40 Years Kassel Dokfest
1982
Committed documentary filmmakers send their newest films about topics such as peace, nuclear power, fascism, squatting and environmental degradation on a journey and one of the stops is the “travelling film festival” in Kassel. It is very well received and is the initial spark for the development of today's Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival.
1984
The second Kassel documentary film festival takes place. Among others Leo Hurwitz’s “Dialogue with a Woman Departed“, a classic of the documentary genre, is shown. Next to current productions a small retrospective of masterpieces by Jory Ivens, Luis Buñuel and René Clair is on display.
1985
“Busch sings” – six films covering the first half of the 20th century – by the famous director of the DEFA-studios, Konrad Wolf, who died during the shooting of the film, tells a chronicle in musical form. Hartmut Bitomsky presents with “Images of Germany” a film consisting of a compilation of Nazi propaganda films.
1986
“Minced Meat Order International” by Peter Heller roughs up the world of the fast food industry. “Hirschhagen”, a partly reenacted documentary about a rural, forested region near Kassel, which during the nazi regime was the site of an ammunition industry and in which Jewish forced laborers and war prisoners had to work under cruellest conditions, is also on view at the fourth Kassel Dokfest.
1987
Klaus Wildenhahn presents his nuanced filmic portrayal “Bln.DDR & ein Schriftsteller“ in Kassel, an essayistic film about intellectual work in the GDR as illustrated by the writer Christoph Hein. The Italian group “Compagnia Mondo Nuovo” offers a historically authentic Lanterna Magica show with the original slides from the 19th century.
1989
After the festival had to be cancelled in 1988 due to financing difficulties, it starts up again: For the first time, there is also a separate video section, which is housed in the Café Vis à Vis, where it tries out the first attempt of an open channel in Kassel. The GDR was also to be a theme of the festival, with a special series on the cinematic underground. A few days before the festival begins, the Wall falls.
1990
In the context of the Dokfest, a program is on display at the Kassel town hall in which films from 1896/97 are shown on the original Lumière cinematograph No.1 by Dr. Paul Génard.
1991
The first international call for submissions is issued. The performance of “Berlin: Symphony of a Metropolis“ (1927) with live music and the concert of “Les Reines Prochaines“ with Pipilotti Rist form the highlights of the festival.
1992
The video section moves into the house of culture Dock 4 and is now able to show video installations adequately. Films from Lithuania and Latvia are the main focus of the festival. Eisenstein’s “Battleship Potemkin“ (1925) is staged accompanied by the reconstructed musical score for orchestra by the South Westphalia Philharmonic Orchestra in the opera house of Kassel.
1993
This year the political dimension of the festival is evident in the presentation of several videos and films which engage with the rising phenomenon of neo-fascism. The film “Profession neo-Nazi” causes fierce debates and is discussed after the festival by a renowned panel in front of a large audience.
1994
Jonas Mekas shows a selection of his short films. For the first time a German university, the Academy of Media Arts Cologne, participates in the festival with an own exhibition. A two-day seminar with the topic “Deconstruction and Video” is organized.
1995
The interdisciplinary workshop conference interfiction, that deals with the internet and its implications, is launched. For the following years an internet café named “Public Access” is created, which is meant to introduce topics like “Perspectives and Myths of Counter Public Spheres in Datanetworks” to a wider public.
1996
Matthias Müller presents the cinematic method of found footage. Tony Oursler is honoured due to being awarded the Arnold-Bode-Award with a retrospective of his work.
1997
The independent exhibition section Monitoring is created in cooperation with the Kasseler Kunstverein. In the course of the following years Monitoring evolves into an important venue for media installations, in particular for young artists.
1998
The Dokfest is accepted as a member of the European Coordination of Film Festivals. A comprehensive retrospective of the media artist Rotraut Pape is displayed at the Kassel Kunstverein. A hommage, titled “Treasures of the documentary film” retraces the work of Bert Haanstra.
1999
A new record high is attained: More than 1,000 artists and filmmakers submit their works. It is no longer possible to meet these organizational demands along the way: The Dokfest evolves into a professional business.
2000
The series “15x15” focuses on the European cinematic heritage by presenting 15 films originated in 15 European countries. The event “DVD-art-project” charts the artistic potential of a young and nearly unknown medium. The success requires the most popular programs to be moved into larger spaces: In the big BALi cinema 266 visitors can be seated.
2001
The Dokfest turns into a festival. The Golden Hercules for the best regional production is the first cash prize, sponsored by the daily newspaper HNA. The most innovative digital work is awarded a project grant by the Werkleitz Society. In addition, MEDIA Plus honors the European dimension of the festival through its funding. The film- and discussion series “documenta and film” and “curators + positions” is created in collaboration with the documenta archive. The video section, the exhibition Monitoring and the workshop conference interfiction move to the KulturBahnhof and the BALi cinemas. The number of visitors jumps to 5,000.
