On October 10, 2024 after the press conference, the entire selection of films inclusive all dates will be online at the website of 67 DOK Leipzig. At the same time the advance ticket sales starts.
DOK Leipzig 2024 to open with TRACING LIGHT by Thomas Riedelsheimer
This documentary looks at the phenomenon of light, bringing together scientific insights and artistic perspectives. Since 2018, Riedelsheimer has overseen dok.art, a programme he devised to develop content for documentaries by first-time directors. He will discuss the programme in a master class at the Ex Oriente Workshop at DOK Leipzig.
The first sections of the 67th festival edition have been finalised. 67 DOK Leizig will honour the memory of director and writer Thomas Heise, who was born 1955 in East Berlin, in a lineup of films, an evening event and this year’s DEFA matinee and as well as two female filmmakers, the renowned French director Dominique Cabrera and the Spanish animation artist Isabel Herguera, in a homage to each.
The Industry Programme also comprises a number of events, organised by DOK Leipzig’s trusted partners. AG DOK will present their new mentoring initiative and reflect on the use of AI in documentaries during the respective panels (held in German). ARD will host speed meetings for serial storytellers and hold their TopDocs finale, where the five finalists for 2024 will showcase their projects. AG Animationsfilm will run a panel, ‘Twentysomething – The Shift to Medium Length Film in Animation’, focusing on the emerging trend toward longer formats in animation films, along with the possibilities and challenges that arise from this shift, which affect the way these films are financed, produced, and distributed. Browse the full press release September 26, 2024 here.
Line up German documentary productions and co-productions [work in progress]
- AMONG THE PALMS THE BOMB, OR: LOOKING FOR REFLECTIONS IN THE TOXIC FIELD OF PLENTY by Lukas Marxt, Vanja Smiljanic, 86min, [Camera Lucida]
- BARLUSCHKE by Thomas Heise, 90min, ©1997 [homage]
- EISENZEIT by Thomas Heise, 90min, ©1991 [homage]
- THE GARDEN CADENCES by Dane Komljen, 62min, [Camera Lucida]
- HEIMAT IS A SPACE IN TIME | HEIMAT IST EIN RAUM AUS ZEIT by Thomas Heise, 218min, ©2019 [homage]
- LAPILLI by Paula Durinoa, 65min [Camera Lucida]
- TRACING LIGHT by Thomas Riedelsheimer, P: Filmpunkt, Sonja Henrici Creates, [opening]
- wo/men by Kristine Nrecaj, Birthe Templin, 87min [Panorama]
The complete festival programme will be online at the website of 67 DOK Leipzig, on October 10, 2024. Stay tuned!
Every year, about 1,600 film industry professionals come to Leipzig to participate in over 50 events under the umbrella of DOK Industry. Browse the TIMETABLE here.
DOK Co-Pro Market 2024 selects 35 Projects
The 20th edition of the DOK Co-Pro Market welcomes 35 documentary projects from 30 countries, including 6 German co-productions that will have the opportunity to find international financing and co-production partners. This year sees a further increase in the number of entries, totalling 366 projects.
The 20th edition continues to see immense international interest from beyond the European borders, welcoming this October directors and producers from the US, five countries from Central and South America, five Asian countries, and five African countries. The DOK Co-Pro Market 2024 is set to take place from 28 October 28–29 at Leipzig, with complementary online meetings on November 5, 2024.
