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

This decision is a clear reaction to the pandemic and associated travel restrictions and hygiene measures. Simultaneously these new circumstances provide impetus to rethink how Germany's main industry platform for documentary film is organised and creates 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. We still have many challenges to overcome to fulfil this vision. We will be releasing more and more information as the festival approaches about how accredited guests can join us for this digital edition.”

The focus will be on finding creative ways of implementing industry mechanisms for financing, distribution and networking within the documentary and animated film industry, and on bringing the atmosphere of DOK Industry events to the Web: “We will work hard to maintain that which makes DOK Industry unique and a leading market for creative documentaries: relaxed and cosy, small-scale, targeted and time-efficient. Our focus will continue to be on the highest-quality projects and decision-makers.”

Dialogue and collaboration within the film industry is particularly important in these uncertain times. In the coming weeks, the festival will begin offering a series of online seminars that will give filmmakers the opportunity to get to know the team at DOK Leipzig and inform themselves about submitting films and projects to DOK Leipzig.

The Call for Projects for the 16th DOK Co-Pro Market is already underway. Filmmakers looking for co-production and financing partners for their documentary film projects may continue to make submissions until 1 August 2020. “This edition will have a particular focus on the future: to analyse co-production models and the international distribution chain in particular and to place professionals at the heart of our endeavours,” says Brigid O’Shea.

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.”