The 25th International Festival of Animated Film Stuttgart (April 24-29) will celebrate the tantalizing combination of music and animation in a variety of flavors, from music video screening programs to open air opera, a live concert accompaniment of a historic work to a newly created performance.
Music and Animation: Chad VanGaalen
The Canadian indie musician/animator will play a special concert with his band, accompanied by his own animated music videos, which German video artist Martin Knobel will rearrange (live!) to the music, creating a continuous exchange between the band and the visuals for a unique audience experience. VanGaalen’s work will also be exhibited at the Stuttgart city library’s Gallery B from April 18-June 9.
Thu., April 26, Club Manufaktur Schorndorf, 8 p.m.
Animated Music Videos
The 25th ITFS has planned various music-related film programs at the Innenstadtkinos, such as a screening of current selections presented alongside Jazzopen Stuttgart. This selection includes Coldplay “Ghost Stories” (directed by Alasdair Brotherston, Jock Mooney), Gorillaz “Saturnz Barz (Spirit House)” (dir. By Jamie Hewlett), Selig “Alles ist nix” (dir. By Till Penzek) and many more.
Thu., April 26, Metropol 1, 10 p.m.
Music and Animation: Thomas Köner – Cineconcert The Adventures of Prince Achmed
Silent film, pioneering animation and live music combine in this Cineconcert presentation of Lotte Reiniger’s iconic silhouette puppet feature — the oldest surviving long-form animation known. The audience will be treated to both the beautiful visuals and a spiffy new electronic soundscape from media artist Köner, who has been composing silent film scores since 1994.
Sat., April 28, Musikhalle Ludwigsburg, 8 p.m.
Opera & Animation in the Open Air
Trickfilm reunites with the Stuttgart State Opera for the third consecutive year. The 2018 performance will be a recording of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni, conducted by Willem Wentzel and staged by Andrea Moses. The opera screening will be preceded by the short film Don Pasquale, developed by startup Studio Seufz (Ludwigsburg).
Sun., April 29, Festival Garden, 11 a.m.
Jam Sessions at Café le Théâtre
These nightly jams, also organized in cooperation with Jazzopen will run for four nights, bringing in live acts ready to put a happy cap on each festival day. Performers include The Blowhards — The Simpsons veteran David Silverman on brass and film composer Nik Phelps on clarinet — playing 1920s jazz standards set to early American animation; and on Saturday, German music producer/DJ/film composer Michael Fakesch will play a DJ set at 11:30 p.m. following the Jam Session.
Wed. April 25-Sat. April 28, 10 p.m.
Learn more and secure your pass to the 2018 Trickfilm fest at www.itfs.de.
