What is 'German Documentaries'?
'German Documentaries' is the international label for the promotion of German documentary films abroad. An initiative of the German Documentary Association AGDOK and German Films Service + Marketing GmbH, 'German Documentaries' presents German non-fiction films at international festivals and markets, and organizes co-production meetings and film series.
'German Documentaries' also publishes an annual catalogue featuring some 200 new films which are available for distribution worldwide.
GERMAN DOCUMENTARIES online
 For over ten years, the “german documentaries” catalogue
has accompanied all activities of the German documentary
film scene at markets and festivals. At first, the German
Documentary Association AG DOK – with over 800 members,
the largest German professional association of independent
directors and producers – published the catalogue
at its own expense. Then the film division of the Federal
Ministry of Economics and Technology became a solid supporter.
Since 2004, “German Films,” the national information
and advisory centre for the promotion of German films
worldwide, has financed the publication of “german documentaries,”
whose content remains solely in the hands of
filmmakers and producers, and not a publisher, sales
department, or institution.
In its twelve editions, “german documentaries” has presented
some 1000 films – from ten-minute shorts to feature-length
theatrical documentaries, from artistically crafted
film essays to documentary series...
"Dragon Girls" wins Hot Docs
 5 May 2013: Dragon Girls (D: Inigo Westmeier; P: Inigo Westmeier, Andreas Simon; Germany) is the winner of the Best International Feature Documentary Award at this year's [Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival] in Toronto. Sponsored by A&E, the award includes a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of Hot Docs.
Dragon Girls follows three young female students living far away from their homes and families as the train to become Kung Fu fighters at the Shaolin Tagou Kung Fu School in China.
For a complete list of winners, please click here.
"More than Honey" wins German Film Prize 'Lola' + Honorary Prize for Werner Herzog
 27 April 2013: Markus Imhoof's More than Honey (Prod. Thomas Kufus, Helmut Grasser, Pierre-Alain Meier - zero one film GmbH, Allegro Film, Thelma Film) is the winner of this year's German Film Prize 'Lola' in the category 'Best Documentary', presented at a gala ceremony at the Friedrichstadt Palast in Berlin last night.
In More than Honey Imhoof travels the globe in search of answers to the mystery of why billions of honeybees have vanished over the past several years. More than one third of our food production depends on pollination by honeybees. If honeybees continue to vanish in such numbers, the effects on the human food supply will be devastating. Albert Einstein once said: “If bees ever die out, mankind will have only four years left to live”.
More than Honey is a 2 million Euro documentary by Oscar® nominated director Markus Imhoof and...
Grimme-Preis 2013 winners announced
28 March 2013: The winners of the 2013 Grimme Preis – the German equivalent of the Emmys – were announced during a press conference in Düsseldorf yesterday. The winners in the category "Information" are:
Seelenvögel (Soul Birds) - WDR
Thomas Riedelsheimer (writer/director/camera/editing)
Production company: Filmpunkt
Ein deutscher Boxer (A German Boxer)- NDR/SWR
Eric Friedler (writer/director)
Production company: NDR
Vaterlandsverräter - ZDF/ARTE
Annekatrin Hendel (writer/director)
Production company: It Works! Medien
Lebt wohl, Genossen (Farewell, Comrades} - ZDF/ARTE/rbb
Andreï Nekrasov, György Dalos (writer)
Christian Beetz (Producer)
Georg Tschurtschenthaler (Producer)
Production companies: Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion, Artline Films
Documentary trilogy "Was lebst du? – Was du willst – Wo stehst du?“ (How Do You Live? - What Do You Want?...
Top German Theatrical Documentaries of 2012
22 February 2013: Sixteen documentaries are among the top 100 films at the German box office in 2012 according to an analysis conducted by the Haus des Dokumentarfilms based on figures supplied by the German Federal Film Board.
Wim Wenders' 3D dance spectacle PINA continued to attract large numbers for the third year in a row, outpacing all other auteur films. Only high-gloss travel spectacles such as "Bavaria - The Trip of a Lifetime" and "Germany from Above," the surprise hit "The St. Thomas Choir" about the legendary Leipzig choir, the nature spectacle "The Green Planet," and the yoga film "Asana Travelogue" topped Wenders' hit about Pina Bausch and her dance troupe.
Valentin Thurn's 2011 box office hit Taste the Waste (about the vast waste in the food industry) continued to draw impressive numbers, as did newcomer "More than Honey" about the dying out of bees.
Other highlights included...
German Documentaries at the Berlinale, 7-17 February 2013
7 February 2013: A wealth of German documentaries and co-productions will be screening at the 63rd Berlinale - Berlin International Film Festival, running from 7-17 February in Berlin, Germany. The films by section:
FORUM
Sieniawka (Germany/Poland) - Dir. Marcin Malaszczak
FORUM EXPANDED
Yugoslavia, how ideology moved our collective body (Serbia / France / Germany) - Dir. Marta Popivoda
Bühne (Germany) - Dir. Daniel Kötter
PANORAMA
Naked Opera (Luxembourg/Germany) - Dir. Angela Christlieb
Out in East Berlin - Lesbians and Gays in the GDR
German Documentaries Booth at the European Film Market, 7-15 February 2013
7 February 2013: Once again, the German Documentary Association AG DOK is hosting a booth at the European Film Market in the Martin Gropius Bau from 7-15 February. Commissioning editors, buyers, film festival programmers, and anyone else interested in the German documentary film scene is invited to drop by to catch up on the latest happenings. Michael Würfel will be running the booth (#16), which is located next to the German Films pavilion on the ground floor, and can be reached at +49-30-609027-423.
Short List for 'Lola' (German Oscars) announced
20 January 2013: Fourteen German documentaries have been shortlisted for the 'Lola' – the German equivalent of the Oscars. All fourteen films will be screened in the "Lola@Berlinale" section of the Berlin International Film Festival next month.
From the fourteen shortlisted films, three will be selected for a nomination, which will be announced on 22 March.
The shortlisted films:
CINEMA JENIN - THE STORY OF A DREAM
Produziert u.a. von Boomtown Media GmbH&Co.KG (AG DOK)
Regie: Marcus Vetter (AG DOK),
HEINO JAEGER-LOOK BEFORE YOU KUCK
Produziert von Gerd Kroske / realistfilm
Regie: Gerd Kroske (AG DOK)
DAS LIED DES LEBENS
Produziert von Wolfgang Bergmann / Lichtfilm GmbH (AG DOK),
Regie: Irene Langemann
MEINE FREIHEIT, DEINE FREIHEIT
Produziert...
German co-produtions "The Gatekeepers" and "Open Heart" nominated for Oscars
 10 January 2013: The German documentary co-productions The Gatekeepers (Dir. Dror Moreh, IL/DE/BE/FR, NDR) and Open Heart (Dir. Kief Davidson, Prod. Urban Landscapes, gebrueder beetz filmproduktion, ARTE) have been nominated for Oscars in the categories Best Documentary Feature and Best Short Documentary respectively.
The stylish, critically acclaimed The Gatekeepers features interviews with all the surviving former heads of the Israeli security agency Shin Bet, whose membership and activities are closely kept state secrets. It already received the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award and the National Board of Review Award in the US, a 2nd place at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards and is currently nominated for the Producers Guild of America Awards. It screened at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam IDFA last November and will be shown at the Sundance...
Songs of War wins International Emmy® Award
 21 November 2012: Songs of War by Tristan Chytroschek (prod: a&o buero filmproduktion / ZDF / ARTE) is the winner of the 2012 International Emmy® Award in the category Arts Programming. The jury statement: "Music elates, touches the soul, and bypasses reason. Music is magic. This magic can also turn music into an insidious weapon. In Songs of War the relationship between music and violence is explored."
The German Documentary Association / AG DOK warmly congratulates the Cologne-based production company a & a buero, producer Robert Tasso Pütz, director Tristan Chytroschek and their collaborators on this tremendous success. Songs of War beat out three other films from Japan, Brazil and the UK.
The 52-minute film Songs of War is a...
German films win big at DOK Leipzig
 4 November 2012: German documentaries and co-productions are among the big winners at the 55th International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film, which concluded today.
The Silver Dove (2nd place) in the long metrage catagory went to Ilian Metev's "Sofia's Last Ambulance" (Bulgaria, Germany, Croatia).
The Golden Dove for the best German documentary went to "Heino Jaeger - Look Before You Kuck" by Gerd Kroske. An honorable mention went to Dirk Schäfer's "A Sort of Love."
The Golden Dove for the Best Documentary under 45 minutes went to "Bouchbennersch Otto/How to Treat Differentness" by Janina Jung (Germany)
The Filmpreis "Leipziger Ring" for the best documentary about the subject of democracy went to Dirk Heth and Olaf Winkler (Germany) for the film "The Great Fallacy."
The DEFA-Sponsoring Prize went to Mario Schneider (Germany) for the film "The Man's Field"
The Goethe-Institut Documentary Film Prize went to David Sieveking (Germany, Italy) for the film...
AG DOK Study: Creativity for a Dumping Price
25 October 2012: The German Documentary Association/AG DOK Presents Its Survey of the Employment and Income Situation of Documentary Filmmakers
Writers and directors of documentary films are paid miserably and rank at the bottom of the payment scale in the media industry. The German Documentary Association/AG DOK has often spoken out against this disregard for documentary work. Now for the first time, the Association can support its criticism with impressive numbers culled over the past several months from a very detailed survey of the employment and income situations of a representative cross section of writers and directors. The results are sobering: the average net income of documentary film directors is €1380/month. Approximately 18 percent of those surveyed earned less than €636/month. A mere 15 percent stated that they can make a living from their writing and directing work. The remaining 85 percent – the vast majority – are forced to supplement their income with jobs which...
"Gerhard Richter Painting" Wins German Film Award
 27 April 2012: Gerhard Richter Painting by Corinna Belz (Prod. Thomas Kufus, zero one film) is the winner of this year's 'Lola' – the German equivalent of the Oscar. The prize comes with €200,000 for the producer to use toward a future production.
In 2009, Gerhard Richter granted filmmaker Corinna Belz access to his studio, where he was working on a series of large abstract paintings. Gerhard Richter Painting,
is a fascinating portrait of one of the world's most significant contemporary artists at work.
This year's German Film Awards marked the eight time that the over 1300 members of the German Film Academy voted on the winners. The prizes were awarded tonight at the Friedrichstadt Palast in Berlin in a gala event moderated by Jessica Schwarz and Elyas M'Barek.
For a complete list of winners in all categories, please click here.
"Taste the Waste" breaks 100,000 viewer mark
 2 April 2012: This past weekend, Taste the Waste by Valentin Thurn (co-prod: Thurnfilm and Schnittstelle Film und Video GmbH) broke the 100,000 viewer mark at the box office – a rare feat among German documentaries. Seven months after its premiere at the 2011 Berlinale, Taste the Waste was launched theatrically across Germany by Cologne-based distributor W-film. The film helped set off a heated national debate about food waste in Germany.
