Dish by the Stuttgart organizers on the Inaugural OnlineFestival.ITFS.de

As festivals, markets and conferences around the world are forced to cancel their physical encounters during the COVID-19 pandemic, the potential of virtual events is being explored like never before. The Stuttgart International Animated Film Festival recently announced its plans for the first time ever OnlineFestival.ITFS.de, which will take place from 5 to 10 May. Animation magazine reached with the artistic CEO of the festival, Ulrich Wegenast, and Dieter Krauss, Commercial CEO of the organizing body ITFS Film- and Medienfestival, to find out more about this exciting new chapter for the renowned German festival.

Animag: Can you tell us a little bit about how you are reshaping the festival as a digital event this year due to the unusual circumstances we are facing around the world?

Dieter Krauss: As cultural organizers, we and our event service providers, artists, directors and creatives are particularly affected by the cancellation. But despite the cancellation, we want to allow our fans and all those who want to become fans to participate in this special cultural event, to see unique films, to participate in discussions or workshops. Since this is not physically possible at the moment, we want to raise a new format: OnlineFestival.ITFS.de. A digital format that will give everyone who stays at home during the ongoing crown crisis a digital festival feeling. In addition, we would like to offer our directors a platform to give visibility to their creative and artistic achievements and to the public right now.

Ulrich Wegenast: There will be freely accessible statements by directors and interviews, the curated Animated Music Video program, and new outstanding animated shorts screened every day. And events and panels will also be held online, such as live streaming and video conferences. GameZone will feature selected games, digital educational games, a digital GameZone Talent and nominations for the Animated Games Award Germany 2020. Cinema fans have the opportunity to watch a selection of current competition films on demand in the paid OnlineFestival area +. In the OnlineFestival Pro section, professionals have access to the animations sent to our animated video marketplace and can contact the producers. The OnlineFestival Pro section also offers lectures and video conferences, specifically on the question of how the animation scene is dealing with the crown crisis.

What are some of the programming highlights for lovers of global animation and the talented filmmakers who create it?

Wegenast: At our digital festival we are focusing on our ITFS competitions and our great and stimulating filmmakers. OnlineFestival + aims to give full access to the film program: a selection of short films from the International Short Film Competition, Young Animation, Tricks for Kids, Trickstar Nature and selected films from the AniMovie competition are available here. But we will show all the films selected in the different competition also at ITFS 2021 on the big screen of the cinema! In addition, we present the filmmakers in short videos and offer them a platform to talk about their films. On 10 May we will award the winners online! The full 2020 competition schedule will also be shown at ITFS 2021 (4-9 May) in high quality on the big screens in cinemas.

Our Masterclasses with Benjamin Renner and other great filmmakers will be available in a Livestream on OnlineFestival.ITFS.de which will be a great opportunity to take part.

We have seen a lot of progress in the field of AR / VR and animation. Can you tell us how the festival is incorporating these creative projects from artists from around the world?

Wegenast: In our GameZone ITFS section, we will present the current nominees for the Animated Games Award Germany. These games are characterized by exceptional aesthetics and design, which are particularly important to us as an interface between animation and games. The GameZone with its AR / VR games and interactive works thrives on physical presence, play and interaction. These days only a few people have VR glasses for their private use. Therefore, the current VR and AR games we have planned for GameZone will not be available for testing as usual. However we would like to introduce GameZone Talents and Local Heros and create interaction with fans via livestream. Either way, VR and AR will play a major role in GameZone next year when we present a special show on "Women in Games and Animation".

The festival has a wealth of experience in exploring the marriage of play and animation. What else can we expect from GameZone 2020?

Krauss: GameZone as ITFS's digital playground is dedicated to various formats - from indie games to VR installations to game jams - over 50 VR games and installations have been scheduled this year. But there is, at a time like this, another important section we are focusing on: Games and education. German children and teenagers as well as those from other countries around the world had to learn at home, while schools were closed during the crown crisis. This is a huge opportunity for the games and animation industry to push digitization in school systems, and there is huge potential for digital games in the school and extracurricular education area. As a digital platform we have been dealing with the interfaces between digital games and pedagogy under the program heading "Edutain Me" for over five years. The discussions held at ITFS explore the roles that animation and computer games can play in presenting and communicating content in an educational as well as an extracurricular context. At our Digital Festival we will have live streams and panels on this topic, which will be very interesting and exciting.

What are your personal tips for those who are experiencing this new event?

Krauss: Experience what an online festival like this feels like and get involved in new experiences in this digital world. Definitely, this is the first and great opportunity for all those who have never wanted to take the (long) journey to our ITFS to test how exciting, varied, artistically different, etc. The international world of animation. This specter cannot be seen outside the ITFS in Germany! This year, ITFS gets to people simply and directly!

Wegenast: For us, the new digital format will be a new experience as it is for our guests and viewers. In fact, we've already had a lot of online activities - like the Online Animation Library with over 15.000 movies available to stream - but with the new format, we'll reach a new level of digitization. We will have a lot of video statements and live interviews so that we think audiences will connect with producers in a very intense way. At our livestream with speeches, moderations and animation content we will create a kind of festival atmosphere. We are also convinced that we will reach the new target groups through our OnlineFestival. And we still represent the diversity and power of animation. We are still developing the new digital format and I am sure that together with the producers we will create new, more interactive content.

Event curators go through hundreds of animation titles every year. What are some of the biggest trends you've noticed this year?

Wegenast: We have around 2.000 submissions which are selected and judged by our pre-selection committees. From the point of view of the content, we see many films that address the current (political) situation. Many films deal with topics such as women's rights. In general, most films show dark visions of the future. When it comes to aesthetics and techniques, we see a huge variety of styles and production methods! In fact, we also see a strong impact from big platforms like Netflix and Amazon, but in a positive way, when it comes to adult topics and artistic approach. Animated series like undone it wouldn't have been made by ordinary TV stations because they are too radical and too innovative. Hisko Huelsing, director of undone, had planned to come to Stuttgart this year. We presented his short films as Yunkard at previous festivals, and we see a close link between high-quality short films and interesting animation series. Due to the crown crisis, Hisko will not arrive in Stuttgart, but we are working on an online masterclass!

To curate the festival, you must have contacted numerous animators and innovators around the world. How are they facing all the problems of staying home and facing the coronavirus pandemic?

Wegenast: Many animators and artists use their creativity to face the challenges of the current situation. They deal with the crisis and its multiple, sometimes oppressive, sometimes absurd effects on daily life in a humorous and critical way and / or focus their creative energy on new projects. For most creative people it is very important to stay in touch and exchange (using social media), either in a personal way or to get feedback for their art work. The response to the cancellation of the festivals is completely understandable and is praised as being very responsible. Therefore, the offer of online festivals is also evaluated positively, although almost everyone is aware that personal encounter, direct exchange and human contact are badly lost.

OnlineFestival.ITFS.de will take place from 5 to 10 May. The digital event offers a section of free film streaming and films on competition (OnlineFestival +, € 9,99) and OnlineFestival Pro for masterclasses, market and more (€ 19,99, includes OnlineFestival +),