DOK Leipzig

DOK Leipzig is the oldest and one of the leading international festivals for artistic documentary and animation film. Founded in 1955, it has established itself as a unique meeting place for filmmakers from around the world. The festival takes place annually in Leipzig and attracts thousands of visitors, filmmakers, producers, distributors, and festival organizers.

The festival presents about 200 artistically outstanding and socially relevant films, including documentaries and animations of all lengths. The selected works reflect the latest trends and tendencies in artistic documentary and animation film and pay special attention to the border areas between the cinematic forms. The films compete in various competition categories for the prestigious Golden and Silver Dove awards[3][4].

A highlight of the festival is the Extended Reality exhibition "DOK Neuland," which presents new interactive works each year, such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, 360° film, and games. This exhibition expands the film program with immersive experiences that take visitors into unexpected virtual worlds[3].

Since 2004, DOK Leipzig has offered a comprehensive industry program for accredited professionals with "DOK Industry." This program includes the digitized DOK Market, international co-production meetings, panel discussions, and the Leipzig Masters – Forum for Innovative Documentary Television. It serves as a platform for exchange and cooperation between filmmakers, producers, editors, decision-makers, and distributors[3][4].

DOK Leipzig stands in its tradition for free spirit, free speech, and consciously set images. The festival advocates for peace and human dignity and celebrates the diversity and artistic quality of the presented films. It promotes encounters and dialogue between filmmakers and the audience and offers a wide range of accompanying programs with symposia and professional events[3].

The festival places great importance on accessibility and inclusion. It offers extended subtitles, audio descriptions, barrier-free access to the cinema halls, and an accompanying service for visually or physically disabled visitors. Additionally, there are trigger warnings and an awareness team, as well as a quiet room for visitors[5].

Since 2020, DOK Leipzig has also offered online options, allowing festival films to be streamed nationwide. This expands the festival's reach and enables a broader audience to participate[3].

DOK Leipzig is a vibrant example of the connection between artistic quality, social relevance, and innovative technology, and it remains a central meeting point for the international documentary and animation film industry.

• 1 - https://www.dok-leipzig.de/profil
• 2 - https://www.dok-leipzig.de
• 3 - https://www.leipzig.de/freizeit-kultur-und-tourismus/veranstaltungen-und-termine/jubilaeen-und-festivals/dok-filmfestival
• 4 - https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internationales_Leipziger_Festival_f%C3%BCr_Dokumentar-_und_Animationsfilm
• 5 - https://www.leipzig.de/freizeit-kultur-und-tourismus/veranstaltungen-und-termine/eventsingle/event/dok-leipzig