The second Dokumentale (Berlin) will kick off in style June 11 with Glanz & Widerstand (Glamour & Resistance) – an immersive foray into the life of Marlene Dietrich, presented in association with the Berlin Ballet Company.
The immersive, experimental ballet performance Glanz & Widerstand takes “a fresh, interdisciplinary approach to explore the myth of Marlene Dietrich,” the festival writes. The project, carried out under the artistic direction of the Berlin Ballet Company and co-produced with Dokumentale, blends dance, film, acting, and reading into an open-ended, creative experiment.
“Can documentary storytelling move beyond narration and become an experience? Glanz & Widerstand invites the audience to actively engage in the creative process, offering new perspectives on Marlene Dietrich’s iconic biography – her life, work, and her resolute stance against antisemitism and the Nazi regime,” the festival writes. Throughout the course of the festival, there will be multiple presentations of Glanz & Widerstand as well as Maximilian Schell’s film Marlene, on which the project is based.
Between 12 and 22 June, the festival “for documentary storytelling across different media” will be presenting forty documentary films – click here for full details – ten of which will compete for the Grand Prize of the Dokumentale Competition. The value of this year’s prize is yet to be announced. In 2024 it was €20,000.
Dokumentale Competition
- ABORTION DREAM TEAM by Karolina Lucyna Domagalska (German premiere)
- BLACK LIMBO by Lorenzo Benítez (German premiere)
- FUNK YU by Franko Dujmić (German premiere)
- LITTLE SYRIA by Reem Karssli, Madalina Rosca (German premiere)
- NIGHT IS NOT ETERNAL by Nanfu Wang (German premiere)
- THE AGE OF WATER by Alfredo Alcántara, Isabel Alcántara (European premiere)
- THE DIALOGUE POLICE by Susanna Edwards (German premiere)
- THIRD ACT by Tadashi Nakamura (German premiere)
- UNDERCOVER: EXPOSING THE FAR RIGHT by Havana Marking (German premiere)
- WILD COAST WARRIORS von Nick Chevallier, Leigh Wood, Guido Zanghi (German premiere)
The Dokumentale 2025 programme also includes nine live podcasts, readings from nine new non-fiction books, a vibrant kids’ programme, and seven VX projects.
The film programme will be complemented by nine live podcasts, including ‘Feuer & Brot,’ hosted by Alice Hasters and Maxi Häcke. The episode being recorded at the festival will discuss topics like public life, friendship, and social tensions from a feminist angle.
Dokumentale will also be showcasing nine of the latest non-fiction books, including ‘Berauscht der Sinne beraubt: Eine Geschichte der Ekstase’ by Racha Kirakosian, an exploration of cultural forms of ecstasy, both historical and personal. Another highlight is ‘Der deutsche Film’ by Rainer Rother, a multifaceted journey through 130 years of film history.
Finally, seven VX projects will “open up new realms of experience.” These include Soulpaint by Sarah Ticho and Niki Smit, an interactive VR application making it possible to experience emotions in 3D.
About Dokumentale
The Dokumentale (12–22 June 2025) is a Berlin-based festival for documentary formats that promotes films, new media, non-fiction books, and podcasts. It offers a platform for filmmakers, journalists, authors, artists, scholars, and audiences to meet and collaborate.
From 12 to 15 June, the D’Hub industry programme will take place alongside the main programme, offering the film sector new ideas in panels, workshops, and networking events.
The Good Media Pitch, which organisers describe as Germany’s first film and impact programme, will connect selected projects with experts from civil society to foster potential partnerships.