Taste the Waste can still be seen in selected theatres in Germany. The DVD will be released on 20 April.
Nominations for German Film Prize 'Lola' announced
 23 March 2012: The German Minister for Culture and the members of the board of the German Film Academy – Christiane Paul, Petra Zieser, Ulrich Mattes and Burghart Klaussner – announced the nominees for the German Film Prize 'Lola' in a ceremony at the Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin this morning.
The three nominees in the best documentary category are:
Charlotte Rampling - The Look - Dir. Angelina Maccarone, Prod: Gerd Haag, Michael Trabitzsch, Charlotte Uzu - Prounen Film, Tag/Traum, Les Film D'ici
Gerhard Richter Painting - Dir. Corinna Belz, Prod: Thomas Kufus - zero one film
The Big Eden - Dir. Peter Dörfler, Prod. Benny Drechsel, Karsten Stäter - Rohfilm
Each nomination is worth €100,000. The winner will receive an additional €100,000.
Member of the German Film Academy select the nominees in their disciplines...
DOK Leipzig participates in global support day for Syrian Doc Festival Dox Box on 15 March 2012
13 March 2012: DOK Leipzig will be participating in the worldwide screening events commemorating the anniversary of Syria's revolution on 15 March. Because Syrian unrest makes it impossible for the DOX BOX documentary film festival to take place in Syria this year, cities around the world will be screenings Syrian documentary films on this day to show their solidarity with Syrians.
DOX BOX is Syria's only documentary film festival and one of the most important documentary festivals in the Arab world, reaching nearly 30,000 people last year.
For a complete list of cities and venues worldwide, please visit the Dox Box website.
News from the EFM
 16 February 2012: It has been another exciting year at the German Documentaries booth at the European Film Market in Berlin. Michael Würfel, who has been running the booth for years, reports continued interest in German documentaries among festival programmers, broadcasters and producers from around the world. As in the past years, the German Documentaries booth, located just around the corner from the gigantic German Films booth on the ground floor of the Martin Gropius Bau, has offered a cozy retreat from the hectic market for anyone wanting to familiarize themselves with the German documentary scene. While the market is winding down, it is still possible to pick up brochures, the newly published 2012 German Documentaries catalogue and more. Michael can be reached at the booth at +49 30 767 646 - 417.
Scores of German Documentaries at the Berlinale, 9-19 February 2012
AG DOK/German Documentaries Booth at EFM, Berlin 9 - 17 February 2012
 4 February 2012: Once again, the German Documentary Association AG DOK will have a booth at the European Film Market in the Martin Gropius Bau from 9-17 February. Commissioning editors, buyers, film festival programmers, and anyone else interested in the German documentary film scene is invited to drop by to catch up on the latest happenings. Michael Würfel will be running the booth and can be reached at +49 30 767 646 - 417.
PINA ON THE WAY TO THE OSCARS®
 24 January 2012: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has announced the nominations for the 84th Academy Awards®. Wim Wenders’ PINA is in the race for the prestigious award in the category Best Documentary. In 1999, Wim Wenders’ music documentary BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB was also among the nominees.
Wim Wenders: “It is fantastic to be nominated in the category of Best Documentary a second time, after BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB, especially as it is the first time for a 3D film to be granted that honor. All the dancers and collaborators of the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, together with the crew and the production company Neue Road Movies, are extremely proud of this. With our journey into the magical kingdom of the great German choreographer Pina Bausch we wanted to raise a monument to this pioneer of modern dance. The success of PINA with audiences worldwide and now this Oscar® nomination are a fantastic reward and recognition...
German Filmmakers Join Boycott of Cinema Verité Festival in Iran
5 November 2011: German documentary filmmakers have joined the international boycott of the Cinema Verité Film Festival in Iran. The boycott is to protest the imprisonment of Iranian producer and distributor
Katayoun Shahabi and five other Iranian filmmakers on 17 September 2011. They were arrested on the false accusation of collaborating with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), which the Iranian regime labels as the media wing of the British Intelligence Service.
The state-run Cinema Verité Festival was boycotted two years ago, when the political repression of filmmakers in Iran was at another peak.
As of today, 29 of the 36 films scheduled to be shown at the festival have withdrawn. We urge the remaining seven filmmakers to join the boycott. For more information, visit the Free Katayoun Shahabi Facebook page.
Five German Documentaries receive German Films Distribution Support
 28 October 2011: In its sixth sitting of 2011, the German Films Distribution Support awards committee funded 17 foreign theatrical campaigns of German films with a total of € 125,000. Another three theatrical releases were already awarded €10,000 in a prior decision.
Five documentaries are among the films which received support:
· EL BULLI – COOKING IN PROGRESS in Japan (Doma Inc.) and Sweden (Nonstop Entertainment)
· KLITSCHKO in Estonia (Estinfilm)
· THE TWO HORSES OF GENGHIS KHAN (DAS LIED VON DEN ZWEI PFERDEN) in Mongolia (Media Group NTV)
· PINA in the USA (IFC Films)
· UNDER CONTROL (UNTER KONTROLLE)
in Japan (Daguerro Press)
The "Distribution Support" funding program has existed since 2005 and supports the theatrical...
Overview of autumn documentary festivals in Germany
11 October 2011: Autumn time is always peak season in the German documentary world. Three of the country's major documentary film festivals will be taking place during the next four weeks, each with a different profile.
Now in its 54th year, DOK Leipzig continues to be the primary documentary festival in Germany as well as a major event for animation. This year's edition will take place from 17-23 October, and will feature hundreds of new docs and animation films as well as a wealth of industry events. The festival program is now online.
The Kassel Dok Fest is in its 28th year. While not nearly as large as Leipzig, the festival focuses not only on documentaries, but also on media installations and audiovisual performances. This year's edition will take place from 8 - 13 November.
Parallel to Kassel, the Duisburger Filmwoche
German Documentary Association AG DOK now on Facebook
 11 October 2011: The German Documentary Association AG DOK, with some 900 members the largest professional film organization in Germany, recently set up an open group on Facebook. For those who can read German, this is another opportunity to tune into what's going on in the German documentary film scene.
Large German Delegation at 1001 Documentary Film Festival Istanbul, 29 Sept. -3 October 2011
 19 September 2011: Nine German documentaries and co-productions will be featured at the 14th International 1001 Documentary Film Festival, running from 29 September to 3 October in Istanbul, Turkey. Thanks to the generous support of German Films and German Documentaries, all filmmakers from Germany will be invited to present their films in person and to discuss them with Turkish audiences. The filmmakers will also have the opportunity to meet with Turkish producers to discuss possible future collaborations. Thomas Frickel, chairman of the German Documentary Association AG DOK, will be attending the festival to present his latest film The Moon Conspiracy and to discuss ways in which documentary filmmakers in the two countries can collaborate and improve the situation for documentary filmmakers. AG DOK board member and...
9 German Documentaries and Co-Productions Receive Distribution Support from German Films
16 September 2011: German Films allocates € 134,500 in funding for theatrical releases of German films abroad. In the fifth sitting of 2011, the „Distribution Support“ awards committee funded 21 foreign theatrical campaigns of 16 German films, including an unprecedented 9 documentaries.
The documentaries selected:
EL BULLI – COOKING IN PROGRESS by Gereon Wetzel in France (Zootrope)
CHARLOTTE RAMPLING – THE LOOK Angelina Maccarone in Switzerland (Xenix Filmdistribution)·
GERHARD RICHTER PAINTING by Corinna Belz in the United Kingdom/Ireland (Soda Pictures)
JANE’S JOURNEY by Lorenz Knauer in the USA (First Run Features)
KHODORKOVSKY
by Cyril Tuschi in France (Happiness Distribution)
KINSHASA SYMPHONY
PINA represents Germany in the race for the 84th Academy Awards
8 September 2011: The independent expert jury, which was appointed by German Films to select the German entry to compete for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, has under the chairmanship of Steffen Kuchenreuther selected the film PINA by Wim Wenders, making it the first documentary feature to compete for Germany in this category for the coveted prize.
The jury on its decision: “PINA is a cinematic synthesis of the arts, harmoniously combining dance, music and film and thereby going beyond the purely documentary aspect. The film conveys a sensual experience of dance and is an exquisite portrait of one of the greatest German artists.”
Wim Wenders (screenplay, director, producer) and producer Gian-Piero Ringel on the jury’s decision: “After having ventured a lot with PINA and going into new 3D territory, the great success in Germany as well as the admissions and reviews in all of Europe are a huge reward. Now being allowed to represent Germany as the submitted...
3rd Nomination Added in Documentary Category of German Film Awards
 26 August 2011: In a major breakthrough for the German documentary community, Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media Bernd Neumann has created a third nomination in the documentary film category of the German Film Awards. Beginning in 2012, three German documentaries will be nominated. Each nomination will be awarded €100,000 in funding to be invested in new projects.
In making his announcement, Neumann declared: "My decision to add a third nomination in the documentary film category reflects the steadily growing artistic and economic relevance of the documentary film genre." Neumann's decision ends a longstanding debate in the German film industry, where year after year an increasing number of cinematic documentaries were competing for the two coveted nominations in the documentary category.
Every year, The German Film Award, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Culture BKM, presents a total...
Meet the Germans at Sheffield Doc/Fest, 8-12 June 2011
 1 June 2011: Once again, a large delegation of German filmmakers and producers will be traveling to the Sheffield Doc/Fest - the UK's premiere documentary event, taking place from 8 - 12 June.
The following German documentaries and co-productions will be screening during the festival (listed by section):
Music Docs/Docs EU:
MAMA AFRICA by Mika Kaurismäki, Starhaus Filmproduktion (DE/ZA/FI)
NYMAN IN PROGRESS by Silvia Beck, Monarda Arts
Docs/EU:
THE LAST DAYS OF THE ARCTIC by Magnus Vidar Sigurdsson, Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion (IS/GB/US/DE/NL)
Doc/International:
ECUMENOPOLIS: CITY WITHOUT LIMITS by Imre Azem, York Street Productions International (TR/DE)
CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS by Werner Herzog (US/GB/DE/CA/FR)
ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Werner Herzog
Shorts
THE DAY WE DANCED ON THE MOON by Tristan Daws, Kloos und Co. Medien
Numerous German producers...
Dokfest München Highlights - Protagonists - Ambivalent Heroes?
 6 May 2011: Dokfest München is in full swing and will be featuring not only a wealth of fascinating new films, but also some intriguing discussions.
A real highlight is Saturday's AG DOK Film Discussion: Protagonists - Ambivalent Heroes? How Documentaries Change Lives, which will be held from 14-16:00 at the Filmmuseum. Moderated by festival director Daniel Sponsel, the discussion will feature filmmakers Doris Metz and Wolfgang Ettlich and the protagonists from their films Shadow Fathers and The Schuetzes talking about the filmmaker's responsibilities towards his or her protagonists, and the various ethical issues involved when the camera enters into the private sphere. It's a rare opportunity to witness filmmakers and their contributors talking up close and personal about their often ambivalent relationship.
