Profile

For over 60 years DOK Leipzig has been showing documentary and animated films from around the world. This unique combination of genres attracts more than 48,000 visitors to Leipzig every year.
During the festival week, which usually takes place between October and November, numerous Leipzig cinemas and venues take part. Film screenings, symposia, special events and the Extended Reality exhibition DOK Neuland are all part of the repertoire to stimulate debate and celebration.
In 2020, DOK Leipzig took place as a hybrid event, with film screenings in Leipzig and online. The industry platform DOK Industry moved completely online.
What the festival will look like in 2021 — whether it will be online, on-site or a hybrid event — will likely be announced in early summer, depending on the ongoing pandemic.
Each year at DOK Leipzig we welcome
- approximately 48,000 visitors
- and around 2,000 guests at the DOK Industry platform
At the 62nd festival addition of DOK Leipzig in 2019
- we showed 310 films and interactive works from 62 countries
- more than 50% of the directors in the Competitions were women
- we hosted around 50 events for industry specialists
- 24 awards and prize money totaling 82,000€ were presented
- the film programme included 63 world, 27 international, 12 European and 50 German premieres
Documentary and animated films in six different competitions, premieres and young talent, unique special programmes and interactive works, all find a place at DOK Leipzig. Have a look at our programme overview.
As a film trade platform, DOK Industry offers a space for exchange where filmmakers and leading branch figures can meet face-to-face to present and discuss their work while expanding their network. Learn more about DOK Industry.
In addition to classic film screenings, DOK Neuland offers a space for Extended Reality experiences: Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, games, installations, 360° films and media art are all shown here. Take a step into uncharted territory.
Alongside the annual festival and industry platform, other formats also supplement DOK Leipzig:
- DOK Education offers schools the opportunity to select films that fit their curriculum and explore them with pupils.
- Kids DOK provides the youngest festival guests with films suitable for ages 3 to 14.
- “DOK im Knast” visits inmates at the Regis-Breitingen juvenile prison for film showings and discussions.
Browse through our Film Archive and discover films from festivals as far back as 2012.
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