We find ourselves in the midst of the DOK Leipzig opening event at the Schauspielhaus, surrounded by a swarm of people who are excited, tense, and creative. Clutching a microphone, we sway back and forth like one of those giant balloon figures that stand in front of stores to entice passersby to shop.
Our first stop is the women’s restroom, where our first interactions take place. A polite smile is exchanged in front of the mirror, compliments are handed out, and interview connections are made. People come and go here, each with business matters—some more serious than others—to attend to. We successfully wrap things up and leave our role as a networking porcelain lady under pressure.
© DOK Leipzig 2026, Susann Bargas Gomez
A group in shiny dress shoes glides past us across the smooth parquet floor, as if they were figure skating. The crowd is bursting with enthusiasm, and the sight of it makes us really thirsty. So far, we’re just chemists—we want to become part of this element. We pull out a pen and paper.
And we—who aren’t trained journalists and grew up outside of Hollywood—dare to do the unimaginable.
Asking good interview questions: “Ahem.” – “Hello, what are you doing here?” – “I’m watching a movie.” – “What are your expectations?” – “I hope it’ll be exciting!” – “I want to be just like you. What do I have to do?” – “Just do it.”
We’re in the process of acquiring a lot of knowledge. But that was just the ebb; now comes the flood. We’re better prepared and are learning from our mistakes.
Second try: “Good day—uh, good evening. Do you like pigeons, especially golden ones? Would you rather have a pigeon or a pair of overalls at home?”
Third try: We set sail once more and head out to sea. Now it’s a magical interplay. We meet someone with whom we’re immediately on the same wavelength. “Here you meet people from all over the world. Here are people who survived the Big Bang.” The sun explodes before our eyes.
Fourth try: A gust of wind changes our course, and we run into a woman. She gives us the final piece of advice we need before we embark on our path to absolute success. “You have to understand the game.”
A bell rings; the performance begins. We find ourselves in a large hall, like flies caught in a spider’s web.
We’re right in the thick of it. It quickly becomes clear: the festival has so much to offer. We’re definitely going to get FOMO.
Malou & Vanja