Article too long to read?
The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film is accepting animated shorts worldwide for its 2027 edition, with four short-film competitions, €60,000 in total prizes and an Academy Awards-qualifying Grand Prix.
The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) has opened submissions for its 2027 edition, inviting animation filmmakers, students, studios and producers from around the world to enter new work.
Submissions opened on 1 September 2026, with the festival scheduled to take place in Stuttgart, Germany, from 27 April to 2 May 2027.
For short filmmakers, the key deadline is 15 November 2026.
ITFS is particularly relevant to animation filmmakers because its International Competition provides a recognised route towards the Academy Awards, while the festival will distribute €60,000 in prize money across its competitions in 2027.
Four competitions are open to animated short films
The 2027 call includes four competitions specifically accepting short-form animation.
ITFS International Competition
The festival’s main international competition accepts animated short films from around the world with a maximum runtime of 30 minutes.
The competition’s €10,000 Grand Prix is the festival’s principal short-film award.
Winning the Grand Prix also places the film on the Academy Awards longlist, subject to the Academy’s applicable rules.
ITFS Student Competition
Animated shorts from students and graduates of international film, art and media schools can enter the Student Competition.
Films can run for up to 30 minutes.
This gives emerging animators a separate competition rather than requiring student work to compete exclusively against established filmmakers and studios.
Tricks for Kids
The Tricks for Kids Competition accepts animated shorts and television-series episodes intended for children aged 12 and under.
Entries can be up to 30 minutes long.
Trickstar Nature Award
Animated filmmakers working with environmental themes can enter the Trickstar Nature Award.
The competition is designed for short films exploring subjects including climate action, biodiversity, nature, sustainability and the environment, with a maximum runtime of 30 minutes.
All four short-film competitions share the same 15 November 2026 submission deadline.
€60,000 in prizes across the festival
ITFS says its 2027 competitions will award a combined €60,000 in prize money.
For short filmmakers, the most consequential individual prize is the €10,000 Grand Prix in the International Competition.
The Grand Prix’s Academy Awards qualification adds another layer of value for filmmakers planning an international festival and awards campaign.
Rather than simply providing festival recognition, winning the main competition can therefore become part of a film’s route towards Academy Awards consideration.
ITFS is an Academy Awards-qualifying animation festival
The festival explicitly identifies the 2027 edition as Academy Awards-qualifying.
The qualification applies through the Grand Prix in the International Competition. Winning the award places the film on the Academy Awards longlist rather than automatically making it an Oscar nominee.
Filmmakers would still need to satisfy the Academy’s remaining requirements for the applicable awards year.
That distinction matters when filmmakers assess qualifying festivals: entering or being selected at ITFS alone does not qualify a film for the Oscars.
More than 70,000 visitors attend the festival
ITFS combines public screenings with a substantial animation-industry programme.
The festival says its wider programme attracts more than 70,000 visitors, involves over 300 filmmakers and includes around 150 events.
Selected competition films are screened multiple times in cinemas across central Stuttgart, with participating directors and producers also able to take part in film discussions.
Submitted competition films can additionally become available through the festival’s Animated Video Market, where accredited industry professionals can watch work online for a limited period after the festival.
Selected festival films may also become part of ITFS touring programmes shown internationally later in the year.
Stuttgart Animated Week connects filmmakers with the animation industry
ITFS takes place alongside Animation Production Days and FMX, collectively forming Stuttgart Animated Week.
That broader ecosystem gives visiting filmmakers access to professionals working across animation production, distribution, studios, publishing and other areas of the screen industry.
For filmmakers submitting shorts primarily for festival exposure, this industry component adds another reason to consider ITFS beyond its competitions and awards.
The festival has been running since 1982 and is now preparing for its 34th edition.
How to submit to ITFS 2027
Film submissions are being handled through Shortfilmdepot.
For short filmmakers, the important dates are straightforward:
- Submissions opened: 1 September 2026
- Short-film submission deadline: 15 November 2026
- Festival dates: 27 April–2 May 2027
- Maximum short-film runtime: 30 minutes
- Total festival prize money: €60,000
- International Competition Grand Prix: €10,000
- Oscar qualification: Grand Prix winner enters the Academy Awards longlist
Animated feature films are also accepted through the separate AniMovie Competition, with a later deadline of 15 January 2027.
For animation filmmakers planning their 2027 festival strategy, ITFS offers a combination of substantial international exposure, industry access and an Academy Awards-qualifying pathway. With submissions now open and more than two months remaining before the short-film deadline, filmmakers have until 15 November to prepare their entries.
No comments yet.
Got Something to add to this article?
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
