On Friday, May 07, 18:00 CET, the first award show of the 28th Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film took place! The winners of the German Animation Screenplay Award, the Animated Games Award Germany and the Trickstar Business Award have been honoured in the joint Trickstar Professional Awards Ceremony.

The German Animation Screenplay Award honours the best screenplay for an animated feature film. The German Animation Screenplay Award comes with prize money of 2,500 €, sponsored by Animation Media Cluster Region Stuttgart (AMCRS). The aim of the award is to contribute to the improvement of content quality and to underscore the importance of professional screenplay writing and the creation of attractive films.

The German Animation Screenplay Award 2021 goes to “Butterfly Tale” by Heidi Foss and Lienne Sawatsky (Production Germany: Ulysses Filmproduktion GmbH).

Jury statement by Peter Keydel (Film and TV Producer Mistral Film, Düsseldorf, Mago Production, Barcelona), Holger Weiss (CEO, Head of Animation M.A.R.K. 13, Stuttgart), Silke Wilfinger (Managing Director Silkwayfilms, München) und Maite Woköck (CEO, Producer Telescope Animation Studios, Hamburg):

“Butterfly Tale introduces us to the microcosmos of the monarch butterflies, one of the most beautiful butterflies in the world, which unfortunately is increasingly threatened by climate change and crowing cultural landscapes. It is a story about the courage not to give up despite supposed handicaps and to fight for one’s goals. Also, it addresses the threat of environmental destruction by humans without a moralizing undertone. An adventurous coming-of-age story is told with a lot of dialog humour, which shows us how challenges can become opportunities.”

A Special Mention goes to “The Girl in the Flying Washing Machine” by Danielle Bouteille (aka Daniel Reittinger, Austria).

In 2021 for the fifth time the Animated Games Award Germany is awarded to the German computer game which stands out from competition by its special visual design and aesthetics. The jury pays particular attention to artwork, imagery and character design. The award's objective is to strengthen the interlinking of games and animated film as regards content, as well as promote the artistic quality of games. The award is sponsored by the MFG Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg and comes with prize money of 5,000 €.

The winner of the Animated Games Award Germany 2021 is “Endzone – A World Apart” (Developer: Gentlymad Studios, CEO/ Founder Stephan Wirth; Publisher: Assemble Entertainment, CEO/ Founder Stefan Marcinek), a survival construction game in which the players build a new civilisation after a nuclear catastrophe.

Jury statement by Sabine Harrer (Department of Game Design, Uppsala University, Schweden), Linda Breitlauch (Professor for Game Design, Hochschule Trier, Chief Creative Officer Skilltree, Trier), Philipp Stollenmayer (Game Designer, Würzburg) and Judith Ackermann (Professor „Digitale und Vernetzte Medien in der Sozialen Arbeit“, Potsdam):

“The strategy-building game by the Wiesbaden-based studio Gentlymad is characterised by numerous visual details as well as technical features that allow good accessibility despite complexity. The jury is amazed by such a complex work, that sums up to a whole in both micro and macro aspects. Every aspect of the game contributes to the atmosphere, from the delicate swaying of trees up to massive thunderstorms.

Due to the multitude of playful possibilities and the steadily increasing level of difficulty, players are challenged above all strategically. Different scenarios also offer various narrative approaches, which are reinforced by the character design. The result is an willfull, yet a varied strategy-building game with survival characteristics - that is convincing both - on the gameplay and visual level.”

A Special Mention goes to „Lost Ember” (Developer: Mooneye, Producer: Sinikka Compart; Publisher: Mooneye), in which the players are immersed in a world where nature has reclaimed the ruins of an ancient culture.
 

Winner of the Animated Games Award Germany 2021 at ITFS 2021: "Endzone – A World Apart” (Developer: Gentlymad Studios, CEO/ Founder Stephan Wirth; Publisher: Assemble Entertainment, CEO/ Founder Stefan Marcinek)

Special Mention Animated Games Award Germany 2021 at ITFS 2021: „Lost Ember” (Developer: Mooneye, Producer: Sinikka Compart; Publisher: Mooneye)