- FROM HERE by Philipp Diettrich, Sara Woldeslassie, P: PINKY SWEAR FILM, Germany
- THE LAND WE BREATHE by Manuel Inacker, P: Restart, Germany, Croatia
- LETTERS by Andrei Kutsila, P: DocEdu Foundation, DOCDAYS Productions, Poland, Germany
- MY DAD'S A FARMER by El Kheyer Zidani, P: Z§K Production, jip Film & Verleih, Poland, Germany,
- OH, HEART DON'T BE AFRAID by Ana Kvichidze, P: Moonbow Production, parabellum film, Georgia, Germany
- SITTING THE MONTH by Marita Stocker, P: eikon media, Germany
DOK Short n’ Sweet .
is a short film pitch focusing on the financing and distribution of short documentary, animated documentary and animated films as well as series. DOK Short n’ Sweet spotlights eight new exciting short film projects in diverse stages of production. A panel of international buyers, distributors and programmers share feedback and ask questions to increase the projects’ potential and unlock financing opportunities. Among the selected projects are two German productions, such as
- THE FALL by Giulia Falciani, Emilia Zieser, P: Studio Fazi,
- NOT YOUR SISTER by Jana Rothe, P: Pinkmovies GmbH,
Generation Ukraine is an initiative by the ARTE group aimed at supporting the Ukrainian filmmaking industry by co-producing 12 documentaries that explore the Ukrainian reality from the inside, telling the effects of the war on the people, land, bodies and souls. It’s also about creating a strong ecosystem with partners such as DAE – Documentary Association of Europe, Doc Society, Ukrainian Institute, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, etc. The collection is the result of a collaboration between ARTE France, ARTE G.E.I.E, ZDF/ARTE, MDR/ARTE, SWR/ARTE, BR/ARTE and RBB/ARTE. #StandWithUkraine
[source PR Sept 24]
At DOK Industry 2023, DOK Leipzig presented the initiative and showcased six of the projects in presence of the creative teams. Among the six selected projects are three German co-productions with the working titles:
- THE BLESSED – ARTIST AT WAR by Andrii Lysetskyi, 75min or 52min, produced by Olha Beskhmelnytsina, Gennady Kofman (MaGiKa Film, Ukraine) | Co-Production: Uldis Cekulis (VFS Films, Latvia), Erik Winker (CORSO Film, Germany) [Generation Ukraine, DOK Industry Talk]
- SILENT FLOOD by Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk, produced by Karina Kostyna (TABOR, Ukraine) | Co-Production: Tanja Georgieva-Waldhauer (Elemag Pictures, Germany)
- WOMEN OCCUPIED by Tetiana Hanza, Zoia Volk, produced by Oksana Ivantsiv, Regina Maryanovska Davidzon (Real Pictures, Ukraine) | Co-Production: Zoia Volk (ZOVA Films, Germany)
DOK Preview Germany is is a launch pad for works-in-progress projects and freshly completed German documentary films seeking world premiere and international distribution opportunities. [FB]
DOK Preview Germany showcases German feature-length documentaries ready to enter the international market. The teams present their projects to international buyers, commissioning editors, world sales, festival curators and distributors looking for outstanding films to offer their audiences. With the project presentation and subsequent opportunity for networking and exchange, we want to support the selected projects on their journey to international distribution and create new working ties. 2024 project selection for DOK Preview Germany wil be announced on Oct 1,2024. The event wil be moderated by Tanja Georgieva-Waldhauer and Zeynep Güzel.
DOK Preview Germany takes place on Monday, October 28, 2024, 3:30 p.m. as part of DOK Industry. The venue is located in Leipzig’s city centre with festival cinemas and the festival centre within walking distance at Nonnenmühlgasse 2, St. Trinitatis, Leipzig. Access by invitation only. Livestream accessible for all accredited guests. Presented by Tanja Georgieva-Waldhauer and Zeynep Güzel.
• Tanja Georgieva-Waldhauer is an EAVE producers workshop-alumna, has represented Germany as a European Producer on the Move in 2020 and is a member of EWA, DAE, Produzentenverband, AG DOK, the German and European Film Academy.
• Zeynep Güzel is ia filmmaker, consultant and the head of Doc Station at Berlinale Talents and works as consultant on storytelling, grant writing, pitching and co-financing strategies including the Doc Toolbox program at Berlinale EFM, DOK Leipzig Industry and East Doc Platform.
