The Georgian filmmaker Mariam Chachia wins the "Next Masters Competition" at the 59th DOK Leipzig, along with the Sparkasse Leipzig Media Foundation’s Golden Dove, which is endowed with 10,000 Euros. Her film “Listen to the Silence” beat ten other international productions in this competition. Its world premiere was held in Leipzig. Winners of the “Next Masters Competition” receive 10,000 Euros in prize money; this is provided by the Media Foundation and is intended to help fund the award winner’s next project. Stephan Seeger, Managing Director of the Media Foundation and Director of the Sparkasse Leipzig Foundations, congratulated the Georgian filmmaker: “Her production is the perfect example of what a documentary can do: It brings us up close to a remarkable person who has to master the challenges of life in an unlikely place. As we watch the film, the skilful use of cinematic means leaves us empathizing with its protagonist.”

Renowned Russian director and producer Marina Razbezhkina, who was the juror of this year’s “Next Masters Competition”, explained that Mariam Chachia was receiving the honour “for her belief in the fact that a person can change their world from within themselves, even if life is cruel to them.” The Sparkasse Leipzig Media Foundation has supported DOK Leipzig since 2004 by providing prize money for exceptional films by new artists. A brief summary of “Listen to the Silence”: The film takes the viewer to a school for deaf children in Tbilisi, where they also learn to dance. Mariam Chachia focuses mainly on the ups and downs of a boy called Luka, a deaf “Billy Elliot” with the temperament of a hurricane. The viewer experiences the school, its children, their dance lessons, quarrels, a little love story – and all of this is perceived from an unusual perspective, such as when the sounds of life fade into a woolly nothingness in the film just like they do for the children.

In 2015, the Golden Dove of the Sparkasse Leipzig Media Foundation, awarded for an exceptional film by a new artist, went to filmmaker Klára Trencsényi for her film "Reményvasút" ("Train to Adulthood"). The selection was made by the jury of the Next Masters Competition at the 58th International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film.

Stephan Seeger, Managing Director of the Media Foundation and Director of the Sparkasse Leipzig Foundations, warmly congratulated the Hungarian filmmaker during the awards ceremony on Saturday evening in Leipzig: "Your film is a sensitive observation of the transformation process in Hungary through the eyes of three children. We thank you for this insight, hope that your film will reach a broad audience, and wish to contribute to the realization of your next film with this award." John Smith, juror at the Next Masters Competition, explained the selection of Trencsényi, praising "the wonderfully shot and edited 'Train to Adulthood'", saying that her film represented "an anachronistic, utopian project juxtaposed with the harsh realities of life to which two families in Hungary are exposed".

About "Reményvasút" ("Train to Adulthood"): The film follows Budapest twins Viktor and Karmen along with Gergo, who work together at the Children’s Railway in the Hungarian capital. They are confronted early on with the reality of the world of grown-ups: The twins’ mother works hard but cannot feed her family, and Gergo lives with his grandparents while his parents must work in Western Europe to support the family.

The international jury for young cinema at the 57th International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film chose to honor Hamza Ouni (Tunisia/United Arab Emirates) and his film “El Gort” with the Sparkasse Leipzig Media Foundation’s “Talent Dove” in 2014. The Media Foundation endows the “Talent Dove” with 10,000 Euros in start-up funding for the winner’s next film project. Stephan Seeger, Media Foundation’s Managing Director and Head of Sparkasse Leipzig Foundations, congratulates Hamza Ouni on behalf of the Media Foundation: “His film ‘El Gort’ is an impressive long-term documentation of Tunisia before and after the revolution against President Ben Ali. In a story of two young men, Hamza Ouni shows us a country and the lives of its citizens in a reawakening democracy.”

The jury praised the film, calling it “a raw movie full of energy, humor and anger that reveals a unique and complex picture of Tunisia today.” Stephan Seeger believes the award and its endowment, sponsored by the Media Foundation since 2004, has once again achieved its goal with the selection of this year’s “Talent Dove” laureate: “The focus on young documentary filmmakers reveals perspectives that we don’t see as often in our European context – for example, this insight into the Arab world.” He spoke highly of the jurors and the keen eye for extraordinary cinema they have demonstrated time and again when awarding the prize in past years. It’s no wonder that last year’s “Talent Dove” laureate, filmmaker Kaveh Bakhtiari for his film “L’Escale”, was nominated for the European Film Award just two days after his victory in Leipzig. The laureate in 2008, Ilian Metev, even went on to win the “France 4 Visionary Award” in Cannes. About the film: “El Gort” portrays the lives of two young men in the Tunisian city of El M’hamdia. Day after day, they work loading heavy hay bales onto trucks. Hamza Ouni, born 1975 in Tunisia, visits them over several years – before and after the Tunisian revolution – and asks his home country how the profound political changes have changed the lives of his protagonists. www.dok-leipzig.de

