Editor

Various new records are being announced by the organizers of the 54th International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film, which is now coming to a conclusion. The record attendance is particularly impressive. At least 38,000 viewers will have watched films at DOK Leipzig before the week-long festival comes to a close. Many screenings were sold out, including several in the largest festival cinema, which can accommodate more than 700 viewers. The growth trend in attendance thus also continued this year at DOK Leipzig.

Festival director Claas Danielsen expressed his excitement at the great interest in artistic documentary and animated film: "I find it deeply moving that so many young people are filling our festival cinemas to see challenging documentary and animated films. With many screenings being sold out entirely, we are almost reaching the end of our capacity limits. This makes clear just how enormous the need is for documentary films that communicate a deep understanding for the world and for the age in which we live - and this need is ever growing."

The Leipzig festival isn't just a magnet for audiences, but also an internationally recognized professional meeting point. 1431 industry professionals from 58 countries received accreditation, equalling the record set last year. Filmmakers, journalists, documentary film producers and buyers from all over the world actively attended and praised the comprehensive offerings of DOK Industry. Many events reached the attendance capacity, which was also the case of the new DOK Training platform successfully introduced this year. The digital DOK Market was also used intensively by industry professionals. A total of 450 films were available at viewing stations - also a new record. Christine Hille, director of DOK Industry, is quite pleased with the festival as it winds down: "I have been extremely positively surprised by the success of our events, as we tried out many new discussion and presentation formats. This small relaunch has yielded excellent results. Many industry professional  s are praising the relaxed, personal atmosphere of DOK Leipzig. It is possible to enjoy discussions on equal footing with other professionals and at the same time to maintain and build up business relationships."

At the award ceremony at the Centraltheater in Leipzig on Saturday, 17 awards will be presented, most importantly the Golden and Silver Doves. The main award in the International Competition Documentary Film is sponsored by Telepool GmbH (10,000 euros), while the Medienstiftung der Sparkasse Leipzig will be sponsoring the Talent Dove. Additional awards include the Healthy Workplace Film Award of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (8000 euros), the documentary film award of the Goethe Institute (2000 euros), the DEFA Sponsoring Prize (4000 euros), the MDR Film Award (3000 euros), the ver.di award (2500 euros), the award for the best German animated film sponsored by Saturn (3000 euros), the award of the Ecumenical Jury (2000 euros) and the award of the International FIPRESCI Jury (see complete list in attachment).

A new record total of 74,500 euros in prize money will be granted.

Yesterday at DOK Leipzig the Stiftung Friedliche Revolution awarded the Leipziger Ring to the Iranian film Fragments of a Revolution.