This year the 9th International Bitfilm Festival for Digital Film will kick start its worldwide Online Festival at the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film. Bitfilm is dedicated to films that use digital technology in a creative and innovative way: from 3D blockbusters and Internet Flash Movies to films shot in computer games and short clips for mobile devices. The main part of the Bitfilm Festival, which was founded in 2000 in Hamburg, will take place on the Internet: all films may be watched online.
The worldwide net community will decide on the winners of the Bitfilm Awards and the prize money of 10 000 Euro, endowed by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.

For five days Bitfilm will show highlights of its current competition at the Metropol Cinema in Stuttgart. It will also be present at the media conference fmx/08 at the Haus der Wirtschaft Stuttgart with screenings and talks. The Internet users may vote for the films from May 1 to July 1 under www.bitfilm.com/festival. The awards will be handed over at the Bitfilm Festival Hamburg, which will take place from July 9 to 12 at the Planetarium Hamburg. These are the award categories:

3D Space Award – computer-generated 3D animations
FX Mix Award – digitally composed hybrids which mix various techniques
Flash Award – animations made with Flash
Machinima Award – films shot live in computer games
Realtime Award – animations rendered on the spot
Mobile Award – short clips designed for mobile devices
The Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film was founded in 1982. It is one of the biggest and most important festivals for the animation film industry. More Information at: www.itfs.de