There is that moment just before the first screening, when the lights go down and a short hush falls over the room. We lived that moment many times in June 2025. For the second time, the Doxumentale became Berlin’s home for non-fiction storytelling, and around 15,000 visitors came to experience reality in all its forms.
More than 50 international documentaries were on the programme, alongside virtual reality works, non-fiction readings, live podcasts and immersive formats. We opened with “Glanz & Widerstand,” the immersive ballet performance by the Berlin Ballett Company, which led the audience through the historic studio halls in Tempelhof. It was exactly what the Doxumentale stands for: not only showing reality, but making it something you can step inside.
What stays with us is not only the films, but the conversations afterwards. People lingering in the foyer because they cannot quite let go of what they have just seen. Filmmakers, journalists, activists and funders coming together and leaving with ideas. The award-winning works of 2025 opened doors to new perspectives and reminded us why we do this: to stay awake, to remember, and to move something together.
The Doxumentale is our heart. From programming to production to communication, everything is in our hands, and this knowledge of how to build an international festival with a stance is something we also bring into projects for others.
If you are planning a festival, a live format or a curated series, and you need support: we are here to help. Write us a short mail to mail[at]thegoodmedia.net.
