DOK Leipzig Features 30 World Premieres and a Focus on Eastern Europe

This year’s DOK Leipzig Documentary Film Festival features 30 world premieres and 29 debut films. From October 26 through November 1, a total of 76 films will compete in four categories for the Golden and Silver Doves, the awards for the best documentary and animated films. 

The organizers, led by new director Ola Staszel, have placed a special focus on films from Central and Eastern Europe. Staszel, who was born in Poland, said that the festival, through its films, helps maintain the “bridge between East and West.” According to Staszel, many of the films are characterized by the fact that they follow their protagonists over a long period of time. Director Ina Borrmanns spent ten years filming the opening film, “Guten Abend, du Schöne,” which portrays women with a past in the GDR, as Staszel explained. 

Half a Century for a Film

Director Helena Třeštíková worked on “Bára – Diary of a Rockstar” for as long as 50 years. The film depicts the life of Czech rock singer Bára Basiková and will also be screened in Leipzig. In total, the program includes more than 200 films, including works from the field of Extended Reality.

According to Staszel, the budget for the 69th edition of the festival is 2.6 million euros. Part of this comes from public funds; the state of Saxony, for example, is one of the financial backers. Cuts could be made over the next two years. The draft budget for 2027 and 2028 includes austerity measures for culture, Staszel said. And if these are approved, “we would be short a significant amount for next year.”