AG Animationsfilm – The German Animation Association

Maurice van Brast is a director, writer, art director, and producer. In addition to numerous short films, he has successfully developed and brought seven original series to the screen. His work spans a wide range of audiences, from preschool viewers through his work on Sandmännchen, to adult animation, and content aimed at audiences aged 50 and above. He served as a substitute professor for Experimental Television and Multimedia Storytelling at the Bauhaus University Weimar. Among others, he has advised Paramount Global as a consultant in the field of adult animation. Maurice currently serves on the board of AG Animationsfilm. Alongside his focus on adult animation, he is particularly engaged with the ethical use of AI-generated imagery and visual content.

Anne Isensee is an animation director based in Berlin. She studied animation at the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs (EnSAD) in Paris, and the School of Visual Arts in New York as a Fulbright scholar. Her animated short films have been screened and awarded at international film festivals. She regularly gives lectures and workshops at film festivals, universities, and social initiatives on the topics of equality, accessibility, and inclusion. Since 2023, she has served as Vice Chair of AG Animationsfilm.

Originally coming from live-action filmmaking, Karsten Matern has since shifted his professional focus entirely to animation. As a producer, as well as a production and line producer, he works on numerous animated short film projects. Between 2017 and 2020, he also served as production manager at Balance Film, where he was responsible for two international theatrical co-productions.

His own company, Wait a Second! GbR, sees itself as a directors-driven company, as, in addition to himself, one male director and four female directors are partners in the business. Alongside short film projects, the company focuses on the development, production, and co-production of longer-format works.

Since 2019, he has been a board member of AG Animationsfilm.

Irina Rubina is an animation filmmaker and Professor of Arts for the Master’s Program in Animation at HSLU Lucerne. Through her Stuttgart-based company iraru.films, she produces and creates short films, music videos, as well as hybrid and collaborative projects that explore the intersection of animation, film, stage performance, music, and dance. She studied Animation and Documentary Film at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg and GOBELINS, l’école de l’image. In 2022, she completed her Meisterschüler degree in Animation Directing at Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF.

Irina’s films have been screened at numerous international film festivals, including Annecy, DOK Leipzig, Animafest Zagreb, ITFS Stuttgart, Ottawa, Monstra Lisboa, Ars Electronica, LIAF, and interfilm Berlin, and have received multiple awards.

She also serves as a member of selection committees, juries, and as a curator for various institutions. Since 2021, she has been a board member of AG Animationsfilm.

Petra Stipetić is an animator and director. Her short films, including “Of the Scent of Red Beetroot and the People Who Live Forever” and “jeijay”, combine emotional depth with a distinctive visual language. They have been screened internationally, received numerous awards, and were broadcast on ARTE.

Alongside her artistic work, she teaches animation and storytelling at German and international universities, is actively involved in AG Animationsfilm, curates short film and animation programs, and is a Berlinale Talents alumna.

Sebastian Simon is a producer and founder of the production company PixelPEC in Offenbach. After earning his degree in Film from the Offenbach University of Art and Design, he worked as a project manager at the Hessian Film and Media Academy (hFMA). Since 2014, he has been producing animated fiction projects at PixelPEC, with a focus on innovative storytelling formats and distinctive artistic voices.

Sebastian Simon also completed a part-time professional training program as a Fiction Producer (IHK Cologne) and is actively committed to networking and supporting independent filmmakers.

As spokesperson for the Young Generation of Hessian Film, he played a key role in establishing emerging talent initiatives in Hesse, including STEP and the Talentpaket program.

Nina Prange studied Animation at the Animation Institute of the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, including a semester abroad at the renowned Gobelins l’école de l’image in Paris. Since 2019, she has been based in Leipzig and works as a Creative Producer at Traumhaus Studios GmbH in Erfurt.