Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg is celebrating its 35th anniversary on 1 and 2 October 2026 with a varied programme. There will be a particular focus on events for alumni, students and industry representatives, including case studies, an alumni panel, plenty of networking opportunities, and a party.
You can find an overview of all the events designed specifically for FABW alumni on this page.
| Date / Time | Filmgalerie | Caligari Cinema | Open Air (Tent) | Ade Studio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct. 9:00 AM |
Case Study: Rima Schmidt, 9:30–10:15 AM |
Cinema Programme 1 Student Academy Awards 9:30 AM–1:15 PM |
Open Air Programme 1 "The Price of Freedom" – Atelier Ludwigsburg Paris 2026 9:30–11:00 AM |
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| 1 Oct. 10:00 AM |
Case Study: Matisse Gonzalez & Stefan Michel, "Condenaditos": There Is No Manual 10:30–11:15 AM |
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| 1 Oct. 11:00 AM |
Anniversary Panel: Alumni in Streaming, 11:30 AM–12:15 PM Language: EN |
Open Air Programme 2 German Short Film Award 11:00 AM–1:30 PM |
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| 1 Oct. 1:00 PM |
35 Years of FABW – Creative Professionals Reception BY REGISTRATION ONLY – FULLY BOOKED! |
Case Study: Ilija Brunck, 1:30–2:15 PM |
Open Air Programme 3 A Selection of 25 Years Atelier Ludwigsburg Paris 1:30–3:30 PM |
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| 1 Oct. 2:00 PM |
Case Study: Julian Weiss, 2:30–3:15 PM |
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| 1 Oct. 3:00 PM |
Creative LÄND – Campus Connect 3:30–7:00 PM |
Cinema Programme 2 Caligari Prize Part 1 3:45–5:00 PM |
Open Air Programme 4 Caligari Prize Part 2 3:30–5:00 PM |
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| 1 Oct. 5:00 PM |
Live broadcast: Ceremony: 35 years of FABW and 25 years of German-French film friendship 5:00–7:00 PM |
Ceremony: 35 years of FABW and 25 years of German-French film friendship 5:00–7:00 PM | Albrecht Ade Studio BY REGISTRATION ONLY – FULLY BOOKED! |
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| 1 Oct. 8:00 PM |
Great Opening Show for the Festival of Freedom 1 Oct. 2026 | 8:00–9:00 PM | Campus lawn/Akademiehof |
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| 1 Oct. 9:00 PM |
Party 1 Oct. 2026 | 9:00 PM | Open for all with an accreditation/wristband. Limited admission. |
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| 2 Oct. 10:00 AM |
Anniversary Alumni Get-Together 10:00–11:30 AM |
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| 2 Oct. 11:00 AM |
AkaTour – exclusively for alumni 11:30 AM–1:00 PM | Meet under the tent |
Rima Schmidt: "Mimi und ich"
01.10.2026 | 09:30-10:15 | Filmgalerie
A touching mother-daughter story set in Cologne in the 1980s: Iris grows up in difficult social circumstances. Despite these circumstances, her family home is characterised by warmth and a zest for life. Told from Iris’s perspective, the film shows how she carves out her own path despite poverty and social exclusion. In doing so, she must first learn that her struggles with her parents are not a personal failure on her part, but a consequence of the prejudices within a class-based society.
Matisse Gonzalez & Stefan Michel: "Condenaditos": There Is No Manual
01.10.2026 | 10:30-11:15 | Filmgalerie
Condenaditos is a feature film in development between Studio Seufz (Germany), Ikki Films (France), and Amora Films (Spain). It tells the story of Kiki, the youngest daughter of a Bolivian family living under a generational curse. We'll walk through the project's trajectory: where it came from, the obstacles we've faced, and how we're navigating them. But the honest starting point is this: there is no manual for a project like ours. No clear precedent, no established path, no one to tell us the right steps to take.
01.10.2026 | 11:30-12:15 | Filmgalerie
Working for/with Streamers and Networks: Testimonials by Verena Schilling (Amazon), Eun-Zi Kim (X-Verleih), Morgane Dubief (Disney+), Benjamin Munz (Wiedemann & Berg), Julius Windhorst (ZDF)
With the kind support of Mack Studios
01.10.2026 | 13:30-15:00 | Filmgalerie
We’ll put you in direct contact with leading organisations in the creative industries and representatives from broadcasters, streaming platforms and production companies, including numerous FABW alumni. This event is all about you and your project ideas – a fantastic opportunity to exchange ideas with industry professionals and network.
