Farewell DOK 2011
The buzzing DOK festival of international documentary and animated films came to an end on Sunday, sadly. Fortunately the images, ideas, faces and places we’ve encountered through film cannot be erased so rapidly from our heads and can be replayed at – and against – our will many times over.
For six days the DOK was there to help us make sense of the world we live in; six new films alone from Tunisia and Egypt told of the very contemporary revolutionary happenings unfolding there. You could also travel back in time to the year 1961 when the Berlin wall was the topic, and get more familiar with India, a country that featured in this year’s 54th celebration of film. From the record number of 3,012 submissions, 300 made the cut, giving over 38,000 people the opportunity to broaden their minds.
For me the atmospheric haiku-like (thanks Barbara) ‘Minka’ that told of an east-west relationship, shared while relocating and restoring an old Japanese farmhouse in a picturesque mountain location, was quietly really something. In just 15 minutes Yoshihiro Takishita’s open chat with us about his partner, John Roderick, a charismatic American foreign correspondent whose bad Japanese was made up for by his love of people and life, really got to me. The images on the screen conjured up images of my own time spent in the Land of the Rising Sun – with feeling. As the atmospheric mist one encounters in Japan’s mountainous areas was visible on screen and Yoshihiro farewelled his friend the screen suddenly became blurry as emotion took over … parting is such sweet sorrow!
To check out who took away the awards visit: www.dok-leipzig.de
Highlights at DOK Leipzig 17-23 October 2011
DOK Leipzig is the oldest documentary film festival in the world and the second largest in Europe. For its 54th event, 341 documentary and animated films from 47 countries will be screened. The festival will also be offering 59 different events related to the DOK Industry.
Here are just some of the highlights on offer from an incredibly broad programme:
Three great names from the world of East German documentary film, three important birthdays, three homages: DOK Leipzig will be paying its respects to Gitta Nickel (75), Jürgen Böttcher (80) and Kurt Weiler (90) with select special programmes. Nickel and Böttcher will be personally attending the festival.
The revolutions in the Arab world are among the most important international political events of the year. DOK Leipzig is the first film festival in the world to offer a sensitive view of the turmoil in Egypt and Tunisia with its programme The Reality of a Revolution – Initial Documents of the Arab Spring. Most of the filmmakers will be on hand in Leipzig.
India is often associated with clichés regarding poverty, spirituality and mysticism. And yet the label ”largest democracy in the world” also proves to be a cliché by the Indian documentary films included in the special programme Filmmakers as Changemakers – The Rhythms of India. The filmmakers offer some shocking views of the treatment of minority groups, the environment and social problems, but also show potential solutions to the deep rift between Hindus and Muslims.
The retrospective 1961 Reviewed — When the World Was Split in Two looks back at a turbulent year in world history. The construction of the Berlin Wall divided not just a city but almost the entire world into East and West. In Africa came a great wave of independence, the Cuba Missile Crisis threatened to escalate into a world war and John F. Kennedy put an end to segregation. The retrospective brings together more than 30 works that document this time, some of which are surprisingly relevant today.
Through DOK Engagement this year DOK Leipzig will be supporting the independent development organization Oxfam and its campaign “Mahlzeit!” to ensure food security. The subject is explored in a special screening of the film Up in Smoke by Oxfam.
The opening of the 54th DOK Leipzig Minister of State for Culture Bernd Neumann and other special guests are expected. The opening films will be A Morning Stroll by Grant Orchard (UK) and Special Flight by Fernand Melgar (CH).
For the first time this year the Goethe Institute will be presenting its documentary film award in Leipzig. After the prize of the “Stiftung Friedliche Revolution” in 2010, yet again a new prize will be presented at DOK Leipzig. The most important awards are of course the Golden and Silver Doves as well as the Talent Dove of the Medienstiftung der Sparkasse Leipzig. A record of 74,500 euros in prize money will be awarded.
Win tickets to the Argentinean Film Festival!
This year sees the 5th Argentinean Film Festival in Leipzig! Starting on the 23 September and running until 2 October, the festival will showcase around 60 long and short films from Argentina and Latin America. Venues include: Cinémathèque in der NATO, UT Connewitz and the Schauburg. All films will be shown in their original language with either English or German subtitles. In addition to the large number of films on offer, there will also be an extensive programme of lectures and discussions with directors.
The Argentinean Film Festival team are looking forward to welcoming you to this event, and have 3 pairs of vouchers to give away to LZ readers and fans! The vouchers can be used for the film of your choice. Please email us at LZ (info@leipzig-zeitgeist.de) with your name and address and with ‘Argentinean Film Festival Give Away’ as the subject header by the 16th September. Winning names will be drawn from a hat (or something similar!).
You can find out more about the programme at the festival website: www.argentinische-filmtage.de
