40 YEARS OF DOK.FEST MÜNCHEN: EYES WIDE OPEN
Exhibition at Gasteig HP8
Exhibition: 29 April until 25 May 2025, daily 07 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Location: Halle E, Gasteig HP8
Opening: 29 April 2025, 5 p.m.
DOK.fest München is celebrating its 40th anniversary. To accompany the Munich International Documentary Film Festival, the exhibition displays festival posters and impressions from past editions.
Since 1985, documentary film has been bringing people together in Munich, and has touched, amused, and enlightened them; it promotes diverse intercultural exchange, empathy, and education, and thus strengthens our basic democratic values. Every year, numerous international film highlights, intense film discussions, and a comprehensive additional programme provide insights into the most diverse stories and realities of life. Alongside the audience festival, DOK.forum, an internationally recognised industry platform, and DOK.education, a year-round film education programme, have become two important pillars of the festival. Since the pandemic in 2020, DOK.fest München has been established as a Germany-wide dual festival, available both on digital screens @home and in cinemas, thus offering the greatest possible participation.
DOK.fest München has helped shape the cityscape for 40 years and vice versa:
Venues, infrastructure, people, and fashion trends are reflected in numerous photographs by festival photographers and in the design of the festival posters. Between its foundation in 1985 and 2002, the then festival director Gudrun Geyer created the first posters and programme booklets with the support of various graphic designers. Under the direction of Hermann Barth from 2002 to 2009, the renowned designer Prof. Gerwin Schmidt shaped the DOK.fest München brand with his iconic festival posters. In 2010, Christian Pfeil and Daniel Sponsel took over the festival and DOK.education and the DOK.tour were created. Since then, a bright orange colour has characterised the look of DOK.fest München. Since 2011, Daniel Sponsel has headed the festival, which was complemented by DOK.forum in a bright green colour. Adele Kohout became co-festival director in 2016. Following Daniel Sponsel's departure, she will take over the management of DOK.fest München from 2026.
The exhibition presented by DOK.fest München in cooperation with the Münchner Stadtbibliothek and the Münchner Volkshochschule showcases the development and diversity of DOK.fest München over four decades under the ever-present motto: Eyes Wide Open.
The German version of the exhibition text is also available in Simple Language, approved by the Zentrum Leichte Sprache Allgäu/Schwaben.
