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!

A successful festival week lies behind us: This year, 53,000 visitors attended the screenings, events, and industry activities. We would like to thank everyone for their interest and for all the wonderful and valuable encounters!

Our Festival Director Christoph Terhechte sums up:

“The fact that so many festivalgoers and accredited guests once again flocked to the cinemas, to DOK Neuland and to the DOK Industry events continues to show how great the demand is for artistic engagement with global political issues and diverse lifestyles,” concludes festival director Christoph Terhechte. “This year, we observed a striking number of film talks in which the audience not only asked questions but also engaged in lengthy and lively discussions about the films. There is a thirst for dialogue held face-to-face – and it remained respectful throughout the festival. This is the approach to discourse we like to see.”

More than 2,000 industry professionals were accredited. Highlights of DOK Industry included the DOK Talks “Doc Together: Documentary as Resistance” and “Anidox Lab – The Alchemy of Animated Documentaries.”

A tip for all those who can’t get enough of DOK Leipzig: One final part of our programme is still to come. The third part of our Retrospective “Un-American Activities: Films from the ‘Other America’ at the Leipzig Documentary Film Week from 1962 to 1989” will take place on 7 and 8 November at Luru Kino in the Spinnerei.

Looking back on six years under Christoph Terhechte’s direction

The 68th edition of the festival marked the final one under Christoph Terhechte, who took over as Festival Director in January 2020. Since then, he has streamlined the film programme, strengthened the presence of feature-length animation at the festival, and championed emerging talent and cinema culture. He also established the Audience Competition and the sections “Panorama: Central and Eastern Europe” and “Camera Lucida.”

On 1 January 2026, Ola Staszel will assume the position of Festival Director and Managing Director of Leipziger Dok-Filmwochen GmbH.

The 69th edition of DOK Leipzig will take place from 26 October to 1 November 2026.

Read more in our press release.

We let the Doves fly! Seven Golden and two Silver Doves were awarded at the 68th edition of DOK Leipzig at the Schaubühne Lindenfels in Leipzig on Saturday. Ten Partnership Awards were also presented earlier in the afternoon. Big congratulations to all the winners!

International Competition Documentary Film

In the International Competition Documentary Film, the Golden Dove Feature-Length Film went to Ivan Ramljak’s “Peacemaker”. The Golden Dove is sponsored by Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk and endowed with 10,000 euros. The jury comprised Heleen Gerritsen, Alain Kassanda, Annie Ohayon-Dekel, Kazuhiro Soda, and Jim Stark. 

The Golden Dove Short Film, carrying a prize money of 3,000 euros, went to Matilde-Luna Perotti’s “After the Silence”. 

The Silver Dove Feature-Length Film went to “Elephants & Squirrels” by Gregor Brändli. The award is sponsored by 3sat and endowed with 6,000 euros, recognising the best documentary feature by an up-and-coming director.

The Silver Dove Short Film went to “String Pieces” by Vatae Kimlee. The 1,500-euro prize, sponsored by the independent Saxon State Media Agency (SLM), recognises the best short documentary by an emerging director.

The recipients of Golden Doves in the International Competition Documentary Film qualify for nomination for the annual Academy Awards®, provided they meet the Academy’s standards. 

International Competition Animated Film

In the International Competition Animated Film, the Golden Dove Feature-Length Film, which comes with 3,000 euros, went to Seth Scriver and Peter Scriver’s “Endless Cookie”. The jury composed of Betina Kuntzsch, Aneta Ozorek, and Jonatan Schwenk.

The Golden Dove Short Film, endowed with 1,500 euros, went to Matea Radic’s “Paradaïz”. 

The recipient of a Golden Dove Short Film in the International Competition Animated Film qualifies for nomination for the annual Academy Awards®, provided it meets the Academy’s standards.

German Competition Documentary Film

In the German Competition Documentary Film, the Golden Dove Feature-Length Film went to “Active Vocabulary” by Yulia Lokshina. This 10,000-euro award is donated by Doris Apell-Kölmel and Michael Kölmel.

The Golden Dove Short Film, which comes with 1,500 euros, went to Jana Rothe’s “Boma a Bopa”. The jury featured Maike Mia Höhne, Gerd Kroske, and Ines Weizman.

The short film “Cold Call” by Stefanie Schroeder received an special mention.

Audience Competition

In the Audience Competition, the Golden Dove was presented to Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni’s “Cutting Through Rocks”. The audience jury this year consisted of Henry Engelberg, Fine Fritzke, Lara Goldberg, Višnja Jurić-Krappmann, and Moritz Mahltig. The 3,000-euro award is granted pro rata by Leipziger Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Filmkunst e. V. and the Leipzig Stiftung.

Congratulations! Find out more about the awards and juries here.