From 26 October to 1 November, a delegation of Chilean documentary professionals will participate in DOK Leipzig, Germany, with two projects selected for the co-production market and a programme of activities organised by Chiledoc. Chile will also be represented in the retrospective “Kino und Kampf. Latin America between East and West”, featuring films related to Chile’s political and cinematic history.
Chile at DOK Leipzig 2026: Explore the Chiledoc Catalogue
Chile will participate in the 69th edition of DOK Leipzig, one of the leading international festivals for documentary and animation, taking place in Germany from 26 October to 1 November.
This year, “Folil, A Journey to the Roots”, directed by Loreto Plubins, and “Snails”, directed by Max Kerkhoff, have been selected for the DOK Co-Pro Market, which connects documentary projects in development with potential partners and international industry professionals.
Chiledoc will coordinate Chile’s participation, supporting a delegation of audiovisual professionals and organising activities aimed at strengthening connections and creating new opportunities for international collaboration.
Francisco Undurraga, Chile’s Minister of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, highlighted the importance of this participation for the international presence of Chilean cinema.
“Documentary filmmaking is one of the ways Chile reflects on itself and presents itself to the world. The presence of stories from Magallanes and Santiago at DOK Leipzig, two projects selected for its co-production market, and Chilean films in its retrospective confirms that Chilean cinema has its own voice in the international conversation. As a Ministry, we will continue to support its international visibility.”
Diego Pino Anguita, Deputy Director of Chiledoc and the organisation’s representative at the event, highlighted the significance of Chile’s participation across the festival’s different activities.
“DOK Leipzig is the oldest documentary film festival in the world, and Chilean cinema has historically had a very important presence there. The fact that a Latin American retrospective now includes major historical films from Chile shows how highly our cinema is valued, both in Germany and by the festival itself. In addition, having two Chilean projects selected for the market confirms that there is interest not only in our cinematic history, but also in the future of the films we are creating in Chile.”
Two Projects Selected for the DOK Co-Pro Market
“Folil, A Journey to the Roots” (Folil, un viaje a las raíces), directed by Loreto Plubins and produced by Carola Fuentes and Rafael Valdeavellano of La Ventana Cine, is one of the two Chilean projects selected for the DOK Co-Pro Market 2026.
The feature-length documentary, currently in development, is set in the Andean foothills of La Araucanía, where the lonco, or traditional leader, of a Pewenche community dies without naming a successor. His children, Adán, María and José, must put aside their differences and join forces to prevent the felling of 96 ancient araucaria trees. This event marks the beginning of a personal and family journey that will reconnect them with their roots.
The second selected project is “Snails” (Caracoles), directed by Max Kerkhoff and produced by Diego Pino Anguita, Zorana Mušikić and May Odeh of Cangrejo Films and Mayana Films. The documentary is a co-production between Chile and Germany.
The film takes as its starting point the shopping centres known as caracoles, spiral-shaped buildings that represented a promise of economic progress during the Chilean dictatorship. Fifty years later, these spaces bring together migrants, older adults, fortune tellers and people seeking new opportunities. Through their stories, the documentary reflects on the spaces and people left behind by changes in the market.
Both projects will participate in the market to expand their professional networks and explore opportunities for financing and international co-production.
Five Additional Chilean Projects for the International Industry
In addition to the officially selected projects, Chiledoc will promote five other projects included in the catalogue of the Chilean delegation, selected through the International Markets Participation Support Programme of Chile’s Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage.
Among them is “I Will Die Chilean” (Moriré chileno), directed by Rafael Valdeavellano and produced by Carola Fuentes and Sasja Opdam of La Ventana Cine and Submarine Productions. The Chile–Netherlands co-production reconstructs the final three months in the life of Chilean diplomat Orlando Letelier, who was assassinated in Washington in 1976, through the perspectives of his four children.
Two projects directed by Lorena Giachino will also be presented. “Cannon Fodder” (Carne de cañón), produced by Maximiliano Scheleff of Pajareza Films and GiachinoFilmes, tells the story of Aldo Marín, a young Chilean revolutionary who died in 1977 following a bomb explosion in Turin, Italy.