2013's "Talent Dove" sponsored by the Media Foundation of Sparkasse Leipzig goes to Kaveh Bakhtiari (France/ Switzerland) for his film "L'Escale" ("Stop-Over"). The Media Foundation endows the award with 10,000 Euros for the purpose of serving as a start-up financing for the award winners’ next documentary film project. The award ceremony took place on Saturday during the 56th International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film. Stephan Seeger, Managing Director of the Media Foundation, congratulated Kaveh Bakhtiari on winning the "Talent Dove". Mr. Seeger feels the aim of the Foundation’s commitment to be achieved: "The way in which ‘Talent Dove' price winners develop gives us justified reason to believe that we will see and hear more of our award winners in the future - which is the second important motivation to donate this award besides the appreciation of their achievements." Just two days after being awarded the "Talent Dove" of the Media Foundation of Sparkasse Leipzig, "L'Escale" ("Stop-Over") has been nominated for the European Film Awards.

The Swiss-French co-production is one of three films nominated by the European Film Academy in the category "European Documentary 2013". "The Media Foundation is very happy for our laureate Kaveh Bakhtiari and congratulates him with all our heart. Last year, our 'Talent Dove' laureate Ilian Metev won the 'France 4 Visionary Award' of '51. Semaine de la Critique' in Cannes for his film 'Sofia's Last Ambulance'. Now the nomination of 'L'Escale' ('Stop-Over') and Kaveh Bakhtiari for the European Film Awards.”, said Seeger. About the film (by Lars Meyer): “What is a human being without a passport? The question B. Traven discussed in his classic novel ‘The Death Ship’ is still disturbingly topical. The death ship that director Kaveh Bakhtiari finds is called Athens. This is where he happens to run into his Iranian cousin Mohsen. But while he himself has had a Swiss passport from childhood, is able to move freely and cross borders, Mohsen is an illegal immigrant. He spent three months in prison for this and is now stuck in Athens - like thousands of others for whom Greece was to be no more than a ‘stop-over’. He shares a flat with curtained windows with other ‘illegals’. Kaveh decides to move in and share their life. For almost a year he accompanies their daily life, which looks like the life in an ordinary flat-share only at first glance but is essentially marked by fear, claustrophobia and deprivation. The days move past the curtains like a shadow-play, while every day people risk their lives for their hopes, put themselves at the mercy of smugglers or wait years for fake passports. The film registers directly how their hopes crumble – an intense experience for the audience, who are ‘locked up’ with the protagonists at least for the duration of the film. A courageous film that brings to light what is otherwise concealed by the shadow of the European crisis.”

Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz from Austria receive the "Talent-Taube" for their film "Kern" ("Core"). From the statement of the "International Jury for Young Cinema and Short Documentaries": "...The physical and spiritual presence of the protagonist fills the screen from the beginning of the shots. The portrait of 'Kern' is an experimental film essay that reveals and at the same time conceals the secrets at the border between fiction and reality. First prize in the international competition for young cinema goes to Kern by Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz for their courageous explorations".

In 2011, the "Talent Dove" of the Media Foundation of the Sparkasse Leipzig, endowed with 10,000 euros, went to Tamar Tal from Israel for her film "Hatzalmania" ("Life in Stills").

Tamar Tal won with her film the international competition for young talents "Generation DOK", which took place during the 54th International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film from 17.10. to 23.10.2011 and broke all previous records with 38,000 viewers.

"Hatzalmania" ("Life in Stills") is a warm-hearted film that celebrates the individual, the individual, his wealth and complexity. Director Tamal succeeds in showing us the most beautiful and spontaneous moments of a grandmother's life as well as moments of an extraordinary feeling of togetherness between the family members. Thus, the viewer himself quickly becomes a family member. The film also shows that a positive attitude to life and humour are the ingredients that keep us alive and allow us to overcome even tragic moments.

In "Terra deu, terra come" Rodrigo Siqueira tells the story of 81-year-old Pedro de Alexina, who preserves the oral tradition of storytelling and vissungo - a song of black slaves in the old Benguela dialect, which used to be sung during funeral processions. Siqueira takes up this production after the death of a friend of de Alexina's to refresh people's memory of the old ritual and actively reconstruct the past. The whole family and all friends take part, and from this moment on his story takes on a dimension in which the border between reality and fantasy becomes more and more blurred. The camera and Siqueira themselves feel completely at home in this environment and take an active part in what is happening. While this takes its course, the director's empathy for his main character becomes an important element in the sensitive and powerful form of narration.

