Stuttgart Animated Film Festivalcountry participates
From 2024 onwards, the state will take over the shares of the film academy and be directly involved in the animation festival. And wants to make a mark like that.
Frank Rothfuß
03/01/2023 – 15:28
They are not bedded on roses. This is almost nobody who deals with culture. “We scrape everything out,” says Uwe Schmitz-Gielsdorf, who is responsible for finances at the 30th International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS). Every euro counts. The state’s commitment to the film and media festival gGmbH and organizer of the ITFS is worth its weight in gold.
Secretary of State for Culture Arne Braun announced on Wednesday that the state would become a shareholder in Film- und Medienfestival gGmbH from 2024 onwards. So far, the city of Ludwigsburg, the city of Stuttgart, the region’s economic development agency and the Ludwigsburg Film Academy have been shareholders and have contributed a large part to the budget of 2.5 million euros with their annual contributions totaling 1.5 million euros.
From stepchild to child
Instead of indirectly through the film academy, as before, the state will make its contribution directly. “We also increased the contribution by 70,000 euros to 366,000 euros,” said Braun. That is a signal of how important the industry in general and the animation festival in particular are for the country. “Until now we were the stepchildren of the state,” says Uwe Schmitz-Gleisdorf, “now we are the children of the state.” Now we have a direct connection. It remains to be seen how it will be used, what will change in the future. Braun can imagine a stronger interlocking of the different areas, i.e. the offshoots that are dedicated to special effects and games. But concrete things will be developed together and by 2024.
The Schlossplatz will also be used again
The 30th International Festival of Animated Film will take place in Stuttgart from April 25th to 30th. Animated films are shown in three cinema halls in the city center and on Schlossplatz as part of various competitions. At the same time, the specialist congress FMX – Film and Media Exchange and the Animation Production Days, the most important German co-production and financing market for animation, take place.
2300 films from 77 countries have been submitted, almost 780 films for the international competition. A preliminary jury has selected: 40 films will be shown to the public in this category from April 25th to 30th. Currently you can via the website www.itfs.de Buy festival passes for 72 euros.
