This year at DOK Leipzig (26 Oct – Nov 1), Young DOK is once again showing a selection of diverse and age-appropriate documentary and animated films, inviting audiences young and old to dream and reflect. The section is made up of Kids DOK – for youngest film buffs, of nursery and primary school age – and Young Eyes, which features films for teenagers. Alongside German productions and films with no dialogue at all, international titles will be screened with subtitles.
Kids DOK showcases short, animated fantasy stories and relatable everyday situations. The programme is curated with three age groups in mind:
“Children aged 3 and over can look forward to a line-up of short films starring adventurous mythical creatures such as a dancing caterpillar, a mouse on an epic journey and a cloud-fish,” the festival writes. “The preschool programme for ages 5 and up celebrates the joy of friendships and shared experiences—whether racing along on bikes, hiding deep in the jungle, or searching for the last autumn leaf. The 8+ programme for primary school children centres on unusual connections, finding courage and overcoming personal challenges. Across the three animated and documentary films, Szymon and Franek meet at the skate park, Jools learns to dance with a disability, and Paul deals with the grief of losing his dog by creating comics.”
The festival continues: “Young Eyes will screen four feature-length documentaries for young audiences aged 12+, opening a window onto the different daily realities faced by their peers. The protagonists spend long summer days at the outdoor pool, study at hotel management school or train for their big dream. Growing up confronts everyone with many decisions and, above all, poses one central question: Who am I, and who do I want to be?”
The Youth Jury decides which of the films will receive a special honour and presents the Young Eyes Film Award, sponsored by the Rahn Dittrich Group for Education and Culture.
Film education: ‘A class of its own.’
DOK Leipzig also offers university students, school pupils and teachers a range of opportunities to actively take part in the festival week and is committed to promoting media literacy. The DOK Education programme includes Teachers’ Day, a professional development initiative for educators, as well as exclusive film screenings and guided tours of the extended reality exhibition DOK Neuland for school groups.
In collaboration with the Academy of Fine Arts Leipzig (HGB) the HGBxDOK Film School Night will be taking place on 28 October 2026, once again showcasing short films by students. New this year is the addition of a selection and preparation committee made up of Leipzig students. Besides promoting visibility and opportunities for dialogue, the internal screening allows students to gain practical experience in event organisation and film curation.
On Wednesday 28 October at 11:00, pupils aged 12 and over can attend the screening of Moving Sisters, which is being shown as part of the Young Eyes programme. The documentary tells the story of three sisters who fled Afghanistan and now live in Leipzig, where they attend (or have finished) school. Shot over a period of seven years, the film captures the fragile normality that Nazieh, Shazieh and Hanieh built for themselves with their father in a refugee camp in Athens, after a new law blocked their planned family reunification with their mother in Germany.
In co-operation with SchulKinoWochen Sachsen, DOK Leipzig will present Moving Sisters both as a school screening and as part of Teachers’ Day.
Teachers’ Day will take place on Thursday 29 October, 10:00–18:00, at the Polish Institute in Leipzig. Organised in cooperation with VISION KINO, this free training session introduces cinematic storytelling and creative approaches to filmmaking. Following the screening, participants will work together to develop teaching methods that incorporate documentary film into the classroom setting.
