Doker 2016 Program
With the long name Moscow International Documentary Film Festival Doker has launched its second festival edition that runs until May 24. I am very amazed of what the young team behind the festival is doing full of enthusiasm and vision – see post below taken from the website’s ”about”. And go to the site and discover what is offered the audience this year: Feature Documentary competition, a Special Competition ”Let IT Dok” and one for short films. In the feature section you will find films from Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, China, Pakistan, Kenya, Iran – and Latvia and Finland with two fine films reviewed on filmkommentaren.dk: beautiful and sweet ”Ruch and Norie” by Inara Kolmane and equally beautiful and thought provoking ”Leaving Africa” by Iris Härma.
I was in the jury last year together with Viktor Kossakovsky, I see that Doker this year has convinced master Pirjo Honkasalo to chair the jury.
Doker is a non-mainstream festival, you see that easily in the selection, new names, a cultural
purpose, long discussions, I understand about each and every film – and it takes place in two stages, this one in May and an award ceremony in autumn, where the winners are present. Winners… there are awards for cinematography, for sound, for editing, for music composed etc. Respect for that decision in a time where directors are normally the only ones in focus. And in Russia where it is not easy to do film politics!
My knowledge about this festival stems back from contacts to Irina Shatalova, brilliant camerawoman and fighter, who wants to better the conditions for documentaries in Russia. Nastia Tarasova and Shatalova made ”Linar” together, praised on this site. The two of them stand behind the festival together with many others, including Tatiana Soboleva and Sergei Kachin, to mention other young filmmakers talked about previously on filmkommentaren.
I saw a picture of a full cinema on FB today, from the opening, I wish Doker success in the following days – we need fresh blood in the festival world, too much automation meaning that if you are at IDFA you can be sure to have invitations from another 20 or more festivals… Doker tries something different.
