DOK Leipzig/ 3/ Leena Pasanen Speech

The festival opened last night and the press people sent out a Release under the heading ”Political Voicings at Opening of DOK Leipzig”. I quote from the text:

Leena Pasanen: “DOK Leipzig traditionally stands for peace and human dignity. Today this is perhaps more necessary than ever before,” said the native of Finland, who had previously lived in Budapest for 3 years and experienced the dramatic changes under the Orbán administration.

These circumstances caused Pasanen to express concern over Legida, whose demonstration took place at the same time as the opening of DOK. “I want to do more than merely ignore this demonstration, I want to take a stand: Our Leipzig is tolerant, open-minded and willing to help those who need help.” Above and beyond this, documentary films are an excellent tool in combatting ignorance and narrow-mindedness. As this was the first time that the opening film was being screened in the east concourse of Leipzig’s central railway station simultaneously to the ceremony, Pasanen was ready and waiting with a suggestion for those sympathising with Legida: “Instead of demonstrating, they would be better off going to the station to watch the great film by Andreas Voigt.”

… I doubt they did, but many welcomed this fine initiative – see photo.

And another voice – Jan Rofekamp, sales agent and Head of Documentary Campus, described what happened in the streets of Leipzig on his FB page like this: Big anti-migrants demonstration here in Leipzig right now, neo-nazis, skinheads, screaming, blowing whistles, lots of German flags, massive police presence on the streets…very disturbing and very scary…

http://www.dok-leipzig.de

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Tue Steen Müller
Tue Steen Müller

Müller, Tue Steen
Documentary Consultant and Critic, DENMARK

Worked with documentary films for more than 20 years at the Danish Film Board, as press officer, festival representative and film consultant/commissioner. Co-founder of Balticum Film and TV Festival, Filmkontakt Nord, Documentary of the EU and EDN (European Documentary Network).
Awards: 2004 the Danish Roos Prize for his contribution to the Danish and European documentary culture. 2006 an award for promoting Portuguese documentaries. 2014 he received the EDN Award “for an outstanding contribution to the development of the European documentary culture”. 2016 The Cross of the Knight of the Order for Merits to Lithuania. 2019 a Big Stamp at the 15th edition of ZagrebDox. 2021 receipt of the highest state decoration, Order of the Three Stars, Fourth Class, for the significant contribution to the development and promotion of Latvian documentary cinema outside Latvia. In 2022 he received an honorary award at DocsBarcelona’s 25th edition having served as organizer and programmer since the start of the festival.
From 1996 until 2005 he was the first director of EDN (European Documentary Network). From 2006 a freelance consultant and teacher in workshops like Ex Oriente, DocsBarcelona, Archidoc, Documentary Campus, Storydoc, Baltic Sea Forum, Black Sea DocStories, Caucadoc, CinéDOC Tbilisi, Docudays Kiev, Dealing With the Past Sarajevo FF as well as programme consultant for the festivals Magnificent7 in Belgrade, DOCSBarcelona, Verzio Budapest, Message2Man in St. Petersburg and DOKLeipzig. Teaches at the Zelig Documentary School in Bolzano Italy.

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