Best of ITFS Stuttgart Tricks for Kids 2026

A special curated program featuring highlighting and winning animated short films for children and families from the Stuttgart International Animated Film Festival (ITFS) 2026. A wonderful collection full of imagination, humor, and adventure from all around the globe.

The Naughty Seat | David Johnson | United Kingdom 2025 | 7 min.
Never trust a penguin with your soup! A mischievous little penguin, misbehaving at the dinner table, is sent off to the naughty seat - and it’s not long before he has company! Winner tricks for kids award.

The Empty Panel | Thibault Chollet | France 2025 | 11 min.
Paul is 16 and loves drawing comics - he particularly enjoys making up fantastical adventures that he experiences together with his dog. When the dog dies, Paul loses his enthusiasm for drawing. But his little sister urges him to finish his latest comic after all.

Once Upon a Time in Dragonville | Marika Herz | France, Switzerland 2024 | 9 min.
Samson, a dragon bullied by the other inhabitants of Dragonville, flees to Humanville. There he meets Simon, a little human boy who helps him face all the difficulties. Samson discovers a new world and, above all, true friendship.

Grandpa Is Sleeping | Matei Branea | Bulgaria, Romania 2025 | 13 min.
Six-year-old Alma won’t accept her Grandpa’s endless sleep, so she takes him out for one last adventure together.

When The Tide Comes | Fêt-Nat Bailly | United Kingdom 2025 | 10 min.
On a quiet morning, an old sand creature named Sandy is enjoying the peace of the endless dunes he calls home. That peace doesn‘t last long though, as a noisy flock of seagulls drops its lunch right on Sandy‘s lap: a helpless baby sea turtle named Bo. Together they set off on a journey to take Bo back to the ocean.

Desi Oon | Suresh Eriyat | India 2025 | 6 min.
In India‘s Deccan region, people have a deep connection to their land, their sheep, and their wool. This animated musical about Balu Mama, and his flock tells the story of traditional sheep farming and the Deccani wool industry, with characters made entirely of wool.