10:00 a.m.: There is a restless bustle in front of the Passage Cinemas. The floor is covered with muddy, very small footprints, which suggest the target audience for the DOK screening: children. Because today we are going to see “Films for Everyone 3+” – a short film reel for the youngest festival audience. The stress is written all over the teachers' faces. Understandable, as we feel the same way about the background noise, and we don't even have to look after the children.
We go into the cinema with the groups of children. We sit at the back so we can observe what's going on.
The program begins with the film “The Sky Was Candy,” but the children are still busy peeling off their rain gear. Anh Tú Nguyen’s short film uses colorful images to tell a story of loss and new beginnings. Do the children understand what it’s about? They mainly laugh at the funny music and the dancing heads.
“Vor einer Tür auf einer Matte” (In front of a door on a mat) tells the story of missing someone who bothers you. We think this short film is very well done. The children also seem to have settled down in the cinema and are focusing their attention on the screen. Afterwards: a conversation with a live dubbing artist. He is supposed to explain his job. But the children seem to have little interest in this; they chat among themselves and focus their attention on the popcorn in their hands.
“Bela Does Judo” tells the story of a boy, roughly the same age as the audience, who talks about his battle with leukemia, which he has now overcome. The filmmakers tell us about how the film came about. They also engage with the audience and ask them what sports they play. The children are happy to share their experiences and shout out their answers, such as “soccer!” or “ice hockey!”
The film “Books Are Made of Trees,” on the other hand, disappoints us a little. We expected more, and we didn’t really understand the theme of the short film. The children also seem uninterested, reacting only tentatively to the film’s plot.
In “The Rumble-Bumble Rally” by Annette Saugestad Helland and Johan Kaos, a girl shows what happens when she enters a dream world while tidying up. The film has a cozy atmosphere, and the protagonist’s imagination captivates us. The children also focus their full attention on the screen.
We are equally enthusiastic about the next film, “Volles Nest” (Full Nest), which deals with the theme of charity. But here, too, we wonder whether the children really understand the actual theme.
“Eine kleine Pups-Revue” (A Little Fart Revue) is a crowd favorite. The children laugh out loud and, as they loudly proclaim, have a lot of fun with this short film.
Compared to its predecessor, “Astral” seems rather boring to the children. They fall silent and start preparing for the return journey.
After the screening, we talk to a teacher, who considers the program a great success for her kids. One of the children shares his final conclusion: “I liked all the films equally well.”
11:00 a.m.: Wearing high-visibility vests, the children leave the cinema in pairs and exit the Passage Kino premises. With the children gone, silence returns—our ears rejoice. Now we too rush out into the rain, but without high-visibility vests.
Judie, Wanda
Copyright in order of images shown (top to bottom):
© DOK Leipzig 2025, The Sky Was Candy, Anh Tú Nguyen
© DOK Leipzig 2025, Vor einer Tür auf einer Matte, Antje Heyn
© DOK Leipzig 2025, Bela macht Judo, Stephan Liskowsky, Dinah Münchow
© DOK Leipzig 2025, Books Are Made of Trees, Anh Tú Nguyen, Julianna Jakubowska
© DOK Leipzig 2025, The Rumble-Bumble Rally, Anh Tú Nguyen, Annette Saugestad Helland, Johan Kaos
© DOK Leipzig 2025, Volles Nest, Anh Tú Nguyen, Elena Walf
© DOK Leipzig 2025, Eine kleine Pups-Revue, Meike Fehre, Sabine Dully
© DOK Leipzig 2025, Astral, Judith Ordonneau