News | January 29, 2026
Tickets are on Sale Now!
The Power of Collaboration and
Two Greatly Appreciated Regulars
HEY EVERYONE,
The FMX Ticket Shop is now open, offering a wide variety of tickets 💐 to suit all kinds of needs. Early Bird options are available until March 20 - so make sure not to wait too long!
The entire POWER OF COLLABORATION category at FMX with tracks like Managing Change and Community & Inclusion has been gaining increasing attention. We're happy to announce three new confirmations:
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Kader Bagli from RISE | Visual Effects Studios is going to speak about "Resilience as a Collective System"
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Kate Menz from Women in Animation (WIA) will focus on WIA's Global Mentorship Program.
Furthermore, we are delighted to welcome back two FMX regulars: Ed Hooks will hold his legendary workshop "Acting for Animators" workshop and Shelley Page returns with "Shelley's Eye Candy", a screening of excellent contemporary animated shorts.
A PANEURAMA survey is currently underway to research the situation of the creative industries. The detailed results will be presented and discussed at FMX - read more below!
The Alien alphabet on board the bus in the FMX 2026 Trailer. © Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg FMX Tickets: You Are Spoiled For Choice!
Welcome to the FMX Ticketshop - take your pick for a tailor-made experience!
All On Site tickets include our new bonus programme On Campus on May 8, focusing on talents and education. It will take place at Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg (FABW), the organiser of FMX, primarily curated by its Animationsinstitut.
CONFERENCE PASS: Experience all of FMX On Site in Stuttgart from May 5 to 7! The Conference Pass also grants access to the exclusive conference content offered Online on May 8 and On Demand from May 9 to June 9.
BUSINESS PASS: Essentially a CONFERENCE PASS with two upgrades: it grants access to the Business Lounge as well as priority access to all conference presentations. The Business Lounge offers a space to network, chat and enjoy coffeehouse catering. Priority access allows pass holders to enter all presentations and talks without any ado – unless the room is filled to capacity. To ensure a quality experience, the number of BUSINESS PASSES is limited.
COMBI PASS: Expands the Conference Pass by adding full access to the International Festival of Animated Film Stuttgart (ITFS), taking place from May 5 to 10.
DAY PASS: Experience FMX On Site for one day on May 5, 6 or 7! Includes FMX Online on May 8 and FMX On Demand from May 9 to June 9.
EXPERIENCE PASS: The category for networkers allows access to the FMX exhibition area for one day on May 5, 6, or 7, including the Marketplace, the Recruiting Hub and the School Campus. Not included are talks in the conference rooms On Site, Online and On Demand.
ONLINE PASS: Access the exclusive Online Program on May 8 and to FMX On Demand from May 9 to June 9!
PRESS PASS: Active contributors to a media outlet can apply for press accreditation, granting access to the On Site, Online and On Demand program.
DISCOUNTS: Reduced tickets are available for students, apprentices, trainees, pensioners and people with disabilities. Student groups are eligible for tickets with additional discount. Please send your requests!
Latest Confirmations
Resilience as a Collective System, Not an Individual Trait
In VFX, resilience has been treated as an individual virtue, a test of endurance, not a reflection of the system. But resilience is not in the person. It is in the structures, leadership, and culture that surround them.
In her talk, Kader Bagli from RISE | Visual Effects Studios explores how studios can build collective resilience through empathy, transparency, and human-centered workflows creating environments where creativity thrives without heroics.
This session is part of the Community & Inclusion track at FMX.
The Impact of Global Mentorship
How do we get a job? How do we learn to lead? How do we give back? How do we gain the confidence we need to step into new spaces? And how do we boldly take up space, ESPECIALLY when it seems like that space wasn’t designed with you in mind?
“If you cannot see where you are going, ask someone who has been there before.” — J. Loren Norris
Mentorship is always inspirational, but mentorship on a global scale breaks down barriers, builds networks, and facilitates knowledge transfer. It can bridge the gap between education and employment and help develop empathy for others’ experiences. Let’s dive deeper into the impact mentorship is having in the animation, VFX, and gaming industries. In this session with Kate Menz, we will discuss the impact mentorship can have not only on individuals but also on the spaces themselves.
This session is part of the Managing Change track at FMX, curated by VFX Expert & WIA Mentor Coach Imke Fehrmann.
Acting for Animators
Ed Hooks pioneered acting training for animators instead of stage actors. In 2025, his book "Acting for Animators" was published by Routledge/UK in a revised fourth edition. It is a required text at most schools proving animation training. Ed has taught his Acting for Animators masterclass for most major animation studios and game companies, and he has participated in FMX for the past seventeen years.
Shelley's Eye Candy
Shelley Page (Locksmith Animation) returns to FMX with another selection of great new short films and the best graduation films she has discovered on her travels in the past year! The "Eye Candy Show" is a collection of visually stunning, emotionally moving, beautifully animated and - above all - character-driven stories from around the world.
Take Part in the PANEURAMA Survey!
💡 Share your insider knowledge by participating in an expert survey on technological developments in the Animation, VFX, Virtual Production, and Gaming Industries!
🏛️ Breda University of Applied Sciences is running the survey EU-wide this January within the framework of PANEURAMA Innovation Alliance, targeting “current and future technology trends, skills transfer between industries, and how education can better prepare professionals".
✨ In less than 10 minutes, you can help set future priorities for training and curricula in consultation with industry and education, leveraging new technologies, advanced skills, and competencies.
🗫 FMX 2026 will once again host PANEURAMA Innovation Alliance presentations and fishbowl discussions. In this context, Silke Haßreiter from Breda University is going to reveal detailed results and insights of the survey for the first time – and put them up for debate within the community.
PANEURAMA brings together leading educational institutions:
- The Animation Workshop, VIA University College
- Breda University of Applied Sciences & Cradle BUas
- Université Paris 8
- Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg & its Animationsinstitut
with top players in the industry such as
- Fortiche Production
- RISE | Visual Effects Studios
- Qvisten Animation AS
- Beyond Horizon ApS
- DIGIC Pictures
- Khora Virtual Reality
This way to the survey:
Submission Deadline Approaching!
The Animation Production Days (APD) will accept project sumbissions until February 4 - then the most important co-production and financing market for animation in Germany is going to plan its pre-scheduled one-to-one meetings of potential partners.
Projects should be in the concept or development stage and must demonstrate clear potential for brand development and international co-production.
Find all information on the project submission here.
There's a lot more to come soon, so stay tuned!
FMX 2026: On Site May 5-7 | Online & On Campus May 8 | On Demand May 9-June 9
