The coundown is on: In two months the 68th festival edition opens. We are pleased to kick-off the festival season by unveiling this year’s motif! For the fifth time in a row, it is designed by Leipzig-based graphic designer and illustrator Stefan Ibrahim.

He says: „The pair of shoes lying around is a snapshot, a fixed frame of familiar dynamics. To be constantly on the move and yet be able to stand still at the right moment is a privilege and perhaps also a duty. Voting with your feet — that doesn't just mean leaving, it can also mean walking towards something or staying put.“ 

Festival director Christoph Terhechte adds: „Our films also serve the purpose of helping viewers empathise with someone else. As the English proverb says: Walk a mile in my shoes.“

What happens next:

From 27 October to 2 November 2025, Leipzig will once again become a meeting place for documentary and animated film fans and filmmakers from all over the world. Over the coming weeks, you can expect exciting insights into the festival programme on all our channels — until the complete film programme is published on 9 October.

During the festival week, numerous venues in Leipzig will don the distinctive festival red and invite you to experience the 68th edition of the festival with us. Get ready for cinematic discoveries, lively discussions and unforgettable festival moments!

If you don’t want to miss any updates on the festival programme, sign up to our Newsletter and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn und Facebook.

We look forward to welcoming you soon!

The first episode of our sixth season of DOK Industry Podcast is out! Four new episodes will be released in the run-up to the festival in autumn. The podcast is produced in collaboration with our long-term partners Programmers of Colour Collective (POC2) and What's Up With Docs Podcast — and brand new on bord: Talking Shorts.

As in our previous seasons, we will continue exploring burning issues in the documentary film industry with a special focus on power structures and lack of representation. The DOK Industry Podcast aims to inspire discussions about equality, solidarity and participation in documentary and animated film. Contributions are intended to question existing power structures and initiate change. Read more in the press release

The Curators

of this year’s DOK Industry Podcast are Toni Bell, Qila Gill, Sanne Jehoul, Weronika Lewandowska, Lucy Mukerjee and Niels Putman.

In the First Episode

Qila Gill, Nihan Sivridag (Selection Committee Berlinale Shorts) and Puiyee Leong (Programme Director of Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film Singapore) discuss the self-understanding of cultural institutions and their own roles as cultural workers in the face of today’s global political climate. How can they offer filmmakers an environment that is both appreciative and respectful? What does community building look like within cultural spaces such as festivals? How can institutions practice hospitality when filmmakers from different cultural backgrounds participate? Gill, Sivridag, and Leong talk about solidarity, art as a political moment, and the need to see one's own role as an enabler of open spaces for art and discourse, rather than a gatekeeper. They also reflect on the creative freedom that lies in the short film format—especially in light of the fact that it meets with little commercial interest.

Further Episodes

of Season 6 will focus on the US organisation “Disability Media Alliance”, which is set to launch in the summer; the political impact of cinematic storytelling; the unique characteristics and production conditions of short films; the responsibility of XR art towards young people; and unconventional distribution models used by filmmakers to reach their audiences — with a special spotlight on the research and networking project UNITED SCREENS.

Tune in to episode 1 – “Short Films, Big Questions”

This year, we have received around 3,000 films. We are overwhelmed and thank each applicant for your interest in our festival!

The selection committee is already deeply engaged in a viewing marathon. In addition to our festival director Christoph Terhechte and the programme coordinators Lina Dinkla, Jana Kraft, Victoria Leshchenko and Marcel Maïga, this year's selection team includes film experts Borjana Gaković, Marie Ketzscher, Jan Künemund, James Lattimer, Anke Leweke, Seggen Mikael, Irina Rubina, Carolin Weidner, Annina Wettstein and Luc-Carolin Ziemann.

We will announce the film programme and competition nominations on 9 Oktober, the same day that ticket sales start.

Is the festival firmly marked on your calendar? A reminder to film professionals: You can already apply for accreditation now!

Fotos: Oliver Dietze, Priscillia Grubo, Susann Jehnichen, Birgitta Kowsky, Adrien Michel, Maiju Saari, Dovile Sermokas, Daniel Wetzel

Whether you have a feature-length documentary, a short doc or animated film or an XR work in development or production – the time to apply is now!

DOK Preview Germany

Your feature documentary is almost completed and seeking to premiere in winter/spring 25/26? In collaboration with German Films we look for the most exciting new German documentary projects. Present your project to international buyers, editors, world sales, festivals and distributors.

We are looking for:

• creative, author-driven, feature-length documentary projects (min. 79 minutes)

• suitable for theatrical release and festival distribution with an international audience in mind

• with a majority of German participation

Apply until 4 September

DOK Short n’ Sweet 

You are excited about your current short film project and looking for an opportunity to pitch, network and find partners to come on board? Pitch it in front of an audience of producers and peers.

We are looking for:

• all project stages, from development to completion

• short documentaries / animated documentaries / animated films / series

• shorts with a strong point of view, creative vision and cinematic approach

• lengths of maximum 30 minutes

Send us your shorts until 14 August

DOK Exchange XR Showcase and Prototyping Zone

You are working on an XR project in development or in the prototype stage? Seize the opportunity to connect with cutting-edge experts, consult your work-in-progress projects and keep in touch with the international XR community. You can apply either for the XR Showcase or for the XR Prototyping Zone.

For both open calls we are looking for:

• an innovative and unique approach to storytelling

• artistic possibilities of immersive media, interactive technologies and augmented creativity

• projects seek international collaboration, partners, producers, distributors

• projects that (alternatively) take into account the ethical and social impact of XR and AI

Find out more and apply until 14 August