Animation Production Days 2025
Event Description:
Animation Production Days (APD) is the most important co-production and financing market for animation in Germany. It brings together co-production, financing and distribution partners for animation projects in efficient one-to-one discussions and, with the APD Conference, offers focused debates and lectures on current challenges in the industry.
2024 Coverage
A total of 94 projects were submitted for this year’s edition of APD. The 51 outstanding projects that have now been selected comprise 29 TV series, 12 feature-length films, 2 TV specials and 8 cross or transmedia projects. Approximately 30 percent of the projects are being developed for preschool children, another 30 percent for 6-12-year-olds, 25 percent for family audiences and the final 15 percent for young adults.
Over 25 percent of the projects address environmental topics. For the youngest target group, these primarily take the form of stories in and about nature while, for older children and teenagers, environmental destruction and climate change are also discussed. Diversity and inclusion are integrated into the narratives of almost 30 percent of the projects. Overall, a lot of comedies are featured this year (action comedy, adventure comedy, sit-coms). Some of these projects tackle serious topics, including physical and psychological illness, mental health, loss and death, in creative, entertaining and often encouraging ways.
Of the 51 selected projects, the following countries are particularly well represented: Germany (12), Denmark (6), France (5), Spain (4), Ireland (3) and Finland (3). There are also projects from Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Norway, Serbia, Slovakia Ukraine and the United Kingdom. In 65 percent of the projects, at least one woman has a leadership position, i.e. as a producer and/or director. The total production volume of the projects is around 210 million euros.
2023 Coverage
The APD conference is taking place as part of the 17th Animation Production Days on 26 April from 1.45 pm to 5.15 pm in the rotunda of the L-Bank in Stuttgart. Complementing the one-to-one meetings that are an integral part of the APD co-production and financing market, the conference offers animation professionals a platform to discuss current developments in the industry.
This year, the conference is highlighting one of the major issues presently facing the media world: How can we ensure that the diversity of society is reflected in the programmes being made and how can young talent be promoted in such a way that as many different voices as possible have the chance to contribute their ideas and opinions? Local and global industry stakeholders will present best practice examples, initiatives and talent development programmes from across Europe, Africa and North America which all share the common goal of giving new artistic voices more visibility and supporting young talents on their way to becoming professionals.
In an opening conversation with Jinko Gotoh (FMX 2023 Programme Chair) and Julie Ann Crommett (Collective Moxie), APD curator and conference host Prof. Lilian Klages will introduce the topic of this year’s conference. Together with APD curator and co-host Christophe Erbès, she will then present and discuss four fascinating case studies.
Prof. Andreas Hykade (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg) and Benjamin Manns (SWR) will explain how the project “Ich kenne ein Tier" (English title: “I know an animal”) became a launchpad for young animation talents, while Irene Sparre (Sparre Productions) and Julie Lind-Holm (DR) will report on the special conditions under which the Danish-French TV series “Team Nuggets” was created.
2023 Call for Projects (Archive)
APD is a curated business platform for the European animation industry and attracts around 160 participants each year. Animation producers from more than 20 countries have the opportunity to present their newly developed projects to potential financing partners and co-producers in a series of pre-planned one-to-one meetings. The programme also comprises a conference on current challenges and trends in the industry as well as several networking events.
Film, TV series, mobile content, games, and cross and transmedia projects can all be submitted in the concept or development stage. Applications are invited for original, creative and innovative projects in terms of design and content. They should be suitable for and open to European or international co-productions and have the potential for brand development and international distribution. Special consideration will be given to projects which convincingly integrate topics such as diversity and ecological sustainability in both content and their development and realisation. A maximum of 50, chiefly European projects will be selected for presentation at APD 2023.
- Terms and Conditions
- Registration form
- Fees: 650 EUR per producer with project
- Deadline: 9 February 2023
APD Talent Programme
The APD Talent Programme supports new European talents who have developed their own promising animation project and are now looking for partners. Young producer/creator teams (with a maximum of two people) can now submit their applications. A maximum of eight outstanding young talent projects will be selected for APD 2023 with the aim of bringing those talents together with established industry experts and thus making it easier for them to take their first steps in the European market. The selected applicants will receive a free-of-charge accreditation for APD (incl. ITFS and FMX tickets) and their accommodation costs will also be covered
- More info
- Registration form
- Deadline: 9 February 2023
2020 Event Coverage
Event Dates
- From 06 April 2025 to 08 April 2025
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