2002
With the Golden Key, an additional award for the best documentary of young filmmakers is created. In the meantime, more than 1,500 works relating to the various sections are submitted to the screening committee. For the first time a joint opening ceremony comprising all sections takes place at the sold-out Gloria cinema.
2003
In regard to the festival’s anniversary, for the first time the Golden Cube awards the best media installation of the exhibition Monitoring. The Sparkassen-Kulturstiftung Hessen-Thüringen is the first sponsor of this award, endowed with 2,500 €. On the occasion of being appointed professor at the Kunsthochschule Kassel, a widespread retrospective of the work of Bjørn Melhus is on display. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, a DVD is issued which features films donated by 21 filmmakers which were part of the festival’s history.
2004
This year is dedicated to the expansion of the Dokfest! The Gloria cinema becomes a permanent venue: In addition to the opening event, two film screenings take place here every day. The DokfestLounge as a new section of the festival offers a forum for performative live moving image and club culture at annually changing locations. On November 14, the "European DocuZone" project, in which seven cinemas from Germany are participating, will be launched at the BALi cinema. Meanwhile nearly all cinemas in Europe are digitized.
2005
Considering the more than 2,000 submitted films, videos and project proposals, the Dokfest attains an unprecedented dimension, establishing an additional record with 233 works presented at three cinemas. In cooperation with the backup_festival and the Bauhaus University Weimar the new developments in video reporting are explored. Numerous shows reveal and document its historical roots. For this sub-project, the Dokfest receives funding from the Austauschfond Ost-West (“Cultural Aspects of German Unification”) of the German Federal Cultural Foundation for the first time.
2006
The Dokfest is pleased to welcome more than 8,000 visitors to the individual events. On the occasion of awarding Hans Schabus the Arnold-Bode-Award a retrospective of his cinematic work is presented in collaboration with the Kasseler Kunstverein. With the support of the Austauschfond Ost-West of the German Federal Cultural Foundation the Werkleitz project grant is upgraded to the status of the A-38 production grant and, for the first time, provided with maintenance and production money. And the "University Portrayal" series, which has presented a German educational institution in the field of film and media every year for the past 15 years, is now looking beyond the national horizon: In 2006, ZeLIG - School for Documentary Film, Television and New Media in Bolzano, Italy, is presented as the first university in another European country.
2007
Imagine the Dokfest as a meadow in bloom: more than 2,500 submissions want to color the programms and sections. At the end of the selection process a bouquet of 235 works 16 media installations beckons the audience. A special highlight: the film festival within the festival SPLICE IN presents historical and current film productions, among them eleven German premieres, on the topic of “Gender and Politics in Afghanistan, its Neighboring Countries and Europe”. The Afghan ambassador opens the series of events in the BALi cinema. In 2007 the Micromata GmbH grants its support as a sponsor for the Golden Cube.
2008
To regard the 25th anniversary, the DVD "Points of Contact" is released, bringing together 33 films and videos in the compilations "Inbetween Media", “Inbetween Space“ and “Inbetween humans“. The Machbar GmbH succeeds the HNA in presenting the Golden Hercules and following supports the Dokfest with the development of their corporate design. Audience numbers exceed 10,000 for the first time.
2009
Following the 25th anniversary the Dokfest receives the since years desired substantial rise of the budget from the City of Kassel. For the first time in the festival’s history the financial basis is backed and the City of Kassel stands to the Dokfest with a contract which ensures planning security for the upcoming years. Furthermore, the Dokfest and its concept are able to win other sponsors over. These are among others AMBION and Kassel Marketing. In cooperation with Medienanstalt Hessen the festival’s offerings are extended especially for the young audience. The section junges dokfest offers students from the 7th grade onwards a creative insight into the broad spectrum of the documentary work. This newly created practice-oriented section of the Kassel Dokfest is greatly supported by the Hessen Film and Media Academy. Under the title PraxisDokfest professionals convey expert knowledge to film and media students from Hesse.
2010
2010 is the birth year of DokfestForum as the interface of film and art: In cooperation with the former Kunsthalle Fridericianum, a place of exchange and communication is established. DokfestForum combines artist talks, lectures and panel discussions with viewing places to make the individual research of the complete festival program possible. Students at the Kunsthochschule Kassel also provide the impetus for the development and realization of the 1st Hessian University Film Day (HHFT). Supported by the Hessen Film and Media Academy, the HHFT is a screening for a professional audience (producers, editors, distributors), where the best cinematic works from the art schools of Offenbach, Darmstadt, Rhein-Main and Kassel are presented.
2011
The film “Insurance agent – the amazing career of Mehmet Göker“ by Klaus Stern opens the 28th edition of the Kassel Dokfest. It evokes a range of discussions and debates, but it also ensures a seven months presence in the regular program of the BALi cinemas. Under the title “Orstverbunden“ (“locally connected“) the Kassel Dokfest presents three artists and their works who in various ways are (newly) located in Kassel: Martina Bramkamp, Mathilde ter Heijne and Kara Blake.