Selection DOK Preview Germany:
- CURTAINS by Alina Cyranek, P: hug films,
- LIGHTS (WT) by Mila Teshaieva, Marcus Lenz, P: wildfilms,
Beginning with the liberation of Bucha and following five characters as they navigate their life through conflicts, trauma, and hopes, the film tells a story of transformations of the nation shaped by war. - THE MOELLN LETTERS by Martina Priessner, P: inselfilm produktion,
- SIHANOUKVILLE 2566 OR IN CASE I COMPLETELY DISAPPEAR by Selina Becker, P: Rosenpictures Filmproduktion,
- SPRING IN KANGIQSUALUJJUAQ by Marie Zrenner, P: Leykauf Film in cooperation with HFF Munich,
- WHY WE PLAY – ENSEMBLE MODERN by Thorsten Schütte, 90min, P: Ama Film,
WHY WE PLAY is the first full-length documentary about the work of one of the world's best international music collectives, Ensemble Modern. The film is a sensory voyage of discovery. It provides a better understanding of the creation and meaning of contemporary music in the context of our time. It presents the audience with the motives, struggles and motivations of the musicians and composers who bring this musical organism to life. - For more information, please contact the producers or stay tuned.
The DOK Archive Market Talk ‘Archive Producers: What’s Next? Discussing the Trends and Developments From the Inside’ will examine current industry developments and what the future holds for archive producing, particularly in light of the rising use of AI in this work. Archive producer and founder of GRAP e.V. (German Researchers and Archive Producers) Monika Preischl will be in conversation with Canadian archive producer Elizabeth Klinck.
SAVE THE DATE Monday, 28.10.2024 at 1 pm, Nonnenmühlgasse 2, St. Trinitatis, Leipzig. The event will be hold in German.
Branchen-Einstieg im Branchen-Umbruch
Perspektiven für junge Dokumentarfilmschaffend
Industry entry in the industry upheaval - perspectives for young documentary filmmakers – AG DOK and futurDOK discuss the conditions for starting a career and launch mentoring program
Rarely have documentary films been more important than in these challenging times. At the same time, production conditions are in a structural crisis. Public broadcasters are withdrawing from long-form documentaries, cinema is struggling with a loss of significance and rapid technological innovations are profoundly changing filmmaking. In light of these upheavals, starting a career has also become more challenging. Together with experts and up-and-coming filmmakers, we will shed light on the current conditions for young filmmakers and ask how a successful career start can be achieved today. At the same time, the event marks the start of the AG DOK mentoring program, in which ten talents will be accompanied by experienced mentors for one year.
Key note by co-Chair of AG DOK Susanne Binninger, director, producer, professor at the Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf .
SAVE THE DATE Tuesday, 29.10.2024 at 11:30 am,Nonnenmühlgasse 2, St. Trinitatis, Leipzig.
Dokumentarfilm & künstliche Intelligenz
Paradoxer Widerspruch oder Chance für das Genre?
Documentary film & artificial intelligence – Paradoxical contradiction or opportunity for the genre?
The support of artificial intelligence is now possible in all phases of the realization of a film: research, pre-production, shooting, post-production and marketing. The genre-specific binding references to pre-film reality pose particular challenges for documentary work. On the one hand, this involves specific aspects of copyright and personal rights and, on the other, the unwritten contract with the audience. What does the use of AI mean for the genre? Does the documentary film need a voluntary commitment or a code of conduct from the authors in order to maintain a basis of trust when using artificial intelligence?
- Moderation: Valentin Thurn / director and producer
- Keynote: Artificial intelligence versus reality?
Daniel Sponsel / Festival director DOK.fest München and filmmaker - Overview and classification – AI in documentary film:
Erec Brehmer / filmmaker and author - AI in documentary film – Status of the rules at public broadcasters.
Martin Paul, part of the Digital Information team at MDR SACHSEN-ANHALT - Do we need a code of conduct? Pros and cons, with examples.
Alice Agneskirchner / documentary filmmaker
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