DOK Leipzig has revealed further highlights of the DOK Industry Programme for the 67th festival edition (28 October - 3 November), in addition to the already announced Animation Lab DOK Leipzig, the DOK Co-Pro Market Selection, Ex Oriente Film workshop, and Generation Ukraine showcase. This year’s DOK Industry Programme boasts an array of events and activities that foster creative exchange and provide a platform for filmmakers to present their projects and connect with industry peers and potential collaborators. Find the entire Industry Programme on the festival’s website.
The DOK Industry Talk ‘Doc/Fiction’ probes the relevance of the documentary/fiction binary. The talk, moderated by director of the Documentary Association of Europe (DAE) Brigid O’Shea, will dive into the possibilities of collapsing conventional distinctions between the two, contemplating how it may affect films’ production and distribution, and what this entails in times of (post) truth.
At the DOK Project Presentation ‘Generation Africa 2.0’, four African filmmakers Babucarr Manka (“Standing Up”, The Gambia), Fagamou Ndiaye (“Floods in Sotrac Keur Massar”, Senegal), Samira Vera-Cruz (“Plastic Atlantis”, Cabo Verde), and Karanja Ng’endo (“Forgotten Land”, Kenya) will showcase their projects as part of Generation Africa 2.0, an initiative of the non-profit South African media company STEPS that seeks to amplify African voices in the unfolding climate crisis by producing up to 30 films (short, medium, and long) from 21 African countries. Don Edkins, Executive Producer of STEPS, will join the event, offering an overview of the initiative along with its objectives and strategies for audience reach and impact. STEPS returns to Leipzig with ‘Generation Africa 2.0’, following its 2021 presentation of the initiative ‘Generation Africa’, which focused on advancing new narratives on migration from the perspective of African filmmakers.
DOK Industry maintains its focus on archives and archive research at this year’s edition, hosting a string of DOK Archive Market Screenings and Talks. Along with the screening of the GDR-produced TV documentary “Namibia – The Forgotten Colony” (Sabine Katins, 1976) about the Namibian struggle for independence, a panel discussion titled ‘Archives of Colonialism and Socialism: The GDR, Namibia, and the Film Heritage of Today’ will be held. The panel will delve into the archive politics of (neo)colonialism, raising critical questions about story ownership—as the portrayed struggle was lensed by a Western crew and later edited in East Berlin—and how the GDR’s political climate shaped the narrative. Moderated by researcher and filmmaker Laura Horelli, the talk will feature cinematographer of “Namibia – The Forgotten Colony” John Green, Namibian filmmaker Naomi Beukes, vice president of Germany’s Bundesarchiv Dr. Andrea Hänger, and director of the Namibia Library and Archives Service Sarah Negumbo (Negumbo will address the panel via a video statement).
Another DOK Archive Market Talk ‘How Did They Do It? Researching and Producing “Stasi FC”’ will centre on the meticulously researched and archive-rich Sky Documentary’s production “Stasi FC” (the FOCAL 2024 award for “Best Use of Footage in a History Feature”), which features rare materials unveiling how the GDR’s secret service sought to subvert football in East Germany in the late 1970s. Moderated by producer, visual researcher, and clearance specialist Elizabeth Klinck, the panel will include archive producers Vanessa Christoffers-Trinks and Stephen Maier, along with producer Erik Winker (CORSO Film). The panellists will detail their working process, from researching archive materials to budget planning and the licensing process. “Stasi FC” will be screened at the DOK Archive Market.
The DOK Archive Market Talk ‘Archive Producers: What’s Next? Discussing the Trends and Developments From the Inside’ will examine current industry developments and what the future holds for archive producing, particularly in light of the rising use of AI in this work. Archive producer and founder of GRAP e.V. (German Researchers and Archive Producers) Monika Preischl will be in conversation with Canadian archive producer Elizabeth Klinck.
DOK Exchange XR, the festival’s exhilarating programme on interactive and immersive storytelling with a focus on XR works, this year will revolve around the topic of “immersive sound”. Short n’ Sweet, the festival’s short film pitch, has announced this year’s selection of projects. The crop of projects features a variety of narrative and artistic approaches, and includes short documentaries, animated documentaries, animated films, and series. The selection of projects for DOK Preview Germany and DOK Preview International will be announced on the website shortly.
The Industry Programme also comprises a number of events, organised by DOK Leipzig’s trusted partners. AG DOK will present their new mentoring initiative and reflect on the use of AI in documentaries during the respective panels (held in German). ARD will host speed meetings for serial storytellers and hold their TopDocs finale, where the five finalists for 2024 will showcase their projects. AG Animationsfilm will run a panel, ‘Twentysomething – The Shift to Medium Length Film in Animation’, focusing on the emerging trend toward longer formats in animation films, along with the possibilities and challenges that arise from this shift, which affect the way these films are financed, produced, and distributed.
At Industry Intros, accredited guests will have the opportunity to gain insights into the specific roles in the documentary industry, such as producers, sales agents, and distributors, as well as their work practices. Industry Connections will offer accredited guests the chance to have one-on-one or roundtable meetings with experts in the field. The list of available experts and meeting request forms will be accessible shortly before the festival. Prior registration for the meetings is required.
The DOK Toolkit for First Timers will help newcomers navigate the assorted festival and DOK Industry offerings and learn more about the international markets. Toolkit sessions are led by seasoned industry professionals, and accredited guests can choose to either join an online session ahead of the festival or an onsite session during the festival.
Find the full Programme: DOK Industry Programme A-Z
All dates and events: DOK Industry Timetable