The event will take place in German, and is free and open to the...
Docs triumph at German Film Awards
 8 April 2011: Three of the four documentaries nominated for prizes at this year's German Film Awards came out on top. As expected, Wim Wenders' 3D dance spectacle PINA took the prize for the Best Documentary, beating out underdog KINSHASA SYMPHONY, which was one of the most successful German documentaries of the past year.
After making a splash at its world premiere at this year's Berlinale in February, PINA has been racking up the numbers at the German box office and delighting audiences at home and at festivals abroad. The film will also open theatrically in the US and the UK during the next month.
The real breakthrough for German documentaries this year, however, was in the categories usually dominated by our narrative cousins. The children's documentary [CHANDANI...
Winners of Grimme Preis (Germany Emmys) announced
 1 April 2011: And the winners are ...
Five non-fiction films and series were awarded the Grimme Prize – the German equivalent of the Emmy - during a gala ceremony with 750 guests at the Marl Theater tonight:
Aghet - A Genocide (ARD/NDR) by Eric Friedler, Prod. Katharina Trebitsch
Iran Elections 2009 (WDR/ARTE) by Oliver Stoltz, Ali Samadi Ahadi, Prod. Dreamer Joint Venture (short version of The Green Wave )
The Lawyers - A German Story (WDR/NDR/rbb/ARTE) by Birgit Schulz, Prod. Bildersturm
DDR Ahoi! (ARD/MDR/NDR) (2 episodes) by Lutz Pehnert, Prod. Hoferichter & Jacobs GmbH
20 x Brandenburg (rbb) various directors, prod. DOKFilm, Andreas Dresen
Click here for a complete list of winners in all categories.
Meet the Germans at MIPDOC and MIPTV, 29 March - 7 April 2011
 28 March 2011: A large delegation of German documentary producers will be attending the MIPDOC (29 - 30 March) and MIPTV, (4 - 7 April) in Cannes.
Visit us at the "German Films" booth 01.15.
This is an excellent opportunity to meet with some of Germany's finest documentary producers and filmmakers to discuss their current and upcoming projects and co-production opportunities.
And don't forget to pick up your very own copy of the German Documentaries 2011 catalogue for an overview of the latest German documentaries.
Download the flyer (PDF, 179 kb)
Large German delegation at HotDocs, 28 April - 8 May 2011
 4 April 2011: A large delegation of German documentary directors and producers will be attending this year's Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival, running 28 April - 8 May 2011 in Toronto, Canada.
For contact information about all delegates, please download the flyer
The films by section (click on links for screening times and venues):
World Showcase:
EL BULLI - COOKING IN PROGRESS by Gereon Wetzel (GER)
NO ENTRY NO EXIT by Julie Kreuzer, Mareille Klein (GER)
International Spectrum:
THE DAY WE DANCED ON THE MOON by Tristan Daws (GER)
Canadian Spectrum:
THE GUANTANAMO TRAP by Thomas Selim Wallner (GER, CAN, CH)
Special Presentations:
BLOOD IN THE MOBILE
Four German documentaries nominated for German Film Prize LOLA
11 March 2011: At a press conference at the German Cinematheque in Berlin this morning, the nominees for the German Film Prize LOLA – the most prestigious prize in Germany – were announced.
From the twelve feature-length documentaries on the short list, two nominees were selected: Pina by Wim Wenders (Prod. Neue Road Movies} and Kinshasa Symphony by Claus Wischman and Martin Baer (Prod. C-Major Entertainment).
In the category best children's film, Chandani - The Daughter of the Elephant Whisperer by Arno Birkenstock (Prod. Fruitmarket Kultur und Medien GmbH) was one of the two nominees.
In the 'best sound design' category, Ansgar Frerich, Sabine Panossian, Niklas Kammertöns were nominated for their work on the film Pianomania by...
German and Franco-German docs selected to pitch at Hot Docs Forum, 4-5 May 2011
9 March 2011: One German documentary project and one German-French co-production have been selected to be pitched at the prestigious Hot Docs Forum, running 4-5 May 2011 in Toronto, Canada.
Germany
WORLD ACCORDING TO IRVING
Florianfilm GmbH
France/Germany
BUFFALO BILL AND THE CONQUEST OF THE EAST
Ere Production
See the complete list of selected projects.
German Documentaries in Thessaloniki, 11-20 March 2011
 10 March 2011: Eleven German documentaries and co-productions will be screening at the 13th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, running 11 – 20 March 2011 in Thessaloniki, Greece. The films by section:
Views of the World
JAFFA, THE ORANGE’S CLOCKWORK by Eyal Sivan (IL/BE/FR/DE)
Stories to Tell
WELCHER GLAUBE FÜR MEIN KIND? (LOST IN RELIGION) by Marc Burth, Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion
HERBSTGOLD (AUTUMN GOLD) by Jan Tenhaven, Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion (DE/AT)
Habitat
DEM HIMMEL GANZ NAH (CLOSE TO HEAVEN) by Titus Faschina, ma.ja.de (DE/RO)
Human Rights
KHAIMA by Athanasios Karanikolas, Athanasios Karanikolas (DE/GR)
THE PALACE by Ioannis Roumeliotis, Ioannis Roumeliotis (GR/DE)
Music
KINSHASA SYMPHONY by Claus Wischmann and Martin Baer, Sounding Images
Tribute...
"Autumn Gold" opens One World International Human Rights Doc Fest in Prague
 4 March 2011: AUTUMN GOLD by Jan Tenhaven will opens this year's One World International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, running 8 – 17 March in Prague. It is among 15 (co-) productions from Germany.
All the films by festival section:
Opening Film
HERBSTGOLD (AUTUMN GOLD) by Jan Tenhaven, Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion (DE/AT)
Competition
KHODORKOVSKY by Cyril Tuschi, Lala Films
MY REINCARNATION by Jennifer Fox, Lichtblick Film (USA/FI/NL/IT/CH/DE)
THE GREEN WAVE by Ali Samadi Ahadi, Dreamer Joint Venture
THE OTHER CHELSEA by Jakob Preuss, Kloos & Co. Medien (DE/FI/IL/US)
Right to Know
BLOOD IN THE MOBILE by...
Program of Documentary Campus Industry Session in Prague, 11-13 March announced
 21 February 2011: The [Documentary Campus e.V.,]www.documentary-campus.com one of the leading documentary training programs in Europe, has just announced the schedule of its Industry Session running 11-13th March in Prague, Czech Republic.
The event will take place under the motto:
One World, Many Ways –
New Directions in Human Rights Documentaries
Who are the right broadcasters for Human Rights docs?
Peter Hamilton, creator of the hit website www.documentarytelevision.com will give us his top Human Rights broadcasters list.
Meet key committed Human Rights broadcasters…
including Mette Hoffmann Meyer - Commissioning Editor Danish DRTV and Claire Aguilar Vice President of Programming for the Independent Television Network (ITVS) based in San Francisco.
What happened in Cairo? A very special guest and activist filmmaker from Egypt will fill us in, and show us his own images from the heart of a revolution.
The Age of Wikileaks!
Vaughan Smith from Frontline Club...
AG DOK party to open Berlinale tonight
10 February 2011: To celebrate the opening of this year's Berlin Film Festival Berlinale, the German Documentary Association AG DOK is hosting a party at one of the city's most beloved cinemas, the Babylon Kino in Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße 30 in Mitte. The fun begins at 8 p.m. tonight and is open to all AG DOK members and guests. So if you're already in town for the film festival, drop by and join the bash!
2011 German Documentaries catalogue now available
10 February 2011: The 15th edition of the English-language "German Documentaries" catalogue is now available both online and in print. The printed version will be available at the AG DOK booth at the European Film Market throughout the Berlin Film Festival, running from 10-20 February, and at other major film festivals and markets during the rest of the year.
A joint project of the German Documentary Association AGDOK and the German Film Service + Marketing GmbH, the catalogue provides an excellent overview of the latest German documentaries. It is distributed to buyers, commissioning editors, festivals scouts, journalists and other members of the film industry at international film festivals, markets and conferences.
Khodorkovsky doc stolen one week before premiere at Berlinale
 7 February 2011: Two laptops and hard drives containing the finished version of the German documentary Khordorkovsky, which traces the controversial trial and imprisonment of oligarch turned Kremlin critic Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, were stolen from the Berlin production offices of director Cyril Tuschi last Thursday.
Khordorkovsky was set to have its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on Feb. 14. An earlier version of the film was delivered to the Berlin Fest two days ago and will be screened if the stolen material cannot be recovered.
This is the second time material relating to the documentary has been stolen. A few weeks ago, a laptop containing an earlier version of the film was stolen from a hotel room in Bali, where Tuschi had gone on vacation to finish his movie.
Berlin police are investigating the matter, but have no leads so far. The...
AG DOK booth at the European Film Market, Berlin
7 February 2010: Once again, the German Documentary Association AG DOK will have a booth at the European Film Market in the Martin Gropius Bau from 10-18 February. Commissioning editors, buyers, film festival programmers, and anyone else interested in the German documentary film scene is invited to drop by to. Michael Würfel will be running the booth and can be reached at +49-30-498 779 428.
Large lineup of German Documentaries at Berlinale, 10-20 Feb. 2011
 6 February 2011: Once again, the Berlin International Film Festival Berlinale will be screenings a wide selection of German documentaries. The films by section:
Official Program Berlinale 2011 (out of competition):
PINA - Dir. Wim Wenders, Prod. Neue Road Movies
Panorama Documente:
THE BIG EDEN - Dir. Peter Dörfler, Prod: rohfilm, Co-Prod. strandfilm
BRASCH - Das Wünschen und das Fürchten // BRASCH - WORDS OF WANT, WORDS OF FEAR - Dir. Christoph Rüter, Prod. Tag/Traum
HOUSE OF SHAME - Chantal All Night Long - Dir. & Prod. Johanna Jackie Baier
IM HIMMEL, UNTER DER ERDE. Der Jüdische Friedhof Weißensee // IN HEAVEN, UNDERGROUND- The Jewish Cemetery in Berlin Weissensee - Dir. Britta Wauer, Prod. Britzka Film
KHODORKOVSKY
"The Green Wave" at Sundance, 20-30 January 2011
 17 January 2011: THE GREEN WAVE by Ali Samadi Ahadi (Prod. Dreamer Joint Venture Filmproduktion) will be screening in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at this year's Sundance Film Festival
For further information, please contact Kim Liebeck, Email: liebeck@german-films.de
4 German Documentaries and German Co-productions in Helsinki, 25-30 January 2011
 17 January 2011: Four German documentaries and German co-productions will be screening at Doc Point Helsinki, running 25-30 January 2011.
