DokfestForum takes place in cooperation with the Fridericianum and directs its focus on the intersection of film, documentary, and visual art. Over two consecutive evenings, a selection of videos by the jointly invited artists will be presented. The screenings are followed by a talk, where the artists each discuss the ideas and strategies behind their respective works.
DokfestForum 2025
MI.
19.11. | 18:30 – 20:00
Stephanie Comilang
Mobility, labor, nature, homeland, diaspora – in her films, Filipino-Canadian artist and filmmaker Stephanie Comilang engages with the lived realities of migrant workers in a globalized world. Her “science fiction documentaries” shift between documentary and fantastical elements, blending the mythical with harsh realities. Carried by a multiplicity of voices, her narratives intertwine different perspectives, historical facts, and research with the personal stories of her protagonists – employing a wide range of cinematic techniques and narrative strategies.
The diptych “The Search for Life” explores aspects of labor migration, postcolonial continuities, and cultural practices. It brings together stories from the everyday lives of Filipino seafarers with the migratory journey of the monarch butterfly, weaving narratives about the transformation of traditional pearl diving with the lived experiences of second-generation migrants.
Introduction: Jasmin Meinold (Curatorial Department), Fridericianum
Screening:
Search For Life I, 2024 (single channel video, length: 20:40 min, Spanish,
Mandarin, Tagalog, english subtitles)
Search For Life II, 2025 (single channel video, length: 18:22 min, Mandarin,
English, Sama, Tagalog, english subtitles)
Subsequently: Artist Talk (in English)
Do. 20.11. | 18:30 – 20:00
Julian Irlinger
Sleeping
architects, yodeling shells, hyperinflation — in Julian Irlinger’s cinematic
works, dreamlike elements blend with historical events to create dense image
worlds that open up a reflection on visual codes and image politics. Among the
central themes are the „Notgeld“ emergency money of the Weimar Republic, the
mysterious death of Ludwig II, and the open-plan office as a symbol of post-war
modernism.
Through a range
of stylistically diverse techniques — including hand-drawn cel animation — the
artist explores the narrative strategies and visual languages of mid-century
animation studios, as well as the distinctive aesthetics of classic Walt Disney
cartoons. Drawing on archival material, found imagery, and historical design
languages, Irlinger’s works interrogate dominant historical narratives, their
cultural representations, and the ideological structures embedded within them.
The artist talk offers insight into the background and development of the animations, as well as the installations Irlinger creates for their presentation. It highlights the role these elements play within his broader artistic practice, which spans film, drawing, photography, and sculpture.
Introduction: Jasmin Meinold (Curatorial Department), Fridericianum
Screening:
The Curtain of Time, 2025 (16 mm film transfer to HD, color, sound, length:
10:50 min., Loop)
Ludwig, 2024 (4K, color, sound, length: 8 min., Loop)
Fragments of a Crisis, 2023 (4k, color, sound, length: 11:30 min.)
Subsequently: Artist Talk (in German
