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Basic funding and intensive support are included in project development.
Together with ZIPP German-Czech Cultural Projects, an initiative of the German Federal Cultural Foundation, and the Prague Institute of Documentary Film, DOK Leipzig is thus launching a call for exceptional documentary film projects on a topical subject.
A subject that invites a close look at everyday life in a globalised society: imagine you had only 30 days left to live … – What would matter then? The massive growth in information and communication, new technologies and the globalisation of the economy have dramatically changed the dynamics of our everyday lives in recent decades. We are becoming ever more restless.
Contrary to what was promised, the acceleration of our world does not bring us more time, freedom and self-fulfilment, but instead leads to constant overload, exploitation and self-alienation.
As a festival for artistic, but also critical and nonconformist documentary film, DOK Leipzig – together with its partners and supporters – is looking for projects with a distinctive authorial voice: “We observe with great concern that it is becoming increasingly difficult to finance and realise ambitious documentaries and, given the increasing format restrictions of broadcasting slots, to find an appropriate place for them on television,” says Festival Director Claas Danielsen, explaining the background to the project idea. “With this initiative, we support innovative and artistically outstanding films that are very close to the pulse of our times. At the same time, we want to demonstrate how rich and relevant documentary film is in the two partner countries.”
There is a reason why the project is a German-Czech collaboration: “Germany has a very lively and dynamic documentary film scene, and an exciting generation of young documentary filmmakers has also emerged in the Czech Republic – we are very keen to see what happens when the two sides work together, support each other’s projects and thereby also advance the cultural dialogue between the two countries,” says Danielsen of the “Breathless” idea.
Interested filmmakers from Germany and the Czech Republic can still apply until April 7. The up to six selected filmmakers will receive not only basic funding for their documentaries, but also the opportunity to develop their projects through two workshops and collaboration with internationally experienced mentors.