HAPPY PEOPLE: A YEAR IN THE TAIGA von Dimitry Vasyukov, Studio Babelsberg
WAR AND LOVE IN KABUL von Helga Reidemeister, ohne Gepäck Filmproduktion
ATMAN von Pirjo Honkasalo (DE/FI)
GOODNIGHT NOBODY von Jacqueline Zünd (DE/CH), mixtvision
For further information, please contact Julia Basler, Email: basler@german-films.de
Loads of German Documentaries in New Zealand, 16 Feb.-27 March 2011
 17 January 2011:
Numerous German documentaries will be screening at the Documentary Edge Film Festival in Auckland (16 February – 6 March 2011) and Wellington (10 March – 27 March 2011). The films by category:
World Cinema
EICHMANNS ENDE – LIEBE, VERRAT, TOD (EICHMANN’S END – LOVE, TREACHERY, DEATH) by Raymond Ley, Doc.station Medienproduktion
THIEVES BY LAW by Alexander Gentelev, LE Vision (IL/DE/ES)
Heroes & Icons
EL BULLI – COOKING IN PROGRESS by Gereon Wetzel, if…productions
JANE’S JOURNEY by Lorenz Knauer, NEOS Film, CC Medien
OUT OF THE DARKNESS by Stefano Levi, Kubny & Schnell Film- und Fernsehproduktion
All in the family
ALLE MEINE VÄTER (ALL MY FATHERS) by Jan Raiber, Baden-Württemberg Film Academy
[CHANDANI UND IHR ELEFANT (CHANDANI – THE DAUGHTER OF THE ELEPHANT...
German Film Awards Short list announced
14 January 2011: 12 documentaries have been shortlisted for the 2011 German Film Awards ('Lola') - the German equivalent of the Oscars. The two nominees will be announced on 11 March.
The short list (in alphabetical order):
DAVID WANTS TO FLY - Dir. David Sieveking, Prod. Martin Heisler, Carl-Ludwig Rettinger / Lichtblick Media GmbH, Lichtblick Film GmbH
FORGETTING DAD - Dir: Rick Minnich, Matt Sweetwood, Prod. Olaf Jacobs / Hoferichter & Jacobs GmbH
HERBSTGOLD (AUTUMN GOLD) - Dir: Jan Tenhaven, Prod. Christian Beetz / Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion Köln GmbH & Co. KG
IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE ARE MANY MANSIONS - Dir. Hajo Schomerus, Prod. Marcelo Busse / busse & halberschmidt Filmproduktion oHG
KINSHASA SYMPHONY
4 German documentaries in Biarritz, 24-30 January 2011
 14 January 2011: Four German documentaries will be screening at the [FIPA-International Festival of Audiovisual Programs,] www.fipa.tm.fr/en/ running from 24 - 30 January in Biarritz, France.
The films according to section:
Documentaires de creation et Essais
SERGEJ IN DER URNE (SERGEY IN THE URN) by Boris Hars-Tschachotin, Liquid Blues Production, ma.ja.de Filmproduktion, 3 sat
Grands Reportages et Faits de Société
GIER UND GRÖSSENWAHN – WIE DIE POLITIK BEI DER BANKEN-RETTUNG ÜBER DEN TISCH GEZOGEN WURDE (GREED AND MEGALOMANIA – HOW THE POLITICIANS WERE HUNG OUT DRY IN THE BANKING) by Hubert Seipel, WDR
Musiques et Spectacles
KENT NAGANO – MONTREAL SYMPHONY by Bettina Ehrhard, bce films & more, ZDF
TRAUM IM HERBST by Luc Perceval, Zuckerfilm GmbH
For further information, please contact Konstanze Welz, Email: welz@german-films.de
Overview of German Documentaries market activities in 2011
 23 December 2010: A delegation of German producers and filmmakers will be present under the German Documentaries label at the following markets in the first half of 2011:
1.) Berlin International Film Festival, 10-20 February 2011 --- look for our booth at the European Film Market in the Martin-Gropius-Bau
2.) World Content Markt, Prague, 21-23 February 2011. The German Documentary Association AG DOK will be offer a "Co-producing with Germany" panel.
3.) Mipdoc, 2-3 April 2010 in Cannes
4.) MIPTV, 4- 7 April 2010 in Cannes
4 German Documentaries in Palm Springs, 6-17 January 2011
4 January 2011: Four German documentaries will be screening in the Palm Springs International Film Festival, running from 6 - 17 January 2011 in Palm Springs, California, USA.
In the section 'True Stories'
HERBSTGOLD (AUTUMN GOLD) by Jan Tenhaven, Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion
DAVID WANTS TO FLY by David Sieveking, Lichtblick Film
JANE'S JOURNEY by Lorenz Knauer, NEOS Film, CC Medien
In the section 'Cinema Safari'
KINSHASA SYMPHONY by Claus Wischmann and Martin Baer, sounding images
For further information, please contact Kim Liebeck, Email: liebeck@german-films.de
3 German docs at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival PÖFF, 24 Nov.-5 Dec. 2010)
 22 November 2010: Three German documentaries and German co-productions will be screening at the 14th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival PÖFF, running from 24 November - 5 December 2010:
THE WOMAN WITH THE 5 ELEPHANTS by Vadim Jendreyko, Filmtank Hamburg (DE/CH)
DAVID WANTS TO FLY by David Sieveking, Lichtblick Film, Lichtblick Media (DE/AT/CH)
THIEVES BY LAW by Alexander Gentelev, LE Vision (DE/IL/ES)
32 German Docs and German Co-productions at IDFA, 17-28 Nov. 2010
10 November 2010: Four German documentaries and German co-productions will be screening in the main competition and numerous more will be screening in the other sections at the 23rd edition of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam IDFA, running 17-28 November 2010. With 280 titles, selected from 3,200 submissions, IDFA is the largest and most prestigious documentary film festival in the world. The films by section:
Competition Feature Length Film (competing for the €12,500 prize):
THE GREEN WAVE by Ali Samadi Ahadi, Dreamer Joint Venture
SEHNSUCHT NACH SCHÖNHEIT (LONGING FOR BEAUTY) by Julian Benedikt, Benedikt Pictures
BLOOD IN THE MOBILE by Frank Poulsen, Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion (DE/DK)
MY HEART OF DARKNESS by Staffan Julen, Gebrüder Beetz...
Loads of German Docs at RIDM Montreal, 10-21 Nov. 2010
10 November 2010: Numerous German documentaries will be screening at the Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal RIDM, running from 10-21 November 2010.
The films by section:
Caméra-stylo
NUTSHIMIT – ON THE LAND (DE/CA) by Sarah Sandring (Sarah Sandring)
THE WOMAN WITH THE 5 ELEPHANTS (DE/CH) by Vadim Jendreyko (Filmtank)
Caméra au poing
NEUKÖLLN UNLIMITED by Agostino Imondi, Dietmar Ratsch (Indi Film)
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF LIFE by Stefanie Brockhaus, Andy Wolff (Brockhaus/Wolff, University of Television and Film/Munich)
Doctape
AUTUMN GOLD by Jan Tenhaven (DE/AT) (Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion)
SILVER GIRLS by Saara Alia Waasner (Royal Pony Film)
ÉcoCaméra
PLUG & PRAY by Jens Schanze (Mascha Film)
For further information, please contact Julia Basler, basler@german-films.de
German Documentaries in Florence, 13-20 Nov. 2010
12 November 2010: Seven German documentaries and German co-productions will be screening at this year's Festival dei Popoli in Florence, Italy, running from 13- 20 November 2010. The films by section:
Competition Long Documentary:
I AM FREE (SOY LIBRE) by Andrea Roggon, Baden-Württemberg Film Academy (DE/CU)
WIEGENLIEDER (LULLABY) by Tamara Trampe and Johann Feindt, Zero One Film
NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT by Patricio Guzman, Blinker Filmproduction (FR/DE/CL)
MY REINCARNATION by Jennifer Fox, Lichtblick Film (US/DE/CH/IT/NL)
Competition Short Documentary
HOLDING STILL by Florian Riegel, Academy of Media Arts Cologne
MILLTOWN MONTANA by Rainer Komers, Kloos & Co. Medien
Free Style
DAVID WANTS TO FLY by David...
Kassel Documentary and Video Festival, 9-14 Nov. 2010
3 November 2010: The program of the 27th Kassel Documentary and Video Festival is now online. The festival will open with the film BAD BOY KUMMER by Miklós Gimes about Swiss journalist Tom Kummer, who for years sold fake interviews with Hollywood stars to a number of reputable magazines in Germany. His exposure in 2000 started a huge media scandal.
For the complete festival program click here.
German Docs in Taipei, 3-20. Nov. 2010
2 November 2010: Two German documentaries are among the large number of German films screening at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, running from 3-20 November in Taipei.
The section "Film Culture – The Story of an Artist" will feature
PIANOMANIA by Robert Cibis, Lilian Franck (DE/AT), oval filmemacher, and the section "Film Culture – All about Cinema" will feature NYMAN IN PROGRESS by Silvia Beck (DE/UK), RM Arts.
Large German presence at Sheffield Doc/Fest, 3-7 Nov. 2010
25 Oct. 2010: Three German films will be screening at this year's Sheffield Doc/Fest - the UKs premiere documentary film event:
Planet Galata by Florian Thalhofer
Postcard to Daddy by Michael Stock
I Shot My Love by Barak Heyman
Six German projects have been selected for the Meet Market:
The Umbrella Murder - Producer: Susanne Petz, Die Freibeuterin, Director: Klaus Dexel
Miles and War - Producer: Thomas Kufus, zeroone film, Director: Anne Thoma
Who Owns the World? - Producer: Volker Ullrich, Filmkantine, Director: Hannah Prinzler
The World According to John Irving - Producer: Rieke Brendel, Florianfilm, Director: André Schaefer
One Fine Line - Producer: Peter Gerard, Accidental Media, Starcrest Media Director: Jo-Anne Velin
Odessa - Producer: Razvan Georgescu, Sub-Cult-Ura, Starcrest Media, Director: Florin Iepan
Additionally, the new project...
Jane's Journey in Sevilla, 5-13 Nov. 2010
4 Novermber 2010: Jane's Journey by Lorenz Knauer (Production: NEOS Film) will be screening int the Eurodoc section of the Sevilla Festival de Cine Europeo, which runs from 5-13 November. The film is an intimate portrait of the world-reknowned primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, and follows her as she travels around the world in an effort to save our endangered planet.
DOK Leipzig winners announced
25 October 2010: The top prizes at this year's DOK Leipzig festival, which concluded yesterday, go to films from Sweden and Finland. But several German films and German co-productions also went home with prizes.
The Golden Dove in the International Competition, which comes with €10,000 donated by Telepool, was awarded to the Swedish film "Vodka Factory" by Jerzey Sladkowski. The Silver Dove in the International Competition, which comes with €3000, went to the film "Miesten vuoro" ("Steam of Life") by Joonas Berghäll and Mika Hotakainen (Finland, Sweden).