Laura Bari was awarded for her moving film "Antoine", which tells in a sensitive way about the great mission of a six year old blind boy: Clarifying the disappearance of the mysterious Madam Rouski, who leaves desperate messages on his answering machine. The little blind protagonist has recorded the sound and partly guided the camera. Thus he and the director create the magical universe of a 6-year-old. The international jury, which included Susanna Helke, Paola Castillo and Peter Wintonick, praised the virtuoso interplay of image and sound as well as the humour and playfulness with which the director succeeds in making the invisible visible.

Ilian Metev is the winner of the Golden Dove 2008 for his film "Goleshovo".

In this film Metev tells of life in a remote Bulgarian mountain village.

2007's "Talent Dove" award, sponsored by the Media Foundation of Sparkasse Leipzig and worth €10,000, was awarded to Nanna Frank Møller from Denmark for her documentary film "Someone Like You".

The award was presented by Dr Harald Langenfeld, Chairman of both the Media Foundation and Sparkasse Leipzig. "The jury has made an outstanding decision - I’m very pleased for Nanna Frank Møller," said Langenfeld.

In 2006 the Media Foundation's "Talent Dove" went to the young Slovak director Marko Skop for the film "Iné Svety" ("Other Worlds").

The International Jury for Documentary Film decided on the winning film. Among them were: Ulla Jacobsen (film scholar and DOX editor-in-chief, Denmark), Arunas Matelis (filmmaker and last year's winner of the Golden Dove at DOK Leipzig, Lithuania), Chris McDonald (festival director "Hot Docs", Canada), Zoran Popović (filmmaker, festival director and director of the film school "Kvadrat", Serbia) and Ilana Tsur (filmmaker and festival director "Docaviv", Israel). The jury praised the film "Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis" by Mary Jordan (USA 2006, 95 min.).

On the occasion of the award ceremony of the "48th International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film", Finnish director Erkko Lyytinen received the "Talent-Taube" ("Talent Dove"), a prize awarded by the Sparkasse Leipzig Media Foundation, for his film "Kainuun Tähti" ("The North Star").

The film is set in a small town in Finland called Vuolijoki...The problem: a catastrophe like the one that happens everywhere every day. A factory that produces train carriages is to be shut down because it no longer pays off for the Italian parent company. The closure would not only affect the jobs, almost 50 % of Vuolijoki's population depends indirectly on the company...It is a race against time...The workers from the company try everything to save what can still be saved. They offer compromises, accept dismissals, renegotiate...They present their concerns to the government. But how much room for manoeuvre do the public officials still have at all, how cramped are they in the directives of the EU?

The International Documentary Jury's statement states: "For his fresh, authentic voice, which powerfully tells a very local story that deals with one of the most important problems of our time, the influence of the global economy on all of us, Erkko Lyytinen unanimously receives the talent dove for "The North Star".

The first "Talent-Taube" ("Talent Dove") as a young talent promotion award of the Sparkasse Leipzig Media Foundation went to the Danish director Jeppe Rønde for his film "Jerusalem min Elskede" ("Jerusalem My Love").

Jeppe Rønde was born in 1973 and studied film science and art history at the University of Copenhagen. He works as a director, camera operator and composer. "Jerusalem min Elskede" is his debut film.

"Director Jeppe Rønde is searching. All his life he was a believer, but his faith threatens to get lost. Jeppe sets off for Jerusalem in the form of a hypnosis. This is the city in which the three monotheistic world regions meet with elementary force and can leave a deep religious shock on the visitor. In Jerusalem, Jeppe meets various "prophets" who introduce him to the world of their faith, which they live daily in practice: Israel is a Jewish social worker who searches the garbage cans of the city for useful things and clothes and distributes them to the needy. The Muslim Muhammad takes drug addicts in and shows them the way out of addiction by the power of his faith. Ted, on the other hand, is an American missionary who travels through Jerusalem preaching like Christ. All three try to convert the young Dane. The openness and spiritual strength of the men does not only trigger an intensive and at the same time undogmatic examination of religion in Jeppe. The multi-layered, beautifully worked film also draws the viewer deeper and deeper into its spell, who at some point asks himself: Is the search for faith the goal of the path? Or can Jeppe regain his lost faith and make a decision?

The Austrian-Italian documentary film duo Julia Gutweniger and Florian Kofler are this year's winners of the "Next Masters Competition - long documentary and animated film" at DOK Leipzig with their film "Sicherheit123". In atmospheric images, the film tells of man's efforts to tame the forces of nature in the Alps with structural interventions.

