Festival Director Christoph Terhechte. Copyright: DOK Leipzig 2019/ Susann Jehnichen
For the first time at DOK Leipzig, a Golden Dove (€3,000) and a Silver Dove (€1,500) will be awarded in the newly established Audience Award competitions for long and short films. 20 docs and animations from 12 countries include five world, five international, one European and nine German premieres.
“We are happy that a panel of cinema enthusiasts representing the DOK Leipzig audience will be voting on films in competition this year,” says festival director Christoph Terhechte. “The title of the competitions, ‘The Golden Section’, evokes harmonious proportions and thus a well-rounded, multifaceted film programme. Here you’ll find films that stir emotions, that take a subjective look at global issues as well as at one’s personal surroundings, and that can be surprising, warm and humorous.” See selection below.
The festival statement further stresses how, “waiting to be discovered are films by established filmmakers, such as Todd Chandler from the United States and Nicola Graef, who has been a guest at DOK Leipzig on several occasions. The selection also includes films by numerous up-and-coming directors, such as Rocco Di Mento and Areum Parkkang from South Korea. Representing central Germany are animated filmmaker Falk Schuster, director Alina Cyraneck and 3-D artist Franz Impler. Luca Lucchesi is included with a film produced by Wim Wenders.”
It continues: “The competition entries include cinematic narratives about loneliness in the big city of Berlin as well as reflections on fake news and gun violence in US schools. One of the films selected deals explicitly with the time of the lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic. Other works follow a musical couple and their passion for Balkan music, take a close look at Diego Velázquez’s masterpiece Las Meninas and reveal the humorous side to animated film. There is also a portrait of a fervent football coach who is prone to excess. An autobiographical work is dedicated to the tragic and comic sides of the life of a filmmaker and young mother caught between travelling to festivals, feeling homesick and changing nappies.”
The Golden Dove for a Long Documentary or Animated Film and the Silver Dove for a Short Documentary or Animated Film in the “Golden Section” competitions will be awarded by seven film enthusiasts from around Leipzig who have applied to DOK Leipzig to be on the panel. This year’s award-winning films will be announced on the Sunday of the festival (1 November 2020).
Competition Audience Award Long Doc/Animated Film
Areum Married (Original title: Parkkangareum gyeolhonhada). Areum Parkkang, South Korea 2019. German premiere
A Black Jesus Luca Lucchesi. Germany 2020, World premiere
The Blunder of Love Rocco Di Mento. Germany 2020. World premiere
Bulletproof Todd Chandler. USA 2020. German premiere
Eine einsame Stadt (International title: A Lonely City) Nicola Graef. Germany 2019. World premiere
Faith and Branko Catherine Harte. Serbia/UK 2020. International premiere
Forgotten Lands (Original title: Les Blanches Terres) Amélie Cabocel. France 2019. International premiere
A New Shift (Original title: Nová šichta) Jindřich Andrš. Czech Republic 2020. International premiere
The Painting (Original title: El cuadro) Andrés Sanz Vicente. Spain 2019. German premiere
Robin’s Hood Jasmin Baumgartner. Austria 2020. International premiere
Competition Audience
Award Short Doc/Animated Film
“Hello,” We Lied Laura Gamse. USA 2020. International premiere
Bless You! (Original title: Zdrastvuyte!) Tatyana Chistova. Poland 2020. World premiere
Burp Ethan Barrett. USA 2019. German premiere
Familie Zilla macht Picknick (International title: The Zillas Have a Picnic) Christian Franz Schmidt. Germany 2019. German premiere
Hotel Astoria Falk Schuster/Alina Cyranek. Germany 2020. World premiere
It’s All the Salt’s Fault (Original title: Todo es culpa de la sal) María Cristina Pérez. Columbia 2020. German premiere
Me (Original title: Yo) Begoña Arostegui. Spain 2020. German premiere
Out of Bounds Franz Impler. Germany 2020. German premiere
Step Into the River (Original title: Dans la rivière) Weijia Ma. China/France 2020. European premiere
We Have One Heart Katarzyna Warzecha. Poland 2020. German premiere
