After the successful premiere of DOKU.ARTS in 2006, we are delighted to invite you to our second edition of this international festival, which is unique in Europe. The documentaries about art that we have selected are much more than the usual biopic about a famous artist. The festival is dedicated to present the breadth and great variety, the imaginativeness and pleasure of experimentation in this genre. From long term observations to filmic essays, from compilations to homage films – at DOKU.ARTS, both traditional and contemporary forms of documentary filmmaking are present.
They approach the process of creation („What’s Under Your Hat?“), reveal the cultural and social contexts in which artists work („Le Blues de l’Orient“); they observe intelligently and narrate with imaginative camerawork („Sound on Life“) and montage („Murch“) and are thereby artistic in themselves.
You can watch overtly political films („The City of Photographers“) as well as an inventive film about an artist, who, despite being withdrawn from the public eye, stands in the middle of Japanese and current society („Dinner with Murakami“). We present extraordinary films about artists who do not shy away from confrontations with the political situation („Un soleil à Kaboul … ou plutôt deux“, „A Journey with Peter Sellars“), with the director („Ich will dich – Begegnungen mit Hilde Domin“) or even with the entire film crew („Louise Bourgeois“). Furthermore, we screen a compassionate and analytical portrait of a woman, who in the face of rejection, demands the right to be an artist („Alice Neel“) and a Dutch-Nigerian film which questions the exclusivity of the contemporary art market („Photo Souvenir“).
You will be able to see documentaries which reflect on the history of cinema or use it as a narrative tool („Description of a Memory“, „Ilya und Marusya“) as well as a direct cinema film („Michael Hamburger. An English Poet from Germany.“)
Over the course of the festival we will show five short portraits from the India Foundation for the Arts about young Indian artists („Installation Art“, „Conserving Built Heritage“, „Bringing Dance into Education“, „Photographing Popular Sculpture“, „Theatre: Classical meets Contemporary“).
Photographer Edward Burtynsky’s examination of the impact of globalization and its outstanding cinematographic portrayal in the film „Manufactured Landscapes“ will be one of the highlights of the festival.
DOKU.ARTS Epiks showcases original documentaries, where the display of unique archival material („brando.“) or of self presentation („Marti: The Passionate Eye“) is not only engaging but utterly convincing.
DOKU.ARTS Specials presents films which complete our international program in a retrospective or thematic way. In memory of Robert Altman, who died this year, we present „Luck, Trust and Ketchup – Robert Altman in Carver Country“ (1993) (The Making of SHORT CUTS). As a precursor to „Description of a Memory“ by Dan Geva, we show „Description d’un Combat“ (1960), a film by Chris Marker, which won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 1960. „Louise Bourgeois“ by Nigel Finch (1994), a classic BBC Arena production, has inspired us for our festival cinema trailer.
This year’s program concentrates on photography, performing arts, cinema and literature. We present the directors’ cuts. Many of the films can only be seen in Germany at DOKU.ARTS. All directors will be present to introduce their films to the public personally.
DOKU.ARTS - International Festivals for Films on Art was initiated by founder and director Andreas Lewin (film-maker, fellow of the Academy of Arts 2002) and established by the Academy of Arts, as principle funder and host organisation.
The films will be screened at the Academy of Arts (cinema with 500 seats).
