When is DOK Leipzig 2026?

26 October to 1 November 2026, in Leipzig.

What does DOK Leipzig show?

Documentary and animated film, around 250 works, across four competitions, special programmes and an XR exhibition.

What is the Golden Dove?

The festival's main award, using Picasso's Dove of Peace. Three categories are Oscar-qualifying.

Are the films shown in the original language?

Yes, with subtitles. Competition films always carry English subtitles; a selection also has German subtitles.

All events

Documentary and animated film · since 1955

DOK Leipzig 2026

26 October – 1 November 2026

The world's oldest documentary festival takes over cinemas across Leipzig for a week each autumn, pairing documentary with animation. The 69th edition runs 26 October to 1 November 2026.

69th edition · since 1955 · around 250 films

What it is

DOK Leipzig has run since 1955 and calls itself the oldest documentary film festival in the world. It was the first to put documentary and animated film in one programme, and each autumn it shows around 250 films from across the world, in competitions and out of them, plus an extended-reality exhibition.

The Golden Dove

The festival's trophies are Golden and Silver Doves, using Picasso's Dove of Peace, which the artist granted as the emblem in 1962. Three are Oscar-qualifying: the Golden Doves for a feature-length documentary, a short documentary and a short animated film send their winners forward for Academy Award consideration.

Where it plays

The festival takes over cinemas across the city. We carry these; each links to the cinema and its programme.

Cinemas on KinoNow — tap for showtimesOther film venues — tap for the venue's site

CineStar Leipzig

See cinema

Passage Kinos Leipzig

See cinema

Cinémathèque in der naTo

See cinema

Kinobar Prager Frühling

See cinema

LURU-Kino in der Spinnerei

Schaubühne Lindenfels

See cinema

There are also free screenings at the pop-up cinema in the main station's east hall and at the Polish Institute.

The 2026 programme

Four competitions and a set of special programmes.

International Documentary CompetitionInternational Animation CompetitionGerman Documentary CompetitionAudience CompetitionPositionsRetrospectiveYoung DOKDOK Neuland (XR)

New in 2026

Ola Staszel leads the festival for the first time, the Audience Award moves to an online vote, and the retrospective 'Kino und Kampf' traces radical Latin American cinema between East and West.

Original with subtitles

Films screen in their original language with subtitles. Competition films are guaranteed English subtitles, so the programme is followable without German; a selection also carries German subtitles, and some screenings offer subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing or audio description.

OV and OmU explained More documentary film

Tickets and how it works

Tickets are sold online and at the festival centre in the Museum der bildenden Künste, as well as at the cinemas. Some screenings are free.

Festival website

Common questions

When is DOK Leipzig 2026?: 26 October to 1 November 2026, in Leipzig.
What does DOK Leipzig show?: Documentary and animated film, around 250 works, across four competitions, special programmes and an XR exhibition.
What is the Golden Dove?: The festival's main award, using Picasso's Dove of Peace. Three categories are Oscar-qualifying.
Are the films shown in the original language?: Yes, with subtitles. Competition films always carry English subtitles; a selection also has German subtitles.
Are there free screenings?: Yes, at the pop-up cinema in the main station's east hall and at the Polish Institute.

Facts on this page checked on 3 September 2026.

Sources