On Wednesday, the 41st DOK.fest München will open at the Deutsches Theater with the world premiere of INGEBORG BACHMANN – JEMAND, DER EINMAL ICH WAR. Director Regina Schilling will introduce her film in person; it is in the running for the VIKTORIA DOK.international Grand Prize. From 6 to 18 May, 106 films from 49 countries will be screened at DOK.fest München. Around 80 percent of the festival films will be available to watch online, accessible throughout Germany, from 11 to 25 May at www.dokfest-muenchen.de.
Twelve films are competing for the main prize, worth 10,000 euros, in the VIKTORIA DOK.international Main Competition. Filmmakers from Germany whose works are screened in this competition will receive a reference grant from the German Federal Film Board (FFA) amounting to 50,000 reference points. The prize is sponsored by Bayerischer Rundfunk.
These are the twelve films in the VIKTORIA DOK.international Main Competition:
A FOX UNDER A PINK MOON
Directed by Mehrdad Oskouei, Soraya Akhalaghi / Denmark, France, United Kingdom, Iran, USA 2025
Sixteen-year-old Soraya is pretty much alone in the world: her father died early, and her mother fled to Europe long ago. As she sets out on her own journey from Iran to Europe, Soraya captures the things that give her strength through pictures, songs and sculptures – driven by the hope of finding her mother again.
MARIINKA
Directed by Pieter-Jan De Pue / Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden 2026
In the eastern Ukrainian town of Mariinka, we follow five young people through nine years of war. Brothers find themselves on different sides of the conflict, while two friends cope with everyday life, one as a smuggler and the other as a paramedic. As artillery fire flies over the sunflower fields, times of peace have become a fragmented dream.
FATHER, SON AND THE PRICE OF RESISTANCE
Directed by Götz Schauder / Germany 2026
The father fought against the dictatorship in East Germany using his typewriter, his son took active measures. Two forms of resistance and an abyss of silence. Götz Schauder uses video messages to build a bridge between the two men. A painful struggle for the truth begins. This film powerfully illustrates how deeply dictatorship digs into people's souls.
TO HOLD A MOUNTAIN
Directed by Biljana Tutorov, Petar Glomazić / France, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia 2026
In the remote highlands of Montenegro, the shepherdess Gara lives with the young girl Nada and her flock. Her beloved mountain landscape is under threat, as NATO plans to build a training ground there. But Gara fights on – both for the mountain and for Nada.
JARDIN D'ENFANTS
Directed by Jean-François Caissy / Canada 2025
They argue, laugh, cry, or simply play. At a daycare center in Montréal, children learn to navigate friendship, conflict, and emotions. With gentle, warm images, Caissy takes us into a world where the foundations of social interaction are slowly developing.
A SONG WITHOUT HOME
Directed by Rati Tsiteladze / Denmark, Georgia, USA 2026
There is no place for Adelina, a trans woman, in her Georgian village. She sets out to start a new life in Vienna. Between fear, dreams, and self-assertion, she shapes her identity and fights to claim her space. The fear of going outside remains, but it doesn't stop her from dancing through the streets at nighttime, a cigarette in hand.
LA PIETÀ
Directed by Rafa Molés, Pepe Andreu / Iceland, Lithuania, Spain 2025
A farm at the foot of Vatnajökull in Iceland. Long before the term “climate change” became a buzzword, the seven Björn siblings meticulously documented how the glacier was changing. In their now abandoned house, photographer Ragnar Axelsson finds a treasure trove. The childless siblings have labeled everything for the sake of future generations, and their belongings tell their story in the service of the glacier.
NUISANCE BEAR
Directed by Jack Weisman and Gabriela Osio Vanden / United Kingdom, Canada, USA 2025
A young polar bear is confronted with the presence of humans during its seasonal migration, as the boundaries between human and animal habitats continue to blur due to climate change. “For generations, we lived in a world where we kept our distance from each other. That world no longer exists.” A deeply stirring cinematic experience.
THE NARRATIVE
Directed by Bernard Weber and Martin Schilt / Switzerland 2026
Former UBS trader Kweku Adoboli is sentenced for a $2.3 billion loss. But who is truly to blame in this case? The film reconstructs the trial using original court transcripts and challenges the prevailing narrative. A multifaceted portrait of capitalism, systemic failure, and the power of narratives.
WHEN I GET JAILED
Directed by Anastasiia Vedenskaia / France 2025
Mourning and protest: Following the death of Alexei Navalny in February 2024, thousands gather to commemorate the Russian opposition leader and express their resistance. Young Alyona also defies the government's brutal power apparatus, taking a huge risk. But how far can she go?
HELENE WEIGEL – INSTRUCTIONS FOR A REVOLUTION
Directed by Maria Wischnewski / Germany, Austria 2026
Who was Helene Weigel? Using impressive archive material, the film follows the convinced communist, acting icon, and free spirit from her early days in theater to her escape from the Nazi regime to the founding and management of the Berliner Ensemble. The result is a powerful portrait that finally puts the “woman at Brecht's side” in the spotlight.
INGEBORG BACHMANN – SOMEONE WHO WAS ONCE ME
Directed by Regina Schilling / Germany, Austria 2026
Sandra Hüller portrays Ingeborg Bachmann on an imaginary day in Rome. Regina Schilling’s hybrid film weaves together reenactments, archival footage, and Bachmann’s own writings into a portrait that offers a refreshing new perspective on the author and positions her writings as a reference point in current debates on gender relations and power.
You can find more information about these and all other films at the 41st DOK.fest München on our website. There you will also find our press kit and photos, and you can apply for accreditation.
Photo: Last year's opening ceremony (c) Ronny Heine / DOK.fest München
