The 41st Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival will take place from 12-17.11. + online until 24.11.2024. Since 1982 (with the exception of 1983), the Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival has been held every year over six days in November at various locations in the city. The festival cinemas are the Filmladen, the BALi Cinemas and the Gloria Cinema. Since 2020, the on-site program has been supplemented by an online offering. The festival is organized by Filmladen Kassel e.V., which also runs the cinema of the same name. Submissions can be made for the film program of the sections short film, feature film, junges dokfest, DokfestGeneration, Goldener Herkules as well as the exhibition Monitoring. The selection for these sections is made from the submissions. Each festival section has its own selection committee, whose members decide on participation.
Submission
deadline: 20.06.2024 (submission possible around mid-April)
The decision on the selection of works will be communicated by e-mail by mid-October.
Submission:
Current artistic experimental and/or documentary films as well as hybrid forms of documentary and installation concepts of all lengths and themes with completion years 2023 and 2024 are eligible for submission. No submission fee will be charged.
Premiere status is not a prerequisite. However, films that have been broadcast on TV or are available online before the start of the festival are not eligible. Works that were submitted in the previous year are also not eligible.
If the original language is neither German nor English, German or English subtitles must be provided.
Trailers are not permitted for submission. In the case of rough cuts, it must be noted which changes are still planned.
For submitted installations, we require a project outline, a technical list including a cost calculation for the realization (max. 1 page) and, if possible, video documentation and photos.
Five festival prizes will be awarded:
Nominations for each prize will be made by members of the selection committees to works from the entire program. Each prize has its own independent jury, which decides on the award during the festival. Not every work shown is automatically nominated for an award.
Golden Key
- 2,500 € for the best documentary short film up to 66 minutes (for German productions: officially recognized prize of the FFA)
- 2,500 € for the best documentary feature-length film over 66 minutes
- The director may not be older than 35 years at the time of completion; the festival decides on exceptions.
junges dokfest: A38 Production Grant Kassel- Halle
- 4,000€ for travel and accommodation costs, up to 4,000€ in kind
- Grant for the realization of a new cinematic work that also appeals to a younger target audience
Golden Hercules
- 3,500€ for the best regional work (North Hesse)
- Open to all formats, genres and lengths
Golden Cube
- 3,500€ for the best work in the Monitoring exhibition
- all exhibited works are nominated
Details on the individual prizes can be found here.
Short Film
- Films with a running time of up to 66 mins
- 25 compilations will be curated from all submissions by the selection committee, detailed information can be found here
Feature Film
- Films with a running time of 66 mins or more
- a selection committee selects around 40 films from all submissions, detailed information can be found here
junges dokfest
- Section for a young audience in grades 8 to 13, the focus is on film education and encounters in the cinema space
- no separate submission possible, pre-selection from the submissions for the short film and feature film sections, final selection by a separate viewing committee
DokfestGeneration
- up to 12 feature-length films that are also, but not only, aimed at an older audience
- in cooperation with the junges dokfest section, two events will take place at the interface of both generations, detailed information can be found here
- no separate submission possible, pre-selection from the submissions for the feature-length film section, final selection by a separate selection committee
Golden Hercules
- regional section, exclusively works related to North Hesse
- open to all lengths, formats and genres
- a selection committee curates short film compilations and selects feature-length films for the program, detailed information can be found here
Exhibition Monitoring
- Exhibition of 16 artistic works in which cinematic, audiovisual, digital or media-critical approaches are installed
- the exhibition is curated by a selection committee from the submissions, detailed information can be found here
- all works exhibited are nominated for the Golden Cube
Festival participation
The directors and artists of the works shown in the program will be invited to Kassel for the presentation. A Q&A is planned for each screening.
A travel allowance will be paid for each work shown, and the festival will also provide free accreditation and free accommodation for the directors and artists (max. two nights in a hotel, more nights possible in private accommodation).
A screening fee is paid for each work in the program.
DokfestOnline
The festival program on site is supplemented by an online offer. The online film program will be geo-blocked, time-limited (8 days) and copy-protected. The filmmakers are free to decide against an online presentation.
Rights of use
For festival communication purposes, the submitters provide the Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival with text and image material. This can be used in the catalog, the festival flyer, on the website and for other advertising measures of the Kassel Dokfest. However, the Kassel Dokfest reserves the right to write its own texts. By submitting these materials, the submitters assure that they have the rights to use them and that this does not conflict with any other rights of third parties or collecting societies. Producers, distributors or other organizations submitting a work must ensure that third parties involved in the production agree to their participation in the festival.
The screening copies and materials submitted for the 41st Kassel Dokfest will remain in the festival archive. The recorded works can only be viewed for academic and curatorial purposes.
Transportation and customs
No liability can be accepted for any risks involved in the transportation of submitted materials to and from the country of destination. Consignments from countries that are not members of the European Union must bear the note: "No Commercial Value, For Cultural Purposes Only". Incorrectly cleared shipments will not be accepted. The costs for the outward shipment of the screening copies shall be borne by the sender. The costs for the return shipment of the screening copies will be borne by the festival. The screening materials are insured for their copy value during the festival. Any claims for damages must be made no later than 10 days after the return shipment.