New director for DOK Leipzig: Ola Staszel at the helm from 2026!

New director for DOK Leipzig: Ola Staszel at the helm from 2026!

On October 31, 2025, a groundbreaking decision was made in Leipzig: Aleksandra (Ola) Staszel will be the new director of DOK Leipzig from January 1, 2026. The Leipzig city council announced this in a unanimous council meeting, which was chaired by the mayor of culture, Dr. Skadi Jennicke was directed. She emphasizes that Staszel has an artistic vision and a sensitivity to the challenges in the documentary film industry, which makes her the ideal successor to Christoph Terhechte, who is retiring early.

Ola Staszel is no stranger to the film scene. The Polish literary and film scholar has broad experience: she has been associated with the Neisse Film Festival since 2011 and took on a leading role in 2014. She also studied film and literature as well as European studies at the universities in Wrocław and Aachen and is the founder of the mobile cinema “The Rolling Movies”. She was active in her role as a jury member at the German Film and Media Assessment (FBW) until 2025. Now she plans to bring her vision to one of the oldest and most important documentary film festivals in the world, DOK Leipzig.

DOK Leipzig: A festival with tradition

DOK Leipzig is being held for the 68th time this year under the direction of Christoph Terhechte. The festival will take place from October 27th to November 2nd, 2025 and is known for promoting documentary and animated films. During his time as director, Terhechte stabilized the festival financially and successfully led it through the corona pandemic. His early decision to retire came as a surprise as his contract was originally scheduled to run until early 2028. The DOK Talk, which took place on October 30, 2023, provided insights into his experiences and the upcoming generational change.

The event was seen by many as an important platform to not only highlight Terhechte's successes, but also look to the future under Staszel's leadership. The importance of film and culture for international understanding, particularly through its emphasis on Eastern European issues, will be a central element of Staszel's program. The city council's decision was reiterated by Mayor Burkhard Jung, who underlined the importance of Staszel's vision for the future of the festival.

A look ahead

Staszel has set itself the goal of further strengthening the connection between documentary and animated films and continuing a tradition at DOK Leipzig. With her experience of financial challenges and her strong connection to social issues in film, she is prepared to take on the challenges of her new position. “We are looking forward to the new perspectives that Ola Staszel will bring,” explained Skadi Jennicke and announced that under her leadership, DOK Leipzig will continue to be a place for social discussions and cultural exchange.

MDR reports about the election of Staszel as artistic director, who has received positive feedback and support from the cultural scene. You can also find more information about DOK Leipzig and developments in the festival management on the official website here. For anyone who wants to learn more about the lifelong struggle and significant social changes brought about by figures like Nelson Mandela were coined, this could offer an exciting perspective on the cultural context.