The German winners by section include:
International Competition: Honorable mention to Jacqueline Zünd for "Goodnight Nobody" (Switzerland, Germany)
German Competition: Golden Dove and €10,000 donated by Kinowelt GmbH go to Gereon Wetzel and Jörg Adolph for "How to Make a Book with Steidl"
German Competition: Honorable Mention goes to Chris Wright and Stefan Kolbe for the film "Kleinstheim"...
30th Anniversary of the German Documentary Association AGDOK at DOKLeipzig 20 Oct. 2010
19 Oct. 2010: The German Documentary Association AG DOK will celebrate its 30th anniversary with two special events at DOK Leipzig on Wednesday, 20 October.
During the three-hour discussion (in German) titled "Who's Funding Whom Here?" ("Wer fördert hier wen?"), which begins at 15.00 at the Vortragsraum des Zeitgeschichtlichen Forums, Grimmaische Straße 6, various leading figures in the German documentary film scene will debate the growing influence of television in Germany. At the heart of the matter is the question of whether or not independent filmmaking is still possible in Germany without television involvement. With German film funds requiring at least one broadcaster on board before funding a project, and with broadcasters handing more and more contracts to their affiliate companies, independent filmmakers are feeling the squeeze.
The debaters include film journalist Ellen Wietstock; Heiko Hilker from the Dresdner Institut für Medienbeobachtung; Manfred Schmidt, head...
Help Choosing Which Films to Watch at DOK Leipzig
16 October 2010: Need some help trying to decide which of the hundreds of films to watch at DOK Leipzig? If you can read German, then help is on the way. German broadcaster MDR has launched the DOK-O-MAT. Just select the genres you're most interested and answer the follow-up questions, and a list of films meeting your criteria will pop up. Give it a try here.
2 German Co-Productions in international competition at DOK Leipzig
11 October 2010: Two German co-productions will screen in the international competition of this year's DOK Leipzig Film Festival: "Close to Heaven" (Dem Himmel ganz nah) by Titus Faschina (Germany, Romania) and "Goodnight Nobody" by Jacqueline Zünd (Switzerland, Germany).
The short "Natasha" (Natascha) by Anja Strelets (Germany 2010, 8:45 min.) will screen in the International Short Documentary Competition.
For a complete list of films playing in the International Competition, click here
For the list of films in the German Competition, click here.
For an overview of all festival programs, click here
For a list of all industry events taking place during the festival, click...
DOK Leipzig: Focus on Leipzig Screenings, 20-21 Oct. 2010
11 Oct. 2010: In its fifth year, the Leipzig Screening is a firmly established part of the German documentary scene, as well as forming an exciting part of DOK Leipzig’s industry offers. During two days, a selection of outstanding, new German documentaries are presented on screen to an audience of international buyers, commissioning editors, distributors and sales agents. Many German films have been discovered and bought for the international market during the first four years of the Leipzig Screening.
During the private screenings the producers have the opportunity to present their films to a carefully chosen group of industry professionals. One-on-one discussions and networking are further encouraged by the participants’ lunches. All guests are invited to make use of the other DOK Leipzig facilities such as the digital DOK Market and festival screenings to see even more German documentary productions.
This...
"Robert Jay Lifton: Nazi Doctors ("Wenn Ärtzte Töten") at Film Forum in NYC 6-12 Oct. 2010
 4 Oct. 2010: The documentary ROBERT JAY LIFTON: NAZI DOCTORS (WENN ÄRZTE TÖTEN) will played at the legendary FILM FORUM in New York for one week beginning Oct. 6th. Co-director Wolfgang Richter and star of the film, Dr. Robert Jay Lifton, will be present for a Q & A after the Oct. 7th and 8th screenings.
“This is a fascinating, compelling, profoundly disturbing movie that
miraculously leaves one agreeing with Lifton that ‘there is room for hope.'” – Karen Cooper, Director, Film Forum –
ROBERT JAY LIFTON: NAZI DOCTORS
PRODUCED & DIRECTED BY HANNES KARNICK & WOLFGANG RICHTER
GERMANY • 2009 • 86 MINS. • IN ENGLISH
FUNDING Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media / Hessian Film Fund
Wednesday, October 6 – Tuesday, October 12 • One Week
Showtimes: 1:00, 2:50, 4:30, 6:20, 8:10, 10:10
More information
Trailer
Review
The...
A wealth of German docs at Berlin and Beyond Festival, San Francisco, 22-28 Oct. 2010
4 October 2010: The 15th edition of the Berlin and Beyond Film Festival in San Francisco's legendary Castro Theater will feature a wealth of German documentaries: Pianomania by Robert Cibis and Lilian Franck, The Woman with the 5 Elephants by Vadim Jendreyko, Autumn Gold by Jan Tenhaven, Home from Home by Sung-Hyung Cho, Human Failure by Michael Verhoeven, The Last Giants - Oceans in Danger by Daniele Grieco, Rock Hudson: Dark and Handsome Strange by Andrew Davies and André Schäfer, Silver Girls by Saara Alia Waasner,
Click here for a complete list...
Breathless Films: Czech theatrical premiere of five documentaries
28 Sept. 2010: Five documentary films realised during the Czech-German documentary project Breathless – Dominance of the Moment from 2008 to 2009 are going to premiere in Czech cinemas on 5 October 2010, 7pm at the Cinema Svetozor in Prague.
The project was initiated by Zipp – Czech-German Cultural Projects, an initiative of the German Federal Cultural Foundation, DOK Leipzig and the Prague-based Institute of Documentary Film.
For further information on the Breathless project please visit the official website. To read more about the films that will be released check out this article on dokweb.net.
Kinshasa Symphony at 10th Festival of German Films in Buenos Aires, 23-29 Sept. 2010
 20 Sept. 2010: The documentary KINSHASA SYMPHONY, which premiered at this year's Berlinale, will be screening as part of the 10th Festival of German Films in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which runs from 23-29 September. The film portrays Central Africa’s only symphony orchestra, L’Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste.
5 German films nominated for Prix Europa
17 Sept. 2010: Five German films and one German-Polish co-production have been nominated for the Prix Europa – Best TV Documentary award:
A Film Unfinished
Aghet - A Genocide / Aghet - Ein Völkermord
Soul Birds / Seelenvögel by Thomas Riedelsheimer
Thieves by Law / Die Ehre der Diebe by Alexander Gentelev
Without My Fourth Child / Ohne mein viertes Kind
and the Polish-German co-production "Komeda- A Soundtrack for a Life / Komeda-muzyczne ścieżki życia" by Claudia Buthenhoff-Duffy.
The Prix Europe is the largest competition for television, radio and emerging media in Europe. From 16 to 23 October, creative forces in the media industry across the continent will meet in Berlin. The Prix Europa 2010 will be given to productions in nine different categories including a best TV Documentary Award. The award ceremony will take place on 23 October 2010.
Of the total of 543...
Documentary Sound Design Symposium in Cologne, 16-17 September 2010
9 September 2010: The Dokumentarfilminitiative dfi will be hosting a two-day symposium on current tendencies in sound design for documentaries at the Filmforum NRW on from 16-17 September 2010. Directors Bernhard Sallmann ("Lausitz Dreams"), Rainer Komers ("Kobe") and Carolin Schmitz ("Benidorm") will discuss their sound concepts, and sound designers and engineers will discuss their implementation. The sound designers of Ari Folman's "Waltz with Bashir" and Ali Samadi Ahadi's "Green Wave" will present different picture-sound tracks. Film scholar Prof. Thomas Elsaesser from Amsterdam will discus the significance of listening within the context of film reception and the hearing-seeing hierarchy. Film scholar Berta Luise Heide will discuss the familiar synchronicity problem of picture and sound, and how new digital configurations are putting an end to this.
A symposium highlight is the screening of Peter Schreiner's "Totó" at 19:30 in the Filmforum....
10th anniversary celebration of Documentary Campus 10-12 Sept. 2010 in Munich
29 July 2010: The training initiative Documentary Campus will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a three-day event in Munich, Germany from 10 to 12 September.
One of the highlights of the special anniversary programme is an exclusive preview showing of the 3D documentary film Cane Toads - The Conquest by director Mark Lewis. The production has been described as "Chaplin comedy, Hitchcock suspense, ecological paranoia and Homeric 3D odyssey," and filmmaker Lewis has been named a "master of world cinema!"
Cane Toads will kick off the 10 Years of Documentary Campus weekend on Friday, 10 September 2010.
Other celebration activities include controversial and thought provoking panels, Masterschool screenings and a party with live music. Further details and surprises will be announced soon.
Registration for 10 Years of Documentary Campus is now open at:
www.documentary-campus.com
Regular...
Italian-German short doc. "Future Archaeology" at Venice, 1-11 Sept. 2010
30 July 2010: The short documentary "Future Archaeology" (Italy/Germany, 20 min.) by Armin Linke and Francesco Mattuzzi will be screening in the Orizzonti sidebar at this year's Venice International Film Festival, running 1-11 September.
"Forbidden Films" symposium in Berlin 9-10 Sept. 2010
17 August 2010: iRights.info and the German Cinematheque will host the symposium "Forbidden Films: Remix meets the Poison Cabinet" 9-10 September. The symposium will be in German and English, and will focus on legal restrictions on films. Speakers include renowned LA entertainment lawyer Michael C. Donaldson; AGDOK board member Cay Wesnigk; AGDOK lawyer Christlieb Klages; artistic director of the German Cinematheque Dr. Rainer Rother, director Hannes Stöhr; film historian and co-founder of Friends of German Cinema Ulrich Gregor; writer and director Winfried Bonengel; director Hendrik Handloegten.
For more information and to register for the symposium, please go here. The site is in German, but there is a translation button at the top right.
Call for entries: Duisburg, Leipzig, Kassel, Neubrandenburg
12 August 2010: The 34th Duisburger Filmwoche (01-07 Nov. 2010), the 53rd DOK Leipzig (8-24 Oct. 2010), the 27th Kasseler Dokfest (9-14 Nov. 2010) and the 19th dokumentART Neubrandenburg (8-13 Oct. 2010) are all open to submissions for this year's festivals. Please see the respective websites for more information and entry forms.
German Documentaries at 34th Montréal World Film Festival, 26 August - 6 September 2010
11 August 2010: Several German documentaries will be screening at this year's Montreál World Film Festival: AGHET – A GENOCIDE (AGHET – EIN VOELKERMORD by Eric Friedler (DE/AM/US), THE BEETHOVEN PROJECT (DAS BEETHOVEN-PROJEKT) by Christian Berger, NARGIS – WHEN TIME STOPPED BREATHING by Kyaw Kyaw Oo and Maung Myint Aung (MM/DE) and THE TRUTH ABOUT DRACULA (DIE WAHRHEIT UEBER DRACULA) by Stanislaw Mucha will screen in the "Documentaries of the World" section along with the shorts ANNA by Khoa Lê and Mathieu Verreault (CA/DE), NIGATU – THE RUNNING DREAM by Steve Doeschner (ET/DE) and LES VOIX DU GRENIER by Anna Brass and Magdalena Hutter (CA/DE).
