DOK Leipzig has been curating the FOCUS Germany at DOCNZ, the International Documentary Festival New Zealand. In Cooperation with the Goethe Institut Wellington.

Film Programme:

"Rhythm is it!" by Thomas Grube and Enrique Sánchez Lansch

"Zur falschen Zeit am falschen Ort" (Wrong Time, Wrong Place) by Tamara Milosevic

"Full Metal Village" by Sung-Hyung Cho

"Sportsfreund Lötzsch" (Sportsman Loetzsch) by Sandra Prechtel und Sascha Hilpert

Films are shown (each twice) between February, 25 and March, 8 in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dundedin.

Our programmer Grit Lemke will present the programme at DOCNZ and also takes part at a panel about German documentaries. She will also takes part at the DOCNZ Goethe-Institut Scholarship Pitch, where new projects of New Zealand filmmakers will be selected. These projects will be realised in Germany.

Further Information: www.docnz.org.nz/2009/ak/list/spotlight-germany

On 1 March 2009 the new portal for the distribution of documentary and experimental films www.docalliance.com will be launched. For this reason a presentation with a following reception will be held during the Berlinale.

at: MEET THE DOCS at the Marriott Hotel, 1st floor, Inge-Beisheim-Platz 1, 10785 Berlin

on: Tuesday, 10 February 2009, 2 p.m.

Information: Doc Alliance Films
- will evolve out of the online platform www.doc-air.com, which was developed and launched by the IDFF Jihlava in 2006;
- is powered by the DOC Alliance, an association of 5 European key; documentary film festivals: CPH:DOX Copenhagen, DOK Leipzig, IDFF Jihlava, Planete Doc Review Warsaw and VISIONS DU REEL Nyon;
- offers a selection of 250 outstanding documentary and experimental films to stream and download;
- presents 20 new films every month.

We look forward to meeting you in Berlin on 10 February 2009 and would be glad if you discover www.docalliance.com from 1 March 2009 on.

The 51st International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film came to an end on Sunday with an Audience Day when all of the prize-winning films were shown once more.

27,000 people visited the 269 cinema performances and events of the accompanying programme (276 in the previous year) over the 6 days. A total of 315 animated films and documentaries from 49 countries were presented – approx. 14 days of cinema in one piece.

We are very much looking forward to next year's festival.

The 52nd DOK Leipzig, which is to take place from 26.10 – 01.11.2009, will feature an
Africa Focus, a special programme on the 20th anniversary of the peaceful revolution, and a retrospective of the work of the great documentary filmmaker Joris Ive

The 2008 festival edition was a full success: Crowded cinemas, good discussions and many industry visitors!

And finally the Award winners of 50th DOK Leipzig have been announced. 61 films out four competitions have been fighting for the Golden and Silver Doves.

On friday Illian Metev und Metodi Metev were honoured with the Talent Dove, presented by the Medienstiftung of the Sparkasse Leipzig, for her film "Goleshovo" (UK, Bulgaria). Today, Saturday 1st November, the Juries' decisions among others for the International Competition Documentary Film, German Competition Documentary Film and International Competition Animated Film finally have been announced in the Award Ceremony at the CineStar Leipzig.

For further information on all awarded films please click

What is the festival like? Who is in Leipzig?

Get an impression about DOK Leipzig 2008 with our

The new festival trailer is online. If you want to get a foretaste of the festival week 2008 full of striking documentary and animated films, click