Leipzig appears to be longer a mere film festival but a "revolutionary movement": the festival is a tribune for those "turning against colonial suppression, neo-colonialism and racism, standing up for anti-imperialist solidarity." [Kommitee Internationale Leipziger Dokumentar- und Kurzfilmwoche für Kino und Fernsehen]
This is the response to "garrulous" [Wilhelm Roth] television reports that "squeeze out the artistic documentary film". The revolution tends to express itself in films that depict suffering and war in an uncompromising manner.
Under pressure from the cultural department of the Central Committee the longstanding guest of honour Joris Ivens is declared persona non grata, with his films ignored. The reason for this is his interest in and sympathy for China and Maoism.
Treatment of a different kind is accorded to permanent guest of honour Santiago Alvarez: on his 60th birthday his films are screened and an exhibition and discussion held under the motto "Revolutionary and Documentarist". [Festival-Chronik Teil 3] In addition to the Golden Dove, the West German film "Unversöhnliche Erinnerungen" by Klaus Volkenborn, Johann Feindt and Karl Siebig is also awarded the film critics' prize. And Marlies Graf's "Behinderte Liebe" is one of the first films to push back the (officially non-existent) limits of the festival programme by dealing with a taboo topic.
In the UN Year of the Child the festival organises a "Day of the Child", with the fates of children around the world illustrated.
Golden Doves
KAMPUCHEA 3 4 (KAMPUCHEA, Production Newsweek)
CUANDO PASO LA MUERTE (WENN DER TOD VORBEI IST, Cuba, Jorge Ramón Gonzalez)
GA (KRA! KRA!) (Animated Film, Bulgaria, Stoyan Dukov)
VELIKAJA OTETČESTVENNAJA / THE UNKNOWN WAR (DIE ENTSCHEIDENDE FRONT, USSR/USA, Roman Karmen)
Silver Doves
MELANINA SVAD'BA (MELANIES HOCHZEIT, USSR, A. Koval)
OLYMPIADA (OLYMPIONIKEN, Poland, Bogdan Dziworski)
BEHINDERTE LIEBE (Switzerland, Marlies Graf)
ES GIBT EIN LAND IN EUROPA (GDR, Team "Alltag im Westen")
PHÖNIX (GDR, Walter Heynowski and Gerhard Scheumann)
Special prize of the International Jury
CHILDREN OF PALESTINE (DIE KINDER PALÄSTINAS, PLO, Monica Maurer and Samir Nimer)