Alongside the Toronto International Film Festival, the Montréal World Film Festival is the largest film event in Canada. German films are traditionally very well represented here.
German Film Prize Winner helps re-open West Bank cinema
5 August 2010: Marcus Vetter, whose film The Heart from Jenin won this year's German Film Prize for Best Documentary, has helped re-open the West Bank's largest cinema, the Cinema Jenin. Closed down at the beginning of the Intifada in 1987, the Cinema Jenin was re-built with the help of 950,000 Euros Vetter collected, including 150,000 Euros from Pink Floyd musician Roger Waters and a generous contribution from the German Federal Foreign Office. as well as the latest in projection and production equipment.
"It always bothered me that I couldn't give back anything to the people I film with," says Vetter. So together with Ismael Kathib, the father of the killed boy from The Heart of Jenin, who generously donated his son's organs to Israeli children, Vetter decided to rebuild the theater. Some fifty volunteers, including German students and...
"Das Schiff des Torjaegers" world premiere in Locarno, 4-14.8.10
19 July 2010: The German-Swiss co-production Das Schiff des Torjaegers ("The Goal-Kicker's Ship") by Heidi Specogna will celebrate its world premiere in the 'Semaine de la Critique' section of this year's Festival del Film Locarno, running 4-14 August. The film investigates the events surrounding the 2001 story of an old ferry off the West African coast which was transporting hundreds of African children sent away by their parents as child laborers. When it became known that the Nigerian football star Jonathan Akpoborie, who played in the German Bundesliga, was the owner of the ship, the story made the headlines and Akpoborie was out of a job overnight. In her film, Specogna tracks down Akpoborie and numerous children who were aboard the ship, and weaves their stories into a portrait of the modern-day slave trade.
3 German Docs at FID Marseille 7-12 July 2010
15 June 2010: The Festival International du Documentaire FID Marseille (July 7 to 12) will feature three productions from Germany in the International Competition: the feature-length films DAY OF THE SPARROW (DER TAG DES SPATZEN) by Philip Scheffner and THE DUBAI IN ME by Christian von Borries as well as the medium-length film MADMAN’S DICTIONARY by Benno Trautmann.
5 German Docs and German Co-productions at Silverdocs 21-27 June 2010
15 June 2010: Five German or German-international documentary productions have been invited to the [8th Silverdocs International Documentary Film Festival,] silverdocs.com/ taking place from 21-27 June in Silver Spring, Maryland. The festival is organised by the American Film Institute and the Discovery Channel and is one of the most important in North America. 10 films are competing for the Sterling Award in the main competition for feature-length films. Germany is represented by THE WOMAN WITH THE 5 ELEPHANTS (DIE FRAU MIT DEN FUENF ELEFANTEN) by Vadim Jendreyko (D/CH) and A FILM UNFINISHED by Yael Hersonski (IL/DE). LA ISLA – ARCHIVES OF A TRAGEDY ( LA ISLA – ARCHIVE EINER TRAGOEDIE) by Uli Stelzner (DE/GT) will be shown in Silver Spectrum. ARIRANG: LETTER TO BARACK by Gerd Conradt and HOLDING STILL by Florian Riegel are screening in the Sterling Short Competition .
Short doc "Wagah" at Los Angeles International Film Festival 17-27 June 2010
7 May 2010: The short documentary WAGAH by Supriyo Sen has been selected for the Short Films section of this year's Los Angeles International Film Festival, running from 17-27 June.
German Docs at 32nd Moscow International Film Festival 17-26 June 2010
20 June 2010: Numerous German documentaries and German co-productions will be screening at the 32nd Moscow International Film Festival, running 17 – 26 June.
The Free Thought Documentary Cinema Program is presenting A FILM UNFISHED by Yael Hersonski (IL/DE), BANANAS by Frederik Gertten (SE/DK/US/DE/FI/NO/CH/NL/ES), THE WOMAN WITH THE FIVE ELEPHANTS (DIE FRAU MIT DEN FUENF ELEFANTEN) by Vadim Jendreyko (CH/DE) and PIANOMANIA by Lilian Franck and Robert Cibis.
LEBANON by Samuel Maoz (IL/FR/DE) can be seen in the8 ½ Films section.
DAVID WANTS TO FLY by David Sieveking and THE JOURNEY TO METROPOLIS (DIE REISE NACH METROPOLIS) by Artem Demenok can be seen in the Atelier section.
15 German Producers at Sunny Side, 22-25 June 2010
6 June 2010: For the 12th year straight, German documentary filmmakers will be presenting their latest productions under the label ”german-documentaries.de“ at Sunny Side of the Doc in La Rochelle, France. The delegation will be composed of thirty members of the German documentary film industry representing sixteen different production companies. Download the PDF flyer with information about all the German participants.
Feel free to visit our booth C23 in the 'European Spot' area for a personal meeting and a free copy of the German Documentaries 2010 catalogue featuring 200 brand new documentaries on a wealth of subjects in every imaginable documentary genre. Surely you'll find exactly what you're looking for.
German Documentaries in Shanghai 7-10 June 2010
6 June 2010: Four German documentaries will be screening in the [Magnolia International Documentary Awards]mida.smg.cn/ section of the Shanghai Television Festival, running 7-10 June 2010.
Shanghai Fiction by Busso von Mueller and Julia Albrecht, Forgetting Dad by Rick Minnich & Matt Sweetwood, Children. As Time Flies By Thomas Heise and the German-Swiss co-production Staub(Dust) by Hartmut Bitomsky. Most of the filmmakers will be in attendance and will present their films personally. Click here for the complete screening schedule.
Grit Lemke, vice-president of DOK Leipzig will also be in attendance to participate in the Summit of International Documentary Festival Presidents on 7 June.
The German Films Service + Marketing GmbH will have...
DOK Leipzig at the Shanghai Expo 2010
3 May 2010: DOK Leipzig is one of four internationally renowned documentary film festivals which will present a "best of" program at the World's Fair in Shanghai, which runs from 1 May to 31 Octoberi. Head documentary programmer Grit Lemke will present nine films from the DOK Leipzig festival in the largest cinema in the city of 18 million. For the official DOK Leipzig press release and list of films, please click here.
The other festivals presenting programs in Shanghai include the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), the Yamagata International Documentary Festival (Japan) and the Taiwan International Film Festival. The host MIDA (Magnolia International Documentary Awards) will be putting on a European Asian American Forum aimed at networking members of the documentary communities on the three continents.
DOK Leipzig will be...
2 Pina Bausch Docs at 12th Festival of German Films in Madrid
16 June 2010: The 12th Festival of German Films in Madrid, which took place from June 1 to 5, registered over 5,000 admissions again this year. And featured seven new feature films, two documentaries, a TV film and numerous shorts.
The two documentaries from the world of dance showed two different stagings of Pina Bausch’s piece „Kontakthof“: DAMEN UND HERREN AB 65 by Lilo Mangelsdorff and DANCING DREAMS (TANZTRAEUME) by Anne Linsel and Rainer Hoffmann.
"Plug & Pray" at 36th Seattle IFF, 20 May - 13 June 2010
25 May 2010: PLUG & PRAY by Jens Schanze was selected to screen in the Documentary Competition at this year's Seattle International Film Festival, running 20 May - 13 June. It is one of 15 German productions playing at one of the largest film festivals in the US.
AG DOK supports Joe Berlinger's battle against Chevron
20 May 2010: The German Documentary Association AG DOK shows its solidarity with our American colleague Joe Berlinger, who has come under attack for his film "Crude". We have signed the open letter in support of Berlinger and his team and have posted a message on the IDA website. We urge our fellow filmmakers around the world to do the same.
For more information about this horrendous case, which could potentially have devastating effects on the international documentary filmmaking community, please read on. What follows can be found on the IDA website.
The IDA and a group of filmmakers that includes Academy Award winners and nominees have issued an open letter in support of Joe Berlinger, the director of Crude, and objecting to a judge's ruling that Chevron could subpoena Mr. Berlinger's footage from his film.
Read about the developing story in the NY Times here.
And...
Partipants for 2nd German-African Documentary Co-Production Workshop in Cameroon Announced
10 May 2010: Selections have been announced for the 2nd German-African Documentary Co-Production Workshop, which will take place in Yaoundé, Cameroon from 31 May to 4 June. The workshop is being hosted by the Goethe-Institut Cameroon, the "Ecrans Noirs" festival, APIC (Association of Independent Producers in Cameroon) and the German Documentary Association AGDOK, and will feature films screenings, panels, presentations, lectures, and individual meetings.All events will take place at the Goethe Institut in Yaoundéduring the "Ecran Noirs" Film Festival.
The list of participants and projects can be downloaded here.
2nd German-African Documentary Co-Production Workshop in Yaoundé, Cameroon 31.5-4.6.10
30 March 2010: The 2nd German-African Documentary Co-Production Workshop will take place in Yaoundé, Cameroon from 31 May to 4 June. The workshop is being hosted by the Goethe-Institut Cameroon, the "Ecrans Noirs" festival, APIC (Association of Independent Producers in Cameroon) and the German Documentary Association AGDOK, and will feature films screenings, panels, presentations, lectures, and individual meetings.All events will take place at the Goethe Institut in Yaoundéduring the "Ecran Noirs" Film Festival.
Producers and directors from Germany, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo-Brazzaville, Nigeria, Ghana and Gabun are encouraged to apply for the workshop regardless of the status of their current projects.
The application deadline is 11 April 2010. Please download the application form and additional information here:
Microsoft Word file
[PDF...
New German Films in Cannes 2010
20 April 2010: German Films will be presenting 28 new German films and the Next Generation 2010 short film program at the Marché du Film during the Cannes Film Festival (12 - 23 May, 2010) on behalf of German producers and sales companies. The following documentaries are part of the program:
TO FIGHT FOR – THE YEAR OF DECISION (FRIEDENSSCHLAG – DAS JAHR DER ENTSCHEIDUNG) by Gerardo Milsztein
PIANOMANIA by Robert Cibis, Lilian Franck
DANCING DREAMS – TEENAGERS PERFORM “KONTAKTHOF” BY PINA BAUSCH (TANZTRAEUME) by Rainer Hoffmann, Anne Linsel
In addition to the New German Films screenings, the documentary NOSTALGIA DE LA LUZ by Patricio Guzman, which was co-produced by Blinker Film/Cologne, will be screening in the Séance Speciale section.
"New German Films“ is one of the important services for the rightsholders of German films....
Werner Herzog and Loads of German Documentaries in Warsaw, 7-16 May
3 May 2010: The 7th Festival Planete Doc Review (7 – 16 May) in Warsaw has invited over 20 feature-length and short documentaries or co-productions from Germany.
