.
Spotlight on Switzerland
The good news is so close: our neighbouring country is in an excellent position when it comes to animation. Swiss animated film is not only very productive, but also very successful internationally. The output of this small country is enormous. Given this, the 2025 country focus turns to this neighbouring nation. In collaboration with the promotion agency SWISS FILMS, the Swiss Consulate General and the professional association of Swiss animation filmmakers GSFA (Groupement Suisse du Film d’Animation), ITFS will present programmes such as Women in Swiss Animation and Future Minds: Films by Upcoming Talents.
The Swiss focus brings fresh discoveries alongside familiar faces, including animator Elie Chapuis, who presented his film NO DOGS OR ITALIANS ALLOWED at ITFS 2024 and hosted a masterclass. In 2025, he will organise a puppet and set exhibition for the stop-motion film SAUVAGES (CH, 2024), which will be on display during the festival week in Stuttgart. The APD will also focus on Switzerland’s animation industry.
Two Trailers, Two Worlds
While last year the trailers came from one source (and therefore one world), in 2025 several teams will be responsible for the trailers. Once again, they were all produced by the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. The ITFS trailer (from KNUBBELS by Ilya Barret) is super dynamic and shows how wild animation can be. The trailer for the APD 2025, on the other hand, is more about dialogue and exchange and therefore fits in well with the co-production market where people come together. The trailer is based on the short film SONG OF A TOAD. Both trailers are available on our websites and on YouTube.
New year, new website
Speaking of websites, itfs.de underwent a full relaunch at the start of the year. In collaboration with Stuttgart studio panorama, both design and functionality have been modernised and improved. The website offers up-to-date information, including calls for submissions:
Call for Projects for Animation Production Days (Deadline: 4 February)
- German Animation Screenplay Award (1 February)
- Animated Games Award Germany (1 February)
- Work in Progress (15 February)
- Trickstar Business Award (1 March)
New this year: Projects competing for the Trickstar Business Award can pitch to industry professionals during the newly introduced Professional Afternoon (Thursday, 9 May, 2 PM) at the Festival Centre. The AniX Awards ceremony at 7 PM in the Eugen Bolz Hall will announce the winners of the screenplay awards and the €7,500 Trickstar Business Award, funded by the Stuttgart Region Association.
A Festival for Everyone
Families with children also get their money’s worth at the ITFS. And for those who want to be more than just there: ten- to twelve-year-olds can apply for the ITFS children’s jury until 1 March. All information about Tricks for Kids, how to apply and what the children can expect on the jury can be found at itfs.de/familien/tricks-for-kids.
About ITFS and APD
The ITFS is Germany’s largest animation festival and one of the most significant worldwide. As an Oscar-qualifying festival, winners of the Grand Prix are automatically longlisted for the Academy Awards in L.A. With prize money totalling nearly €60,000, ITFS features five competitions:
- International Competition for Animated Short Films
- Student Competition for film and art school students
- Tricks for Kids – Animated Short Films for Children
- Trickstar Nature Award – Animated Short Films on Nature and Environment
- AniMovie – International Feature Film Competition
As a major industry event, ITFS provides an unparalleled platform for networking and exchange. The APD and FMX – Film & Media Exchange take place parallel to the ITFS. The Stuttgart Animated Week, a unique combination of film festival, co-production market and conference offers a platform for animation projects and transforms Stuttgart into the hub of the animation world each May.
ITFS also draws a broad audience from the region, transforming Stuttgart’s city centre into a free open-air cinema. Gaming enthusiasts can connect with others in the GameZone, while the family-friendly and low-threshold offer of the ITFS includes programmes for everyone.