As part of DOK Industry, DOK Exchange XR offers two days of intensive exchange with the XR community and the opportunity to gather feedback on plans and prototypes. Selected projects will be presented at the XR Showcase and selected prototypes in the XR Prototyping Zone. Application deadline is 1 July

Apply for the Showcase, if...

your project is at any stage of development that does not have a prototype or does not need to present one. The event takes place in front of both an on-site and online audience and includes feedback from experts in research, creation, funding, curation, distribution, and creative technology.

Apply for the Prototyping Zone, if...

your project has a prototype and you want to participate in on-site presentations and tests designed to support projects in improving and receiving feedback by experts on narrative, creative aspects, user experience, as well as exhibition and future distribution strategies. You will also have the opportunity to share their testing experiences during a panel session on the main stage of the conference.

Go to DOK Exchange XR

Your Extended Reality work is finished and ready for an audience? Apply with it to DOK Neuland, our public exhibition platform taking place during DOK Leipzig.

Since 2025, we invite our audiences to DOK Neuland, a public exhibition platform to discover selected international XR pieces during the DOK Leipzig festival week (26.10.–1.11.). Become a part of this year‘s exhibition! We look forward to receiving your artistic XR contributions until 1 July.

What Are We Looking For?

XR and Expanded Filmmaking works that question conventional narrative forms and employ new audio-visual techniques in support of compelling stories and experiences. This can include many formats – or you surprise us with new ones we may not even be aware of yet!

Go to DOK Neuland

Please note that DOK Neuland is the exhibition of final works. Projects that will still be in development, production, or prototyping in October should apply to the industry programme DOK Exchange XR.

Do you have a VR or AR experience, an interactive film, games, installations or a completely new format that you would like to exhibit or develop further during our festival week? Apply now.

Call open for DOK Neuland

Since 2025, we invite our audiences to DOK Neuland, a public exhibition platform to discover selected international XR pieces during the DOK Leipzig festival week (26.10.–1.11.). Become a part of this year‘s exhibition! We look forward to receiving your artistic XR contributions until 1 July.

Go to DOK Neuland

Call open for DOK Exchange XR

As part of DOK Industry, DOK Exchange XR offers two days of intensive exchange with the XR community and the opportunity to gather feedback on plans and prototypes. Selected projects will be presented at the XR Showcase and selected prototypes in the XR Prototyping Zone. 

For anyone currently in the project or testing phase: Apply for DOK Exchange XR until 1 July!

Go to DOK Exchange XR

What do we mean with XR?

XR and Expanded Filmmaking works that question conventional narrative forms and employ new audio-visual echniques in support of compelling stories and experiences. This can include many formats – or you surprise us with new ones we may not even be aware of yet!

Show us your new documentaries and animated films! Application deadline is 1 July.

What kind of films can I apply with?

You are welcome to submit creative documentaries and animated films of all lengths. The production year of your film is either 2025 or 2026 and in addition, your film haven not been shown publicly before October 2025? Perfect. Find all other requirements your film must fulfill in our rules and regulations and information on how everything works on our entries page. If you’ve got questions, you will find answers to most of them in the FAQ.

Good to know: The call for Extended Reality works (XR) will open on 10 March.

How do I apply?

You can apply with your film on our website from 10 February until 1 July 2026. Just log in to your existing myDOK account (or register for a new one) where you will find the entry form, and off you go.

Let’s go!

Ready to start now? We’re thrilled to receive your films.

Begin your application

Show us your new documentaries and animated films! Application deadline is 1 July.

What kind of films can I apply with?

You are welcome to submit creative documentaries and animated films of all lengths. The production year of your film is either 2025 or 2026 and in addition, your film haven not been shown publicly before October 2025? Perfect. Find all other requirements your film must fulfill in our rules and regulations and information on how everything works on our entries page. If you’ve got questions, you will find answers to most of them in the FAQ.

Good to know: The call for Extended Reality works (XR) will open on 10 March.

How do I apply?

You can apply with your film on our website from 10 February until 1 July 2026. Just log in to your existing myDOK account (or register for a new one) where you will find the entry form, and off you go.

Let’s go!

Ready to start now? We’re thrilled to receive your films.

Begin your submission

As January comes to an end, we bid farewell to Christoph Terhechte as festival director and say thank you for six inspiring, constructive, and wonderful years! 

Under Christoph's leadership, we have structured our film programme more clearly and further expanded the International Competition Documentary Film. We have strengthened the role of feature-length animated films at the festival, promoted networking within the documentary and animated film industries, and introduced Silver Doves for the best films from up-and-coming directors. Alongside the popular Audience Competition with a jury of festival fans, we created the sections “Panorama: Central and Eastern Europe” and “Camera Lucida”, featuring films that challenge cinematic conventions. 

In the hybrid 2020 festival edition, we launched “DOK Stream”, which shows current films from the programme online throughout Germany during the week of the festival. However, Christoph placed special emphasis on the shared cinema experience and on-site events—even beyond the festival. With the Summer Cinema and the monthly DOK Days, we now regularly bring films to cinemas in Leipzig and other cities in Saxony. 

We wish Christoph all the best for his future path and look forward to welcoming him back as a loyal festivalgoer from October onward!