The junges dokfest: A38-Production Grant Kassel-Halle sets its link to the young audience. For the grant, the selection committees of the festival nominated 16 works from the festival program, primarily from the junges dokfest section. In addition to that, three adolescents are part of the jury to assess whether the films appeal to a young audience.
The grant aims to promote artistic films and media talents and to give a young audience an understanding of documentaries. The grant is awarded from the long-term cooperation partners Kassel Dokfest, Werkleitz – Center for Media Art, the Media Authority of Saxony Anhalt (MSA) and the Media Authority of Hesse. The four “mentors” stand for the promotion of cultural cinematic works and media art as well as for teaching media literacy.
The scholarship, which lasts for two months, is endowed with up to €3,500 for accommodation and travel costs. Additionally, the grant receiver is granted another €4,000 allowance in kind. It can for example be used for modern HD production equipment at Werkleitz – Center for Media Art, which also provides professional and logistical advice. The grant receiver is free to choose the topic of the work to be produced, whereby the new cinematographic work should in particular interest and delight the young audience. In the best case it can be used for the artistic and media educational work with adolescents.
Further information at: www.werkleitz.de
Jury 2026
Marcie K. Jost works in the film and media arts sector as a producer and consultant for dramaturgy and production. In addition to jury work for festivals, she was on the Berlinale Talents selection committee for 14 years. She is co-owner of worklights media production GmbH, board member and freelancer of the Werkleitz Gesellschaft, as well as production manager of the European Media Art Platform EMAP and production manager of the Professional Media Master Class.
Christian Klisan studied Culture- and Media Education in Merseburg, Saxony. After graduating in 2005 he worked as a freelance media educator and in film for German Federal Cultural Foundation and the Federal Agency for Civic Education. Since 2007 he works for the Media Authority of Saxony Anhalt (MSA) organizing the project “Medienmobil”.
Sibylle Roth studied photo engineering and media technology in Cologne from 1999 to 2003. After graduating, she initially worked as a freelancer before becoming a permanent media educator at the Media Authority of Hesse in 2015. In her job, she enjoys working with children and young people and leads various media projects in daycare centers, schools, and clubs.
Farahnaz Sharifi is an internationally acclaimed Iranian filmmaker, editor, and writer. Her practice as a filmmaker is rooted in the interplay of archive, memory, and personal narrative, expressed through poetic and creatively structured visual essays. Her latest film, “My Stolen Planet”, premiered at the Berlinale in 2024. It has received more than 25 international awards including junges dokfest: A38 Production Grant Kassel-Halle.
Youth Jury
Ella Berger is 19 years old and is currently in Q3 at Jacob-Grimm-Schule. She is passionate about art and literature and writes a wide variety of texts in her free time. Films, in particular, move her deeply through the way they convey emotions and experiences. During difficult times, films have offered her new perspectives as well as a sense of collective connection.
Jennitson Johnson is 19 years old and attends Herderschule Kassel. He is in 12th grade (Q2) and is currently preparing for his Abitur, with biology and art as his advanced courses. He is a fan of fantasy and animated films because of the visual effects, as well as documentaries about plants, animals, and nature. Besides, he loves good stories with major plot twists.
Lena Tessarzick is 17 years old and attends the 12th grade at the Georg-Christoph-Lichtenberg-Gymnasium. Her favorite forms of media are those that leave an emotional impression; media that is immersive and conveys a feeling through atmosphere and expression. This includes both positive and negative emotions: overwhelming nostalgia, a sense of comfort, or deep sorrow.
The Nominees
Zorah Berghammer (A. Will Raus (Über Neutralität)), Dagie Brundert (Audry Lornacle or 14 Days in DJ's House), Florinda Ciucio (in memory of), María del Cueto (Todos a mi alrededor parecen estar bien), Maja Holand (Hex), Andrey Kapustin (Men of the House), Sarah Lederman (On naît, on meurt), Pepa Lubojacki (Kdyby se holubi proměnili ve zlato), Manuel Orhy Pirón und Alicia Angélil-Danis (Náš domov), Julian Rabus (Sunstrokes), Ghassan Saleh (Kanchenjunga), Kim Sanou, Isabelle Edi und Mariama Sow (A Black Fairytale), Jonas Spriestersbach (Meanwhile in Namibia), Xinyao Wang und Lin Yang (Die Freundin), Maryam Zuhuri (Letters from home)
Award Winners
2025 Nay Mendl: Será
Inmortal Quien Merezca Serlo
2024 Farahnaz Sharifi: Sayyareye dozdide shodeye man
2024 Honorable Mention: Violena Ampudia: Blue
2023 Roopa Gogineni: قناة فجأة [Suddenly TV]
2022 Katharina Bill, werkgruppe 2: Anna
2021 Sebastian Mulder: NAYA - Der Wald hat Tausend Augen
2020 Juliana Fanjul: Silence Radio
2019 Ben Voit: Night upon Kepler 452b
2018 Elisa Jule Braun: Killing Four Birds With One Arrow
2017 Reber Dosky: Radio Kobanî
2016 Benjamin Kahlmeyer: Eisen
2015 Khaldiya Jibawi: Another Kind of Girl
2014 Guido Hendrikx: Escort
2013 Patrick Richter: Neununddreißig
2012 Marc Schmidt: De Regels van Matthijs
2011 Léo Médard: Tao m'a dit…
2010 Kara Blake: The Delian Mode
2009 Hannes Lang: Leavenworth, WA
2008 Joanna Rytel: To Think Things You Don’t Want to
2007 Anne-Kristin Jahn: Generation Model
2006 Jürgen Brügger, Jörg Haaßengier: Kopfende Haßloch
2005 Curtis Burz: VIRGINia
2004 Britt Dunse: Norden
2003 Benny Nemerofsky Ramsay: Live to tell
2002 Oliver Husain: Q
2001 Florian Thalhofer: Korsakow Syndrom