We open this year’s festival with the new film by Claire Simon! In “Writing Life: Annie Ernaux Through the Eyes of High School Students”, French teenagers study the work of renowned author Annie Ernaux in school. How do they approach her texts? To what extent do her words speak to them, trigger new trains of thought or relate to their own lives? Simon observes the discussions these young people have – in Paris, in its suburbs, in Toulouse, and overseas in French Guiana, among other places.

Festival director Christoph Terhechte: “Claire Simon’s film shows in a straightforward and thus very powerful way how arts and culture can influence the development not only of our intellect, but also of our values and our political awareness. The arts often find themselves in a situation where they have to prove their relevance. Claire Simon’s film demonstrates smoothly why there should be no question about the value the arts hold for society.”

Save the dates:

Our Opening Ceremony takes place on Monday, 27 October 2025, 19:00 at CineStar.

Would you like to meet the filmmaker? Claire Simon will be the guest of one of our DOK Talks! Christoph Terhechte will talk to her about her cinematic approaches and themes. The DOK Talk is open to the public free of charge.
When and where: Tuesday, 28 October 2025, 16:00, ZFL – Zeitgeschichtliches Forum Leipzig.

We will publish our programme, including all screening times, on 9 October. Ticket sales start simultaneously.

You can find more information about the opening film in our press release.