The 2026 Wiesbaden International Animation Film Festival will be postponed to spring 2027 for organizational reasons. It will then take place at the Caligari FilmBühne.

The Wiesbaden International Animation Film Festival has been held since 1999. Alongside the Stuttgart International Animation Film Festival, it is the only festival in Germany entirely dedicated to animation. Among the countless international festivals, it is the only one to feature in its program the winners of the top prizes from the world’s most important animation competitions. The festival showcases all types of animated films and animation techniques. There is a special focus on short films. All entries are screened by invitation. A total of four prizes are awarded.

The audience votes to determine the cash prizes for entries in the “Best of International Animation,” “New Generations,” and “Best of German Animation” programs. In addition, the Cultural Affairs Office of the State Capital of Wiesbaden awards its now-traditional prize to a filmmaker, a studio, or an educational institution.

The festival’s opening event traditionally takes place at the Caligari FilmBühne. All other program events are shown in the screening room of the German Film and Media Evaluation (FBW) at Biebrich Palace. The festival is organized by the Friends of Films at the Castle in collaboration with the Cultural Affairs Office of the State Capital of Wiesbaden, the German Film and Media Evaluation Agency (FBW), and Omnimago GmbH, with support from HessenFilm und Medien GmbH and the Frankfurt RheinMain Cultural Fund.