The big screen, films streamed live and on demand, audience voting in cinemas and online: DOK Leipzig will offer a hybrid film programme this year.

In recent weeks, we’ve given a lot of thought to how, in these uncertain times, we can put together a festival that delivers the best to both audiences and filmmakers. “Our aim is to present an artistically multifaceted hybrid festival that continues to thrive on audience participation, that is based on the idea of solidarity and that preserves the character of a film festival,” says our festival director, Christoph Terhechte.

120 films to watch in cinemas and online

This year we aim to screen all the films in selected Leipzig venues during the festival week, naturally in compliance with the applicable hygiene regulations and provided that these regulations permit this in late October. The majority of the films will also be available to audiences across Germany to watch online. We will be presenting competitions as well as special programmes. Overall the programme will include some 120 films. Furthermore, audiences in Leipzig will be able to attend the DOK Neuland interactive exhibition.

In view to the uncertain situation, we have decided not to invite any guests this year. “The fact that filmmakers won’t be able to celebrate their premieres in person with audiences in Leipzig in 2020 is extremely painful,” says Christoph Terhechte. “It’s all the more reason for us to establish a productive dialogue between filmmakers, the audience and our programme team.” This year we will thus be presenting a mixture of pre-recorded and live film talks. We are also planning to interlink online and offline offerings.

New Audience Competition

The audience will also be asked to judge films. The prizes in a newly introduced competition for long and short documentary and animated films called “The Golden Section” will be awarded by a jury comprised of audience members from Leipzig who will watch the films in a cinema on the big screen. The general audience will also be able to vote in all competition programmes online.

See you in the cinemas and on the Web!

For more information on the 2020 film programme, please see our press release.

Our Selection Committee has returned! Since early June, they have been busy watching the films submitted in order to put together a great selection for DOK Leipzig 2020.

This year, our programme is being selected by:

• Filmmaker Daniel Abma
• Curator and publicist André Eckardt
• Film publicist und journalist Ralph Eue
• Film and media expert Borjana Gaković
• Curator and cultural professional Djamila Grandits
• Curator and cultural professional Marie Kloos
• Film journalist Carolin Weidner
• Curator and film mediator Annina Wettstein and
• Curator and film mediator Luc-Carolin Ziemann

Also on board are our DOK Leipzig programme coordinators and curators Kim Busch and Lina Dinkla as well as our festival director, Christoph Terhechte.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the commission members are now viewing the submissions individually first and then in smaller groups, in order to comply with the regulations on public distancing.

If you submitted a film to us by 5 May, perhaps it’s being watched right now! By mid-June, the committee will have viewed all the films that have arrived by this initial deadline. After that, the filmmakers will receive feedback later that same month as to whether or not their work has been selected for DOK Leipzig 2020.

As soon as our final deadline for submissions arrives on 7 July, the committee will enter the second round of selection in July and August. Then they will take a closer look at the remaining films. All the selected films together will comprise the programme for this year’s edition of the festival.

DOK Leipzig’s Industry Programme will be held online this year. We will present all key events of DOK Industry in virtual form in late October: The DOK Co-Pro Market, as will the presentations of DOK Preview, the DOK Short n’ Sweet short film pitch, the DOK Interactive Conference, networking events and talks.

A new chapter in the future of film markets

This decision is a clear reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated travel restrictions and hygiene measures. But these new circumstances create room for innovation on a sustainable basis, explains Head of DOK Industry Brigid O’Shea: “Our work as we know it, and by extension, the work of the whole audiovisual sector, will never be the same again. We are acutely aware of the challenges facing film professionals in these times. Nonetheless, we look forward to writing a new chapter in the future of film markets: greener, more efficient, more inclusive.”

Interactive offers for submitters

As the festival approaches we will be releasing more and more information here on our website and on our Social Media about how accredited guests can join us for this digital edition.

In the coming weeks, we will begin offering a series of live online Q&A that will give filmmakers the opportunity to get to know our festival team and inform themselves about submitting films and projects to DOK Leipzig. Dates and topics of the webinars will be announced soon.

DOK Leipzig 2020 goes hybrid

Festival director Christoph Terhechte adds: “DOK Leipzig will be putting forward a versatile and innovative hybrid version of its programme in 2020, which will combine online activities and presentations on location in cinemas in Leipzig. In 2021, we plan to welcome filmmakers back to Leipzig in person. In the coming weeks, we will also be announcing corresponding new features of the film programme.”

Want to know more? Read the full press release.

The 16^th DOK Co-Pro Market is now open for submissions!

We are looking for creative documentary projects from all over the world in development or early stage of production.

An online edition will take place on 26 & 27 October 2020. We may not meet in person in Leipzig, but still, high-quality networking and co-financing partners will be waiting for you in a digital offering.

Want to know how to submit a project to the DOK Co-Pro Market? Click here for more information.