41st DOK.fest München celebrated its opening in front of approx. 1,500 guests
Yesterday, the 41st DOK.fest München celebrated a glamorous opening in front of approximately 1,500 guests at the packed Deutsches Theater. The audience attended the world premiere of INGEBORG BACHMANN – JEMAND, DER EINMAL ICH WAR in the presence of director Regina Schilling, producers Thomas Kufus and Johannes Rosenberger, and the film crew. The hybrid film INGEBORG BACHMANN – JEMAND, DER EINMAL ICH WAR combines documentary elements with dramatized scenes: The multi-award-winning actress Sandra Hüller explores the life of Ingeborg Bachmann (1926–1973) over the course of an imaginary day, lending her words a powerful physical presence. In an artful interweaving of improvised dramatized scenes, archival treasures, interviews, and Bachmann’s own texts, the film traces the author’s key life phases—from her childhood during the war in Carinthia, through her rise to stardom in Group 47, to her final days in Rome.
The audience rewarded the film with a long round of applause. It will be screened three more times at the 41st DOK.fest München as part of the “HerStory – Seven Films About Fearless Women” section, one of the festival’s 15 themed sections. Regina Schilling’s film is also nominated for the VIKTORIA DOK.international Main Competition, the festival’s International Main Competition award. Eleven other outstanding films, selected in advance from across all sections, are also in the running for this prize.
The opening ceremony marks the start of the first festival under the direction of Adele Kohout, who previously served as deputy festival director since 2016. In a conversation with host Christina Wolf, she looked ahead to the coming twelve days of the festival. The two representatives of the festival’s main sponsors and partners wished Adele Kohout, her deputy Maya Reichert, and their team a successful festival and acknowledged the international significance of DOK.fest München.
Adele Kohout (Festival Director): “Especially in today’s world, where social cohesion is under threat more than ever, I hope that DOK.fest can help create a space that fosters a sense of community. I see a film festival as a stage and an invitation to conversation, which should be driven at its core by curiosity. Curiosity sparks interest, interest in the other—and that is the only way we can find common ground.”
Marek Wiechers (Head of the Cultural Affairs Department of the City of Munich): “DOK.fest is a true flagship project for our city, one that continually confronts us with new questions and previously unknown perspectives while also offering many opportunities for exchange. For a vibrant urban community, this internationally renowned documentary film festival has long since become indispensable, precisely because of the accessible, universal visual language that characterizes the medium of film.”
Minister of State Markus Blume (Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts): “For me, today’s opening at the Deutsches Theater is a first—and I have a feeling this could be the beginning of a great love affair. For twelve days, the festival will bring the world to München: 106 films from 49 countries. An impressive variety—ranging from classic cinematic documentaries to innovative XR projects. And DOK.fest has an impact far beyond the screen: it connects München—from the University of Television and Film to our museums, the Bergson Kunstkraftwerk, and many more. I wish directors Adele Kohout and Maya Reichert a brilliant first festival season—and all guests inspiring encounters, new perspectives, and plenty of enthusiasm for documentary film.”
The 41st DOK.fest München will take place until May 18 at 23 venues throughout Munich. From May 11 to 25, approximately 80 percent of the films will be available to watch online.
You can find more photos from the opening night here (Credit: DOK.fest München).