“Res Judicata” (Cosa juzgada), produced by Maximiliano Scheleff and Lorena Giachino of the same production companies, explores the life of judge Carlos Cerda, who investigated cases of enforced disappearance during the Chilean dictatorship. The documentary draws on the personal relationship the director established with him two decades ago.
Also included is “Widows” (Viudas), directed by Tatiana Lorca Campos and produced by Cristian Valle Celedón and Tatiana Lorca Campos of Wolf Producciones and Arándano Producciones. The documentary revisits footage filmed more than a decade ago of four women whose husbands were executed in retaliation for the assassination attempt against Augusto Pinochet. Through their stories, the film explores the lasting effects of grief and how memory changes over time.
Completing the selection is “The Weight of Snow” (El peso de la nieve), directed by Matías Bolla and produced by Cristian Valle Celedón and Carolina Sorensen of Wolf Producciones and People Productions. A co-production between Australia and Chile, the documentary is set in Chilean Patagonia and follows elderly gauchos living on isolated ranches as they face drought, physical decline and uncertainty about the future of their way of life.
Chilean Cinema in the “Kino und Kampf” Retrospective
Chilean cinema will also be represented in DOK Leipzig’s film programme. Titled “Kino und Kampf. Latin America between East and West”, this year’s retrospective will explore Latin American political cinema from the 1960s and 1970s, its circulation between East and West Germany, and the circumstances that made it possible to preserve these films.
The programme includes Chilean documentaries such as “El primer año” (1972), by Patricio Guzmán, which documents the first year of Salvador Allende’s government; “Herminda de la Victoria” (1969), by Douglas Hübner; “Abastecimiento” (1973), by Raúl Ruiz; “Pintando con el pueblo” (1971), by Leonardo Céspedes; and “Somos +” (1985), by Pablo Salas and Pedro Chaskel.
The retrospective also brings together films made in other countries that explore Chile’s history, international solidarity following the 1973 coup d’état, and the experiences of Chilean exile in East Germany.
These include “Chile lebt” (1976), by Juan Forch and Michael Börner; “Eine chilenische Hochzeit” (1977), by Rainer Ackermann and Valentin Milanow; “Eine Minute Dunkel macht uns nicht blind” (1976), by Walter Heynowski, Gerhard Scheumann and Peter Hellmich; and “Illapu – Lied von Freiheit und Liebe” (1984), by Carlos Puccio, about the Chilean musical group’s presence in East Berlin.
The selection also includes “El tigre saltó y mató, pero morirá… morirá…” (1973), by Cuban filmmaker Santiago Álvarez, a tribute to Chilean musician Víctor Jara.
The retrospective will therefore offer an opportunity to revisit both Chilean filmmaking from this period and the international networks of circulation and solidarity that developed around it.
Chiledoc Promotes Opportunities for Networking and Co-Production
As part of its industry programme, Chiledoc will organise the Chiledoc Co-Production Lunch on Monday, 26 October. The event will bring together documentary industry professionals to encourage exchange and create new opportunities for co-production.
On Tuesday, 27 October, Chiledoc and the Goethe-Institut will also host a Get Together, bringing together members of the international documentary community attending DOK Leipzig.
The Chilean delegation will include Loreto Plubins, director; Rafael Valdeavellano, director and producer at La Ventana Cine; Carola Fuentes, producer at La Ventana Cine; Maximiliano Scheleff, producer at Pajareza Films; Cristian Valle Celedón, producer at Wolf Producciones; and Diego Pino Anguita, Deputy Director of Chiledoc.
Chiledoc’s participation in DOK Leipzig is part of its ongoing work with Chile’s Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage to promote Chilean documentary internationally, strengthen professional networks and create new opportunities for collaboration and international circulation.
About Chiledoc
Chiledoc promotes Chilean documentary talent and their films and series around the world. We are committed to supporting the growth of the sector through strategic promotion, building and strengthening networks, and encouraging collaborative practices. We are a collective force.
Chiledoc is a public-private organisation supported by ProChile, part of Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Chilean Documentary Corporation (CCDoc).
Press contact: periodista@ccdoc.cl
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