Stuttgart Announces Wide-Ranging Highlights, From Revisiting Reiniger To ‘Rick And Morty’ Preview

The Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) has revealed the first details of its 2026 edition, which runs May 5–10 and will once again turn the German city into a major hub for global animation fans and industry pros.

Now in its 33rd year, ITFS is planning around 150 events across Stuttgart, from competition screenings to talks and workshops. This year’s program places a noticeable emphasis on films for families, children, and young audiences, while still maintaining a strong international industry presence, with roughly 150 filmmakers expected to attend.

At the core of the festival are its five competition sections. Out of approximately 2,000 submissions, programmers have selected 104 short films covering international, student, children’s, and environmental strands. The AniMovie feature competition includes titles like the Oscar-nominated Little Amélie or the Character of Rain.

That focus carries over into the wider program. ITFS will host a preview of season nine of Rick and Morty, alongside a showcase of German adult animation series, reflecting how much the medium continues to expand beyond traditional family fare.

A major historical highlight this year is a 100th anniversary screening of Lotte Reiniger’s The Adventures of Prince Achmed, often cited as the oldest surviving animated feature. The film will be presented with live accompaniment by members of the SWR Symphony Orchestra.

Younger audiences remain a key part of ITFS. The expanded Young ITFS program includes daily open-air screenings at Schlossplatz, as well as hands-on workshops that introduce kids to animation and storytelling. These public-facing events are central to the festival’s identity and help keep it accessible beyond industry circles.

On the professional side, ITFS is part of Stuttgart Animated Week, alongside the FMX conference and Animation Production Days, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The market will bring together producers, broadcasters, and financiers for meetings and panels, reinforcing Stuttgart’s role as a key European animation hub.

Other highlights include an appearance by Minions director Pierre Coffin, who will present new material from the upcoming Minions & Monster, as well as a new ITFS Connects initiative aimed at showcasing regional creative talent.

Stuttgart’s 2026 edition boasts a characteristically broad mix of competition films, retrospectives, industry programming, and open-air events, continuing ITFS’s approach of serving both the animation community and a wider public audience.