BY REGISTRATION ONLY – FULLY BOOKED!
Ilija Brunck: Woodblock - Going Spherical and Beyond
01.10.2026 | 13:30-14:15 | Kino Caligari
Co-founder Ilija Brunck traces Woodblock's path from its Filmakademie roots to recent large-scale productions at Sphere Las Vegas, and shares what's next for the studio. Ilija studied animation at the Animationsinstitut, where the Polynoid collective made shorts like 458nm and Loom, winning the Golden Nica at Ars Electronica and SIGGRAPH's Best in Show. In 2013 they turned that collaboration into Woodblock, an animation and immersive studio home in Berlin, Ludwigsburg and Los Angeles. Most recently they built Illenium's ODYSSEY, a 90-minute full CG show at Sphere Las Vegas.
Julian Weiss: Same Craft, Different Business
01.10.2026 | 14:30-15:15 | Kino Caligari
A degree in VFX or animation looks like a ticket to one specific industry. It isn't. It is training in judgement - knowing what makes an image hold, what makes a story land, how a production actually gets finished. Julian Weiss looks back briefly at the pivots that took him from VFX supervision to an agency for interactive formats, then forward at the part that matters more: navigating change and building on AI. Julian Weiss is the founder of headraft, a Hamburg-based agency for interactive communication. Before and during his studies in animation and visual effects at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, he worked internationally as a compositor and later as a VFX supervisor on commercials.
01.10.2026 | 15:30-19:00 | Filmgalerie
The media and creative sector in Baden-Württemberg – and indeed throughout Germany – offers a wide range of opportunities for creative professionals to develop themselves and their ideas. With plenty of scope for personal exchange and advice, the following broadcasters and institutions, amongst others, provide direct insights into opportunities for young professionals – particularly students and alumni – as they make the transition from their studies to their future careers, as well as in the years that follow::
- MFG Baden-Württemberg (Filmförderung, Kreativ, AMCRS)
- SWR Fernsehen (Debüt, Junger Dokfilm, Serie) und XLAB
- ARTE
- IHK Stuttgart/Ludwigsburg
- Film Commissions Baden-Württemberg & Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart
- Wirtschaftsförderung & Female Founders Ludwigsburg
- Hochschule der Medien & Sandbox
Do 01.10.2026 | 17:00-19:00 | Albrecht Ade Studio
Wir feiern 35 Jahre FABW und 25 Jahre deutsch-französische Filmfreundschaft.
BY REGISTRATION ONLY – THE CEREMONY WILL BE BRAOCAST ON THE OPEN AIR SCREEN.
01.10.2026 | 20:00-21:00 | Campuswiese/Akademiehof
Students from the FABW and the ADK are jointly staging a transmedia show on the theme of ‘freedom’. Performing in the open air, they will take to the Academy Courtyard and the ADK Tower, combining the performing arts with video mapping. The show takes the audience on a journey through the history of the site – from its past as a military base to its present-day role as a campus dedicated to the arts and education. Historical references meet the present day: from the Baroque period, through Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart’s yearning for freedom and Massenet’s ‘Méditation’, to rap and voguing. Students from the Theatre Academy perform songs, chants and recitals, which, combined with large-scale video mapping by students from the Film Academy, transform the Akademiehof into a unique, transdisciplinary space for experience.
01.10.2026 | ab 21:00 | Albrecht Ade Studio
To round off Day 1, we’d like to celebrate with the whole FABW community – that is, with students, staff, lecturers and alumni.
Open to anyone with accreditation or a wristband. Upon entry, care will be taken to ensure that the maximum capacity of the Ade Studio is not exceeded.
02.10.2026 | 10:00-11:30 | Filmgalerie
After the party, we’ll kick off the second day of the ‘Festival of Freedom’ together. Look forward to catching up with old friends and meeting new faces over coffee, tea, a glass of sparkling wine and sweet and savoury treats.
Exclusively for alumni – do pop in!
02.10.2026 | 11:30 | Meeting Point: under the Aka Tent
Immediately following the alumni reunion, we’re offering a guided tour of the Film Academy in two parallel groups of up to 20 people each. This will be of particular interest to our more senior alumni, so you can see how much has changed since you graduated. Each tour lasts around 100 minutes and takes you (subject to availability) through the equipment store, the studios, the Animation Institute and the sound post-production department, amongst other places.
Exclusively for alumni – you can sign up for the tour at the registration desk once you arrive in Ludwigsburg.