About "Sicherheit123": The 72-minute film by Julia Gutweniger and Florian Kofler documents man's efforts to "domesticate" the natural landscape of the Alps as a leisure landscape. With a mostly invisible safety system, nature is interfered with, and protective precautions against falling rocks or avalanches are taken to ensure that people can walk on and live in it without fear. The landscape is constantly measured and the emergency simulated, whether in computer models, test facilities or large-scale disaster exercises. The film shows this from a restrained, observing perspective in impressive atmospheric images.

In the competition "Next Masters - short documentary and animation film" 2019 the Ukrainian animation artist Mykyta Lyskov won the competition with his animation film "Deep Love" (original title: "Kohannia").

About "Deep Love" ("Kohannia"): In 14 breathtaking, almost crazy minutes Mykyta Lyskov draws a picture of his homeland, the Ukraine: The American bald eagle flies over a city with a star-shaped cloaca and throws an egg, whose impact provides for an ascending nuclear mushroom. Comrade Lenin bursts his head. A convinced man jumps headlong into a waterless pool and everywhere the facades are painted blue and yellow. In his 2D animation, Lyskov sums up the distortions of a sometimes chaotic, but always exhausting national process of self-discovery.

For the first time in 2018, also a short animated and documentary film receives an award in the Next Masters competition: Danish young filmmaker Barbara Bohr prevailed with the film ESCAPAR, the Recurring Dream (Denmark, 2017). She can look forward to receiving the endowment of 5000 euros, which is also provided by the Sparkasse Leipzig Media Foundation.

Stephan Seeger, Managing Director of the Media Foundation and Director of the Sparkasse Leipzig Foundations, warmly congratulates her: "We are delighted that the festival organizers have decided to award two Next Masters for the first time. Barbara Bohr reports impressively on traumatizing experiences - and how they can still influence the life of a human being decades later."

About ESCAPAR, the Recurring Dream: The 28-minute film accompanies Martha who is tormented by recurring dreams: Time and again she meets her mother, a friend and a stranger. In real life, she is unable to leave behind a traumatic event: More than 20 years ago she was wrongly imprisoned for over 18 months. Her mother fought for her release by trying to bribe judges and guards with homemade cakes. Eventually Martha escaped.

This year, Brazilian filmmaker Ricardo Calil wins the Golden Dove sponsored by the Sparkasse Leipzig Media Foundation, endowed with 10,000 euros, in the Next Masters competition of the 61st International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film (DOK) for his film Cinema Morocco (Brazil, 2018). Apart from him, Danish filmmaker Barbara Bohr is also honored with a Golden Dove in the Next Masters competition. For the first time this year, the award also goes to a short animated and documentary film. The additional endowment of 5000 euros is also provided by the Media Foundation.

Stephan Seeger, Managing Director of the Media Foundation and Director of the Sparkasse Leipzig Foundations, warmly congratulates him: "We are delighted that the festival organizers have decided to award two Next Masters for the first time. Ricardo Calil's film tells us a lot about the power of the cinema - as a medium and as a real place as well. Barbara Bohr reports impressively on traumatizing experiences - and how they can still influence a person's life decades later."

About Cinema Morocco: The film reflects the history of the once impressive cinema complex Cine Morocco in São Paulo. While in the 1950s it was still a glamorous venue for Brazil's International Film Festival, it later deteriorated visibly. Since 2013, it has been occupied by homeless people, at times, some 2,000 people from 17 nations lived in the ruins.

Cine Morocco was eventually revived - with the screening of films from the first year of the festival and a theatre project involving the homeless. Ricardo Calil accompanies some of them - and tells us about depression, war trauma and post-colonial alienation.

At the 60th International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film, Boram Kim from South Korea was awarded with the Golden Dove 2017, funded by the Sparkasse Leipzig Media Foundation and endowed with 10,000 euros. Boram Kim’s film Baek-gu won the Next Masters competition, having competed successfully against ten other productions.

The film begins with the search for a stray dog living in a Seoul neighborhood. On a subconscious level, all of the neighbors seem to have met the dog before. The director asks them about the homeless animal but apparently nobody is able to give an answer - everybody is only interested in their own lives. The documentary focuses more and more on the stories of the people from Seoul, painting an increasingly sad picture of the people - who almost never leave their own little world.

Stephan Seeger, Managing Director of the Media Foundation and Director of the Sparkasse Foundations, warmly congratulated her: "This documentary film by South Korean filmmaker Boram Kim paints an equally exciting and depressing picture of the people in this part of Seoul, who rather seem to be interested in their own world only and are thus almost unable to see what is happening right in front of their doors. We hope that the prize money will help Boram Kim in realizing her next film." The film's international premiere was held at the festival.