Reasons to Celebrate for FABW at DOK Leipzig:

Two Awards for Outstanding Documentary Films

At the International Festival for Documentary and Animated Film DOK Leipzig (28 October to 3 November 2024), two teams from Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg had double cause for celebration. The diploma documentary film MORIA SIX (directed by Jennifer Mallmann) was awarded the DEFA Promotion Prize of €4,000. In the Young Eyes section, aimed at students and young people aged 12 and above, the documentary film SISTERQUEENS (directed by Clara Stella Hüneke) won the Young Eyes Film Award, which is worth €2,000.

Additionally, MORIA SIX was included among the “DOK Busters 2024” and was screened again on the festival Sunday alongside the film TRUTH OR DARE (directed by Maja Classen). This places MORIA SIX among the most sought-after films at this year’s DOK Leipzig.

In her diploma film MORIA SIX, which premiered in the German Competition for Documentary Film, director Jennifer Mallmann provides a nuanced view of the Moria refugee camp, which suffered a devastating fire in September 2020. Following the destruction of the camp, the debate over the inhumane conditions at Europe’s external borders and the regular pushbacks in the Mediterranean fell silent, both on-site and in public discourse. The arrest of six young individuals accused of arson also went largely unnoticed, despite the trial raising numerous questions. Central to the film is Mallmann’s correspondence with Hassan, one of the convicted youths, who shares his experiences of life in prison. Through calm, precise imagery, MORIA SIX explores the mechanisms of European border policies, which treat people like criminals and imprison them in futuristic high-security camps.

In her documentary film SISTERQUEENS, documentary student Clara Stella Hüneke tells the touching story of three young women from Berlin and their first steps into hip-hop culture. The protagonists, Jamila, Rachel, and Faseeha, meet during a rap project and quickly become friends. Over the course of four years, the documentary follows the three girls in their daily lives, where they learn not only about music but also about self-respect and how to deal with racism and exclusion. With humour and clarity, they reflect on their experiences and express their thoughts on identity through their own songs.

The DOK Leipzig festival has been running since 1955, making it one of the oldest documentary film festivals in the world. During the Cold War, DOK Leipzig served as a significant venue for artistic exchange between filmmakers from East and West. Both documentary and animated films have been part of the programme from the very beginning, characterised by works with a strong artistic and personal touch. As a unique showcase for international documentary and animated films, the festival attracts over 48,000 visitors annually. The 65th edition featured 209 films and extended reality works from 55 countries, including numerous world premieres. The documentary film festival in Leipzig concluded with the awarding of seven golden and two silver doves, alongside additional prizes from partner organisations.

Jennifer Mallmann is a scholarship holder of the foundation Baden-Wuerttemberg Stiftung and participated in an international partner programme as part of her studies.

More information about the festival

Foto: Susann Jehnichen/Dok Leipzig

Two Awards for Outstanding Documentary Films

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