DAVID WANTS TO FLY by David Sieveking (DE/CH/AT), JAFFA, THE ORANGE’S CLOCKWORK by Eyal Sivan (IL/BE/FR/DE) and LULLABY (WIEGENLIEDER) by Tamara Trampe and Johann Feindt are competing in the International Competition for the € 8,000 Millenium Award.
Showing in the festival’s other sections are: 9 TO 5: DAYS IN PORN by Jens Hoffmann and Cleonice Comino, CATO by Dagmar Brendecke (DE/FR/PL), THE WOMAN WITH THE FIVE ELEPHANTS (DIE FRAU MIT DEN FUENF ELEFANTEN) by Vadim Jendreyko (CH/DE), IN BERLIN by Michael Ballhaus and Ciro Cappellari as well as PLUG AND PRAY by Jens Schanze and Judith Malek-Mahdavi....
Four German productions and co-productions at Doc Aviv 6-15 May 2010
3 May 2010: Four German productions or co-productions will be screening at the 12th International Documentary Film Festival Doc Aviv in Tel Aviv (6 – 15 May). THE BLOOD OF THE ROSE by Henry Singer (GB/DE/FR) will be screening in the International Competition. The Israeli Competition will be showing the German-Israeli-Spanish co-production THIEVES BY LAW by Alexander Gentelev. RABBIT À LA BERLIN (MAUERHASE) by Bartok Konopka and Piotr Rosolowski (PL/DE) and SHADOWS by Gregor Theus will be presented as part of the 'Special Screenings.’
German Documentaries at DOKfest Munich, 5-12 May 2010
23.4.2010: The German Documentary Association AGDOK will host a daily lounge from 11:00-22:00 from 6-9 May at DOKfest Munich. Drop by for free drinks and conversation from 19:00-20:00.
Enjoy a host of new German documentaries throughout the festival. For a detailed schedule, click here.
German pavilion in Cannes, 12-23 May
10 March 2010: Cannes may not exactly be the place to go for documentaries, but top representatives from the all the major German film funds will be on hand at the German Pavilion during the festival. So feel free to drop by for more information about the German film industry.
The "German Pavilion“ in the "International Village“ of the "Marché du Film“ has been a popular platform for several years for the accredited festival visitors from the German and international film industry in Cannes to meet each other and exchange information. The location of the pavilion right next to the Festival Palais is ideal for a (short) visit to make interesting new contacts or to concentrate on reading through the latest trades on the pleasant terrace by the beach. The sea-view and the relaxed atmosphere in the pavilion not only offer a real chance to catch a breather in the hurly-burly of the festival, but also lots of inspiration for new projects and conversations.
German Films and FOCUS...
Ten German Documentaries and Co-Productions at Hot Docs 29.4-9.5.10
26 March 2010: Ten German productions and co-productions will be screening at this year's Hot Docs International Documentary Festival in Toronto from 29 April to 9 May. The festival is regarded globally as one of the most important in the field of documentary.
Four German-international co-productions have been invited to the competitive section International Spectrum: HARVEST GOLD – FIGHTING TIME AND AGE (HERBSTGOLD) by Jan Tenhaven (DE/AT), DAVID WANTS TO FLY by David Sieveking (DE/CH/AT), I SHOT MY LOVE by Tomer Heymann (IL/DE) and THIEVES BY LAW by Alexander Gentelev (DE/IL/ES).
THE WOMAN WITH THE 5 ELEPHANTS (DIE FRAU MIT DEN FUENF ELEFANTEN) by Vadim Jendreyko (CH/DE), FREETIME MACHOS by Mika Ronkainen (FI/DE) and NEXT: ANNE PERRY – INTERIORS by Dana Linkiewicz can be seen in World Showcase.
TIME’S UP
6 Documentaries at KINO!2010: New Cinema from Germany at MoMA 21 April - 2 May
7 April 2010: Six documentaries will be screening at this year's KINO!2010: New Cinema from Germany film series at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York running from 21 April - 2 May.
Laurence Kardish, senior curator of the Film & Media Department at the MoMA, is focusing on documentaries this year, which make up six of the ten films being screened.
These documentaries include ALL MY FATHERS (ALLE MEINE VAETER) in the presence of director Jan Raiber; COMRADE COUTURE (EIN TRAUM IN ERDBEERFOLIE) by Marco Wilms, who will be in New York with the costume designer Sabine von Oettingen; FROM RAMSTEIN WITH LOVE (LIEBESGRUESSE AUS RAMSTEIN) by Irene Langemann, THE WONDROUS WORLD OF LAUNDRY (DIE WUNDERSAME WELT DER WASCHKRAFT) by Hans-Christian Schmid and the Academy Award™-nominated Polish-German documentary short RABBIT À LA BERLIN (MAUERHASEN)
KINSHASA SYMPHONY Opens 16th Visions du Réel Festival in Nyon, Switzerland, 15-21 April 2010
26 March 2010: The German documentary KINSHASA SYMPHONY will open this year's Visions du Réel festival in Nyon, Switzerland, running 15 – 21 April.
In addition to the opening film, another 25 German films and German co-productions have been invited to this highly respected festival in Switzerland.
BERLIN –STETTIN by Volker Koepp and LULLABY (WIEGENLIEDER) by Tamara Trampe and Johann Feindt will be competing for the CHF 20,000 Grand Prix in the International Competition.
The following films will be screening in the newcomer competition Regards Neufs: ALIAS by Jens Junker, NOWHERE IN EUROPE (KEIN ORT) by Kerstin Nickig (DE/PL), KICK IN IRAN by Fatima Geza Abdollahyhan, THIS MOMENT IS NOT THE SAME by Marion Neumann...
German Documentaries at Tribeca, 21.4 - 2.5.10
19 March 2010: The German-international co-productions FREETIME MACHOS by Mika Ronkainen (FI/DE) and THIEVES BY LAW by Alexander Gentelev (DE/IL/ES) will screen in the World Documentary Feature competition at this year's Tribeca Film Festival. running from 21 April - 2 May. Bjoern Richie Lob' documentary KEEP SURFING will screen in the Discovery section.
The TRIBECA Film Festival was founded in 2001 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff. It has since become a permanent fixture in the New York film scene and is one of the largest audience festivals in the United States.
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Large German program at Planete Doc Film Festival in Warsaw and Wroclaw, 10-19 May 2013
3 May 2013: The 10th edition of the PLANETE DOC FESTVAL, taking place from 10 – 19 May in Warsaw and from 12 – 19 May in Wroclaw, will feature a large selection of German...
"Beyond Wriezen" wins in Potsdam
29 April 2013: Daniel Abma's Beyond Wriezen is the winner of the Best Documentary and Best Editing awards at the 42nd International Student Film Festival "Sehsüchte"...
German Docs Go Down Under
"Water Makes Money" wins court case against Veolia
28 March 2013: The private French water company Veolia has lost three out of four of its charges against the film "Water Makes Money" and filmmakers Leslie Franke and Herdolor Lorenz. In the most important...
German Documentaries and co-productions in Thessaloniki, 15-24 March 2013
"Lee Scratch Perry's Vision of Paradise" selected for Hot Docs Forum
German Documentaries 2013 catalogue now online
9 March 2013: The German Documentaries 2013 is now available online as a downloadable PDF file. The catalogue, which appeared in the print version during the Berlinale last month, features detailed information...
DOK Leipzig goes India
7 March 2013: DOK Leipzig will be showing a selection of nineteen German and international documentaries from the festival at the first "DOK Leipzig Lake Festival" in Uttarakhand in Northern India from...
"Naked Opera" wins Heiner Carow Prize at Berlinale
17 February 2013: The Luxemburgian-German co-production Naked Opera by Angela Christlieb is the winner of the first annual Heiner Carow Prize at the [63rd Berlin International...
DRAGONFLIES WITH BIRDS AND SNAKE in Hong Kong and Bradford
8 February 2013: Wolfgang Lehmann's DRAGONFLIES WITH BIRDS AND SNAKE (LIBELLEN MIT VÖGEL UND SCHLANGE) will celebrate its Asian premiere at the 37th Hong Kong International Film Festival (17 March –...
Grimme Prize nominees announced
29 January 2013: The following documentary films, series and specials have been nominated for this year's Grimme Preis – the German equivalent of the Emmys. For details...
"The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear" wins at Sundance
"Dragan Wende-West Berlin" wins in Saarbrücken
26 January 2013: DRAGAN WENDE-WEST BERLIN (Dir.: Dragan von Petrovic, Lena Müller, Germany, 2012) is the winner of the best documentary...
"More than Honey" wins Bavarian Film Prize
20 January 2013: More than Honey by Markus Imhoof is the winner of the best documentary award at this year's Bavarian Film Prize, which took place on 18 January at the Prinz...
"Polluting Paradise" and "Forget Me Not" receive distribution support for foreign theatrical releases
7 January 2012: The German Film Marketing organization German Films allocated a total of € 567,500 in funding for theatrical releases of German films abroad in 2012.
In the sixth and last sitting...
"The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear" at Sundance, 17-27 January 2012
German Docs and Co-productions win in Mexico
26 November 2012: Rainer Ludwigs' "The Story of Leonida" won the award for the best international short film and Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth by Frauke Sandig...
"Forget Me Not" wins two prizes in Lünen
19 November 2012: David Sieveking's "Forget Me Not" took home the best screenplay award at the Kinofest Lünen, the festival for German films, which ran from 15-18...
German Docs and co-productions in Tallinn, 12-28 November 2012
German documentaries and co-produtions in Amsterdam, 14-25 November 2012
"LANG LANG – THE ART OF BEING A VIRUOSO" wins in Prague
German documentaries and co-produtions galore at CPH:DOX, 1-11 November 2012
German documentary co-productions in Brisbane, 14-25 November 2012
German Documentaries and co-productions in Minsk, 2-9 November 2012
DOK Leipzig program now online
NOT IN MY BACKYARD at Cork, 11-18 November 2012
24 October 2012: NOT IN MY BACKYARD by Matthias Bittner (Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, zischlermann filmproduktion) will be playing in the Documentaries section at the 57th Cork Film Festival,
"The Last Street" wins in Sibiu
22 October 2012: THE LAST STREET by Rasmus Sievers and Marina Monsonís (Germany, Spain) is the winner ex aequo of the Astra Award for the Best Documentary...
German Documentaries + Rosa von Praunheim Retrospective in Vienna, 25 October - 7 November 2012
German Documentaries and co-productions in São Paulo, 19 Oct. - 1 November 2012
German documentaries and co-productions at Jihlava, 23 - 28 October 2012
William Klein Tribute + "El Bella Vista" in Montréal, 10-21 October 2012
German Documentaries and co-productions in Warsaw, 12-21 October 2012
26 September 2012: Seven German documentaries and co-productions will be screening at the 28th Warsaw Film Festival, running from 12 - 21 October in Warsaw, Poland. The films by...
