Ola Staszel will become the artistic director and general manager of DOK Leipzig and managing director of Leipziger Dok-Filmwochen GmbH on 1 January 2026. The Leipzig City Council made this decision on Wednesday (29 October 2026). Ola Staszel has been given a five-year contract. She will succeed Christoph Terhechte, who is leaving the festival on 31 January 2026.

Ola Staszel has played a major part in the German-Polish-Czech film festival scene for more than 25 years. Since 2011, she has been with the Neisse Film Festival in the border triangle of Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic, and part of its management since 2014. Under her leadership, that festival has grown into an internationally renowned platform for the art of film as well as a popular festival for the public. She also regularly serves on the jury at other film festivals and was on the jury of Deutsche Film- und Medienbewertung (FBW) in Wiesbaden from 2014 to 2025. Staszel, who was born in Poland, has also guided cultural policy as a member of the Film Advisory Board of the Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony and as a co-founder of and spokesperson for Łužycafilm, a Sorbian-German film network. Ola Staszel studied literature, film and political science.

On 30 October, festival director Christoph Terhechte will join Ola Staszel in discussing the past and future of DOK Leipzig at the “Festival Visions” DOK Talk. This event will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the Zeitgeschichtliches Forum Leipzig and is open to the public. Admission is free of charge.

The 68th edition of DOK Leipzig, one of the leading festivals of documentary and animated films, is currently underway. A total of 255 films and interactive works are being presented through 2 November.

Portrait for download: Press photos