Julia Zantl is new head of DOK.forum

In November, Julia Zantl took over as director of DOK.forum, the industry and young talent platform of DOK.fest München. With her, the festival gains a personality who knows cinematic storytelling from many perspectives: from editorial work, from material development, and from her own directing practice.

DOK.forum sees itself as a place where material grows, networks are formed, access is created, and central questions of documentary practice are negotiated. Julia Zantl will continue to develop our platform both strategically and in terms of content, working with the team to provide new impetus. She will be supported by a team that has shaped the forum's profile for many years.

Julia Zantl joined the Drehbuchwerkstatt München team in 2022, where she co-directs the audience:first storytelling lab with Matthias Leitner (BR). While studying for her master's degree in religious studies, anthropology, and international political science in Munich and Paris, she was always involved in film and television projects. She initially worked in Paris and Berlin at renowned production companies such as interscience film (Gero von Boehm, Berlin) and Doc en stock (Daniel Leconte, Paris), and later as a freelance filmmaker, primarily for public television.

She brings a clear vision to her new role: DOK.forum should remain a space where creative processes can flourish, talent can gain visibility and access, and exchange on equal terms is possible. “My heart beats wildly for artistic documentary film,” she says. “I want to shape DOK.forum as a place where ideas flourish, develop further with strong partners, and the diversity of documentary perspectives becomes visible.”

Adele Kohout, festival director of DOK.fest München, welcomes the new director: “With Julia Zantl, DOK.forum gains an experienced expert in material development and production. Her keen sense for creative potential and her broad industry experience will enrich DOK.forum both as a market for co-production and co-creation and in our discourse formats, where we discuss key issues for the future of documentary film. With her, we will continue to develop DOK.forum with fresh impetus."

The next edition of DOK.forum will take place as part of the 41st DOK.fest München from 6th to 17th May 2026. Information on all calls and formats can be found here.