"El Bella Vista" in Chicago, 11 - 25 October 2012
"My Freedom, Your Freedom" in Istanbul, 26 Sept. - 2 October 2012
Help keep Brussels art house cinema Arenberg alive!
10 October 2011: Recently this call for help reached us from our colleagues in Belgium. While German Documentaries does not generally call for action, we feel it is important to express our support for...
9 German Docs and Co-productions at Rio, 6- 18 October 2011
Khodorkovsky in Kyiv, 22 - 30 October 2011
Large program of German Docs at Jihlava, 25 - 30 October 2011
Newsreel Conference in Stuttgart 12-13 October 2011
11 October 2011: The [Haus des Dokumentarfilms] in Stuttgart will be hosting a two-day conference on the history and effect of newsreels in East and West Germany after 1945. The conference will take place...
Franco's Settlers receives Special Mention at Medimed Docs Market
Political Documentary Conference in Cologne, 13 - 15 October 2011
5 October 2011: The Documentary Film Initiative DFI will be hosting a conference on the subject "Documentaries and Politics. The Politics of Documentaries" a the...
"El Bella Vista" in Chicago, 11 - 25 October 2012
26 September 2012: EL BELLA VISTA by Alicia Cano (UY/DE, Thomas Mauch Filmproduktion) will be screening in the documentary competition at the [Chicago International...
German documentaries and co-productions in Warsaw, 12 -21 October 2012
26 September 2012: A host of German documentaries and co-productions will be screening at the 28th Warsaw Film Festival, running from 12 October – 21 October 2012 in Warsaw, Poland....
German Documentaries in St. Petersburg, 22-29 September 2012
"The Flat" at Hamptons International Film Festival, 4 - 8 October 2012
20 September 2012: THE FLAT (DIE WOHNUNG) by Arnon Goldfinger (DE/IL, zero one film) will be playing in the World Cinema Documentary section of the [20th Hamptons...
German Documentaries and co-productions in Reykjavik, 27 September - 7 October 2012
DRAGONFLIES WITH BIRDS AND SNAKE at New York Film Festival, 7 October 2012
20 September 2012: Wolfgang Lehmann's film DRAGONFLIES WITH BIRDS AND SNAKE (TROLLSLÄNDOR MED FÅGLAR OCH ORM) will be screening at the [50th New York Film Festival...
German Documentaries protests dismissal of director of Cineteca Madrid
12 September 2012: The German Documentary Association and German Documentaries protest the sudden and inexplicable dismissal of Antonio Delgado Liz, director of the Cineteca Madrid and of the International...
2 German Documentaries and Co-Productions in Vladivostok, 22 - 28 September 2012
3 German documentaries and co-productions at Cambridge, 13-23 September 2012
7 September 2012: Three German documentaries and co-productions will be screening in the main programme of the 32nd Cambridge Film Festival, running from 13 –...
German Documentaries in Zurich, 20-30 September 2012
6 September 2012: Five German documentaries and co-productions will be screening at the 8th Zurich Film Festival, running from 20 – 30 September 2012 in Zurich, Switzerland....
German documentaries in Telluride, 31 Aug. - 3 September 2012
31 August 2012: Two recent German documentaries and two vintage works by Werner Herzog will be featured at the 39th Telluride Film Festival, running from 31 August –...
German documentaries and co-productions in Vancouver, 27 Sept. - 12 October 2012
German Docs in Toronto, 6-16 September 2012
David Sieveking's FORGET ME NOT (VERGISS MEIN NICHT) wins in Locarno
13 August 2012: The documentary FORGET ME NOT (VERGISS MEIN NICHT) by David Sieveking, Lichtblick Media, received the main prize of the Semaine de la Critique, the SRG SSR/Semaine de la Critique Prize...
Final Call for applications to 2nd DOK LEIPZIG Net Lab
9 August 2012: The final application deadline for the 2nd DOK LEIPZIG NET LAB is on 16 August. The exclusive one-day lab on Interactive Storytelling and Media Architecture will take place on
Saturday,...
Distribution Support for PINA and THIS AIN'T CALIFORNIA abroad
2 German Documentaries and Co-Productions in Melbourne, 2-19 August 2012
13 July 2012: THIS AIN’T CALIFORNIA by Marten Persiel (Wildfremd Production) and ¡VIVAN LAS ANTIPODAS! by Victor Kossakovsky, (ma.ja.de filmproduktion, DE/NL/AR/CL) will be screening at the [2012 Melbourne...
5 German Documentary co-productions in Durban, 19-29 July 2012
3 German documentaries at Locarno, 1 - 11 August 2012
Deadline for Kassel Dokfest on 20 July 2012
8 July 2012: The deadline for entry to the 29th Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival is on 20 July. Online applications are being accepted here.
The Kassel Dokfest...
German Documentary co-productions in Yerevan, 8-15 July 2012
German documentary co-productions in Sarajevo, 6-14 July 2012
German Documentaries and Co-Productions in Jerusalem, 5-14 July 2012
5 July 2012: Six German documentaries and co-productions will be screening at the Jerusalem Film Festival, running from 5 – 14 July in Jerusalem, Israel. The films by section:...
German Documentaries and Co-productions at Marseille, 4-9 July 2012
26 June 2012: Five German documentaries and co-productions will be screening at the Festival International de Cinéma, running from 4 – 9 July in Marseille, France. The...
"Blood in the Mobile" wins Herbert Quandt Medien-Preis
25 June 2012: Blood in the Mobile by Frank Poulsen (Prod. Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion) is the winner of the Herbert Quandt Medien-Preis for exceptional...
Five German Documentaries and Co-Productions in Karlovy Vary, 29 June - 7 July 2012
Two German Documentary Co-Productions in Moscow, 21-30 June 2012
Five German Documentaries and Co-Productions at Silver Docs, 18-24 June 2012
Three German Documentary shorts at Huesca, 9-16 June 2012
German Documentaries and Producers at Sheffield, 13-17 June 2012
4 June 2012: Seven new and classic German documentaries and co-productions will be screening at Sheffield Doc/Fest, running from 13 – 17 June:
BUENA VISTA SOCIAL...
"Khodorkovsky" at Festival of German Films in Madrid, 5-9 June 2012
8 German documentaries and co-productions in Transilvania, 1-10 June 2012
Three German Documentary Co-Productions in Sydney, 6-17 June 2012
21 May 2012: Three German documentary co-productions will be screening in the "International Documentaries" section of the Sydney Film Festival, running from 6 – 17 June in Sydney,...
"Meanwhile in Mamelodi" wins at HotDocs and San Francisco
7 May 2012: Benjamin Kahlmeyer's MEANWHILE IN MAMELODI (P: Boris Frank; Germany, South Africa) tied with Bill Ross and Turner Ross' TCHOUPITOULAS...
Large German program at Planete Doc Film Festival in Warsaw, 11-20 May 2012
7 May 2012: This year's Planete Doc Film Festival, running from 11-20 May in Warsaw and 14-20 May in Wroclaw, will feature a wide selection of German documentaries, including...
Italy and Putin in Seattle, 17 May - 10 June 2012
7 May 2012: The German documentary co-productions "Italy, Love it or Leave It" by Gustav Hofer and Luca Ragazzi, hiq productions (IT/DE) and PUTIN'S KISS by Lise Birk Pedersen, Kloos & Co Medien (DK/DE)...
"Farewell Comrades! Interactive" wins FOCAL International Award
4 May 2012: Farewell Comrades! Interactive
Artline Films (France) Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion (Germany) is the winner of this year's Award for Best Use of Footage...
German documentaries and co-productions in Tel Aviv, 3-12 May 2012
Ralf Schenk named new chair of the DEFA Foundation
24 April 2012: Leading German film journalist Dr. Ralf Schenk has been unanimously selected to succeed Helmut Morsbach as chair of the DEFA Foundation. Schenk has written extensively...
Two Prizes for My Freedom, Your Freedom
24 April 2012: Diana Näcke's feature documentary My Freedom, Your Freedom (Prod. TAG/TRAUM Filmproduktion, Distributor: EDITION SALZGEBER) is the recent winner...
DOK.INCUBATOR training programme deadline 15 May 2012
19 April 2012: DOK Leipzig and the new Czech training initiative DocIncubator are launching an innovative training programme for the support of outstanding, artistic and creative European documentaries...
German documentaries and co-productions at Documentary Edge, New Zealand, 26 April - 3 June 2012
17 April 2012: German documentaries and co-productions are well represented at this year's Documentary Edge Festival, running from 26 April - 3 June in Auckland and Wellington,...
German Documentaries and co-productions at Crossing Europe in Linz, 24 - 29 April 2012
Large German delegation at HotDocs, 26 April - 6 May 2012
Large German program at Nyon, 20-27 April 2012
"Meanwhile in Mamelodi" and "Vivan las Antipodas" at San Francisco, 19 April - 3 May 2012
10 April 2012: MEANWHILE IN MAMELODI by Benjamin Kahlmeyer (Prod. Filmakademie Baden-Württtemberg) and VIVAN LAS ANTIPODAS by Victor Kossakovsky (Prod. ma.ja.de...
"Raising Resistance" in Rome, 12 - 20 April 2012
29 March 2012: Raising Resistance from Bettina Borgfeld and David Bernet (Prod: Dreamer Joint Venture, Pandora Filmproduktion (DE/CH)) will be screening in...
German Documentaries and co-productions at 11th AUDI Festival of German Films in Australia
29 March 2012: After the jubilee year in 2011, the Audi Festival of German Films, which is organised by the Goethe Institut in Australia together with German Films, will be presenting a total of 32 feature...
German Documentaries and co-productions at Indielisboa, 26 April - 6 May 2012 Istanbul, 31 March - 15 April 2012
"No Gravity" at Créteil, 30 March - 8 April 2012
19 March 2012: Silvia Casalino's feature documentary No Gravity (DE/FR), Prod. Pefect Shot Films will be screening in the section...
German Documentaries and co-productions in Istanbul, 31 March - 15 April 2012
16 March 2012: A wealth of German documentaries and co-productions will be screening at the 31st Istanbul Film Festival, running from 31 March – 15 April in Istanbul, Turkey....
Transit at Festival of German Films in Madrid, 31 May - 4 June 2011
30 May 2011: TRANSIT by Angela Zumpe will be playing alongside seven new feature films, a complete TV series and numerous shorts at the 13th Festival of German...
German Documentaries in Seattle, 19 May - 12 June 2011
"The Flat" at Tribeca, 18 - 29 April 2012
15 March 2012: THE FLAT (DIE WOHNUNG) by Arnon Goldfinger, Zero one (DE/IL) will be screening in the World Documentary Feature Competition at the [Tribeca...
Grimme Preis winners announced
13 March 2012: The five winners in the category "Information and Culture" of this year's Grimme Preis have been announced:
Regina Schilling (writer/director)...
German Documentaries and co-productions in Hong Kong, 21 March - 5 April 2012
Scores of German Documentaries and co-productions in Sofia, 9-25 March 2012
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7 February 2012: The