In collaboration with Ex Oriente Film (Institute of Documentary Film), DOK Leipzig hosted the second session of the documentary feature and series workshops to take place alongside the festival and industry programme. This partnership extended parts of its programme to the wider DOK Industry community and offered access to an array of masterclasses, lectures and case studies to all accredited guests.

This is a hands-on lecture on script writing in serial storytelling by filmmaker and screenwriter Chris Westendorp. Chris recently co-directed with Mea Dols de Jong the four-part geopolitical thriller “Hidden” (NL, 2024) that was presented at Cannes Series. She is a co-leading tutor of Ex Oriente Series training workshop.

Language:
English

Access:
Accredited guests welcome

Speaker:
Chris Westendorp, Writer and Director, Netherlands
 

The recording of the event will be available on this page the day after.

Producing a documentary series can be an obstacle course, and finding the right format to be greenlit depends on many factors. How do you go from development to production without compromising your story? Eleonora is a guest tutor of the Ex Oriente Series training workshop.

Language:
English

Access:
Accredited guests welcome

Speaker:
Eleonora Savi, Head of Non Fiction and Producer, Fandango, Italy

Danish film editor Per K. Kirkegaard will closely focus on the artistic collaboration in the editing room. Per K. Kirkegaard graduated from Den Danske Filmskole in film editing. He has become one of the most established editors in the Danish film industry. He has edited numerous critically acclaimed documentaries and features, among them “Accused”, awarded with the European Film Academy Discovery Prix Fassbinder; “Armadillo”, awarded an Emmy for best editing of a long-format documentary; “TPB AFK: The Pirate Bay Away From Keyboard”, selected for Berlin Film Festival; “The Sound of a Revolution”, a Greenlandic documentary, premiered at 2014’s CPH:DOX; and “Chuck Norris vs Communism”, selected for the 2015 Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Documentary competition. In 2019, he became a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences. Per is a guest tutor of the Ex Oriente Film training workshop.

Language:
English

Access:
Accredited guests welcome

Speaker:
Per K. Kirkegaard, Film Editor, Denmark

The panel will feature representatives of broadcasters, funds and producers who focus on documentary series. What are the current needs, issues and opportunities of the episodic factual segment within the creative documentary industry?

Language:
English

Access:
Accredited guests welcome
 

The recording of the event will be available on this page the day after.

With reference to this year’s opening film “Tracing Light”, Thomas Riedelsheimer will discuss and talk about finding themes and artistic language in documentary film, about the meaning and power of images and his special way of working as a director-cameraman. Thomas is a guest tutor of the Ex Oriente Film training workshop.

Language:
English

Access:
Accredited guests welcome

Speaker:
Thomas Riedelsheimer, Author, Director and Cinematographer, Germany

In this lecture, we will explore the current landscape of sales and distribution for creative documentaries. We'll dive into the role of a sales agent, outlining key strategies for building a productive and healthy collaboration. You’ll learn how to best position your film for international markets and festivals. Additionally, we’ll discuss practical insights and essential tips for those interested in navigating DIY distribution. By the end, you’ll have a clearer understanding of how to make the most of your documentary’s journey from production to audience. Anna is a guest tutor of the Ex Oriente Film training workshop.

Language:
English

Access:
Accredited guests welcome

Lecturer:
Anna Berthollet, CEO, Sales & Acquisitions, Lightdox, Switzerland