From the teary, bloodshot eyes of call centre monkeys and threads glowing in the darkness, to the resilience of artistic animated films in times of low-cost AI productions, DOK Leipzig provides a broad platform for animated filmmaking through its Animation Perspectives and Animation Night sections, as well as the DOK Industry events and a DOK Talk held outside the competition programme. These activities explore unusual artistic styles and perspectives, along with production conditions and current topics of interest.
Animation Perspectives – two artists' approaches navigating experimental narration, black humour, and a world that’s falling apart
On the Thursday of the festival, Animation Perspectives will introduce Niki Lindroth von Bahr and Réka Bucsi, two artists working in animation who take a bold, idiosyncratic, and fragmentary approach to crafting their own cinematic environments. Their uncompromising approach has captivated audiences across international festivals, from Cannes to the Berlinale. In a conversation moderated by curator Irina Rubina, the two artists will present selected works from their oeuvre, discuss their working methods, and explore similarities and differences in their practice.
The artists' works venture into uncharted territory, blending experimental narration, black humour, and abstraction to bring forth the unspoken, the painful, and the beautiful. In absurd modern fables featuring relatable, anthropomorphic animals, Niki Lindroth von Bahr from Stockholm uses subtle humour and melancholic singing to touch on the sore points of our society. Layer by layer, she peels away the norms of human society – what remain are the teary, bloodshot eyes of the call centre monkeys and existential anxiety in all its forms. Réka Bucsi from Budapest approaches our world in a different way. She pulls colourful, glowing threads from the darkness and weaves them into an almost intangible “in-between”: futuristic, surreal, and populated by sophisticated characters that only seem to be cute. Bucsi thus encourages us not to block out the darkness in our own lives but to embrace it: Only then do magically glowing plants grow, and orange clouds cry.
Animation Night is dedicated to the cinematic art of the video synthesizer
More than half a century ago, the invention of the video synthesizer revolutionised filmmaking by integrating technology in the creation of art. In the mid-1960s, a new generation of artists seeking innovative forms of expression discovered they could use the medium of video into their work. When video cameras were connected to televisions, the feedback loops between the camera and the screen opened up entirely new creative spaces. Notable artists such as Nam June Paik brought this technology into museums. As pop culture began to incorporate the aesthetics of video synthesis, a new wave of artists started experimenting with their own video inventions. On the Friday of the festival, curator Ben Sassenwill draw on a curated programme of films spanning nearly three decades to highlight the role of the video synthesizer in the history of modern filmmaking and showcase some of the major artistic achievements of this period. Following the film screenings, there will be a performance by contemporary audio/video artists CINEMA.AV (USA) and Processing_ (Canada) who will present their new live work, “MICROWAVE”.
A Masterclass with Punto y Raya, and the DOK Talk "Behind the Screens"
In the free Masterclass "In Conversation with Punto y Raya", held during the festival on Thursday, curator Franka Sachse will talk to the team behind Punto y Raya, a festival for animated filmmaking that also serves as an international platform at the nexus of visual arts and new technologies. The festival plays an important role in promoting the visibility of an art form dedicated to the most elementary aspects of audiovisual work: form, colour, motion, and sound. The DOK Talk "animation@DOK Leipzig – Behind the Screens" will take place on the same day, Thursday. Jana Kraft, the coordinator of the animated film competition, will speak with the directors of animated films, who will share insights on working with animation.
The DOK Industry programme for animation
Also at DOK Industry, Thursday will be dedicated to animation. The DOK Industry Talk "Anidox Lab – The Alchemy of Animated Documentaries" will shine a light on the magic of animated documentaries when real-life stories and experiences meet the boundless possibilities of animation. The panel will feature three projects that took part in Anidox Lab, a workshop dedicated to the development of animated documentaries. Filmmakers Rand Beiruty, Ayala Shoshana Guy, and Irina Rubina will join the talk, moderated by tutor Uri Kranot, to discuss how lived experiences and creatively crafted worlds open up new avenues for animation in documentary and animated films.
The partner event AG Animationsfilm: "AI in Animation – Curse, Blessing or Both" will explore ways to address the surge of purely AI-generated content on streaming platforms, which, because of its speed, low production cost, and often questionable quality, is transforming both production processes and audience viewing habits. The panel encourages a conversation about how distinct, personal voices and styles can prevail over AI-generated content, and what opportunities exist to form alliances in the artistic animation circles in order to gain greater visibility.
At "DOK Industry Connections: Animation Meets Doc", industry professionals from the fields of animation and documentary filmmaking are invited to network and exchange ideas about the creative potential of combining animation and documentary elements in films.
Animation Lab DOK Leipzig returns this year with the selection of eight projects from eleven countries. At this three-day workshop, presented by DOK Industry in collaboration with CEE Animation, documentary film producers developing their first animated documentary film can gain insights into aspects of production and distribution. Once again, renowned producer Jean-François Le Corre (Vivement-Lundi!, “Flee”) and multidisciplinary artist Uri Kranot (Anidox) will lead the workshop as tutors.
Two industry events focused on short films on Wednesday are also aimed at the animation film sector. The DOK Industry Talk "Shorts, Screened and Streamed: Connecting Audiences to Short Films" will examine how short films, including documentaries, animated documentaries, and animated films, can reach their audiences through both international film festivals and online platforms. Industry experts will discuss curation and programming strategies, as well as the role of festivals in enhancing filmmakers' visibility. At the same time, the challenges and opportunities of online distribution will be addressed, from strategies for reaching wider audiences to exploring current trends. DOK Short n’ Sweet, the festival's short film pitch, will present seven exciting projects in various stages of production, encompassing documentary and animation short films. A panel of international buyers, distributors, and programmers will offer feedback and advice on unlocking the projects' potential, financing, and potential creative collaborations.
On the Friday of the festival, the Get Together XR & Animation will gather professionals from the two fields to network in an informal setting. The Get Together will be held at the Heilandskirche/Westkreuz and is made possible with support from SEE NL, AG Animationsfilm (ASIFA Germany), and the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film.
More about the programmes: Animation Perspectives, Animation Night
Overview of DOK Industry Programme: Industry Programme A-Z