2012
The public image of the Kassel Dokfest is essentially revised. Like a manual, the catalog offers detailed descriptions of all sections. Thanks to a grant of the Hessian Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and the Arts and the completed digitization of the festival cinemas, it is for the first time possible to project the majority of films and videos in a high-quality digital format. Together with the company Speicher M1, an uploader for the presented works is developed which makes an individual online viewing possible during the festival.
2013
The Dokfest is celebrating a variety of anniversaries, one of which is its 30th birthday. The workshop conference interfiction is taking place for the 20th time, DokfestLounge turns ten, junges dokfest is now five years old and Profis Plaudern Praxis / PraxisDokfest, is also entering its fifth round. Even the DokfestForum and HHFT sections are about to celebrate a round anniversary with their fourth editions. In its 17-year history, the media art exhibition Monitoring is accompanied by the thematic exhibition “Fünfuhrtee in Karibati” in the Interim. In addition, the new format DokfestConnection offers accredited visitors a meeting spot for a better linking with the organizers of the festival. With A Wall Is a Screen, the cinematic city exploration of the Hamburg artist group wanders through evening Kassel for the first time. Furthermore: The short film contest “Not without my cell phone“, which is endowed with 4,000 €, is searching for a trailer. It is calling attention to how not to use the smart phone during the screening in the cinema.
2014
For the 31st edition of the festival, a special exhibition in cooperation with the Kunsthochschule Kassel is held at interim for the first time. Under the title “Counter-Histories”, in which in collaboration with HEAD in Geneva (Haute école d'art et de design - Genève), the concept of what is understood as history is expanded. For the award ceremony and as a closing event, the performance "Brazil" by pulp.noir is presented at the BALi cinemas.
2015
With the support of HÜBNER GmbH & Co. KG, the Dokfest is creating a new award aimed at particularly innovative achievements in the field of film and art in Kassel region; or at people who are associated with the Kassel Dokfest in a special way. The first Honorary Award goes to Raymond Lay, co-founder of Filmladen Kassel e.V. and Dokfest. Furthermore: The DokfestLounge moves to the Weinkirche.
2016
The submission process is completely digitized. In 2016, the Honorary Award goes to the artist and filmmaker Rotraut Pape, who has repeatedly presented her own works at the Kassel Dokfest and is a permanent, trend-setting figure for the festival. In her honor, the first immersive 360-degree fulldome program is also shown in 2016 – three years later, the artist passes away much too early. Under the title "Documents from the South" a cooperation program with artists of documenta 14 takes place.
2017
In cooperation with the LICHTER Filmfest the "Salon – Future of German Film" takes place –non-public creative spaces as well as public lectures contribute to the dispute over the future of German film with a focus on documentary forms. The Golden Key is listed as an officially recognized competition by the German Federal Film Board (FFA) for the first time.
2018
The series "365 Tage of Documentary Film" takes place for the first time – the Kassel Dokfest presents film events throughout the year. 2018 is also the founding year of the informal "Friends of Kassel Dokfest": committed citizens of the city of Kassel support the 35th edition of the Kassel Dokfest according to their personal possibilities. A special highlight at the BALi cinema is a performative lecture plus exhibition by Auriea Harvey, who holds a professorship for games at the Kunsthochschule Kassel.
2019
Lectures, presentations, screenings, workshops, storytelling at BALi cinema raise awareness of the "Shadow Worlds of documenta", a program on its history. Also presented is the most comprehensive retrospective of the "Kassel Film Collective" and the experimental film work at the Jugendhof Dörnberg, a notedly progressive and the largest and most modern youth education center in the FRG in the 1960s.
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2020
Originally planned under the optimistic motto "Back to Cinema", the Kassel Dokfest is canceled three weeks before its opening. Intended as a hybrid edition, it can take place online only due to the covid pandemic. In cooperation with the Indonesian group ruangrupa, Dokfest presents videos and lectures from the archive of the OK.Video Indonesian Media Art Festival in the show windows on Treppenstraße.
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2021
The 38th Kassel Dokfest presents itself hybrid for the first time – a larger number of viewers can participate. The HAB – Hessen Graduation Funding, an initiative of the universities of Darmstadt, Kassel, Offenbach and Wiesbaden, is launched: an ambitious, cross-university graduation support program designed to help students make the transition from study to profession.
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2022
Goethes PostamD is a new festival location for the Kassel Dokfest! The award ceremony, Sunday brunch and Hessian University Film Day take place in the rooms just around the corner from the Filmladen in Goethestraße. As an important institution of the Kassel film world, the Kassel Dokfest is part of the special exhibition "Kassel filmreif!" at the Stadtmuseum Kassel on cinema and film history in Kassel. Starting in 2022, the Goethe-Institut's Documentary Film Prize will also be reorganized: The prize, which honors an outstanding German documentary film of the current year, was awarded for many years as part of DOK Leipzig. It will now be presented in rotation at various documentary film festivals: Starting at DOK.fest Munich (2022) via DOK Leipzig (2023), the prize will be awarded at the Duisburg Film Week in 2024 and at the Kassel Dokfest in 2025.
