Portugal, Deutschland, Litauen. Belgien / 2026 / Documentary / 12 min
OT ohne Di / UT -
Deep in the Portuguese countryside, bulls graze in the pastures of a country estate, in the shade of ancient olive trees. They still lead a peaceful life, which stands in stark contrast to the role they will soon take on. MACHOS offers us a wordless and sober insight into the centuries-old tradition of bullfighting.
Regie: Justine Jahn, Produktion: Justine Jahn / DocNomadsPlus, Drehbuch: Justine Jahn, Kamera: Justine Jahn, Schnitt: Justine Jahn, Ton: Justine Jahn, Musik: -
Justine Jahn, born in Germany, studied Media Art and Design at the Bauhaus University Weimar in 2019. Specialising in documentary film, she broadened her horizons through two semesters abroad in Spain and Peru. She completed her bachelor’s degree with her documentary film *Die anderen Mädchen gehn auf Redoute*. After graduating, she undertook an internship at the film production company “Medea Film” and subsequently continued working there as an assistant producer. Since 2025, Justine has been studying documentary film directing on the DocNomadsPlus Master’s programme.
Kyrgyzstan, Киргизия / 2025 / Documentary / 19 min
OT Kyrgyz / UT English
In a remote mountain village in Kyrgyzstan, children and their teacher face the daily challenges of life in extreme isolation. Amidst snow-covered paths, long journeys to school and the harsh conditions of the natural environment, a portrait of childhood, education and community emerges. With great intimacy and quiet observation, TOO BALDARY- CHILDREN OF THE MOUNTAINS tells a story of curiosity, resilience and the hope for a future that extends beyond the boundaries of the mountains.
Regie: Guliza Abdykamilova, Produktion: Guliza Abdykamilova, Drehbuch: Guliza Abdykamilova, Kamera: Adilet Baktybekov, Schnitt: Adilet Baktybekov, Ton: Ainuska Asanbekova, Musik: -
Guliza Abdykamilova is a director and casting director. She studied at the Kyrgyz-Turkish “Manas” University in the Department of Radio, Television and Cinema (Bachelor’s degree). Among his works, the feature film THERAPY (KTMU, 2024, as casting director) and the documentary KOSHOGO (KTMU, 2024, as director).
Brazil / 2025 / Documentary / 25 min
OT Portuguese / UT English
Mukuná is a resident of the village of Potiguara Katu. This is situated within what remains of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, which is protected by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve. Through the songs and rhythms of his ancestors, Mukuná is initiated into the spiritual rites as a shaman. He also learns to treat nature and his surroundings with care. At the same time, the film highlights the precarious situation facing Brazil’s indigenous peoples as a result of massive deforestation.
Regie: Rodrigo Sena, Produktion: Arlindo Bezerra, Clarisse Kubrusly e Regiane Lima, Drehbuch: Rodrigo Sena e Manoel Batista, Kamera: Rodrigo Sena, Schnitt: Yuri Amaral, Ton: Jota Marcianoa, Musik: Jota Marcianoa
Rodrigo Sena is an award-winning director known for his short films "O Menino do Dente de Ouro" (The Boy with the Golden Tooth), winner at the Mostra de Gostoso, and "Cuscuz Peitinho" (Little Breast Couscous), awarded at the Vitória Film Festival, as well as "A Tradicional Família Brasileira Katu" (The Traditional Brazilian Katu Family), awarded at the Brasília Film Festival. He wrote, directed, and photographed "Encantarias," a 3-episode TV series, and is currently developing his first feature.
Germany / 2026 / Documentary / 29 min
OT German / UT English
On the outskirts of Lüdenscheid, Sandra Manß runs her father’s car recycling business. It is a place where not only discarded car parts find new owners, but also people find work and a sense of belonging. Her employees, Holger, Markus and Kevin – who would have few opportunities in the mainstream labour market – form a small utopia together with Sandra. DISMANTLING – a film title could not be more apt – captivates with its sober imagery and, without further commentary, authentically depicts a vanishing reality of life.
Regie: Leonard Mann, Produktion: Academy of Media Arts Cologne/Leonard Mann, Drehbuch: Leonard Mann, Kamera: Felix von Klitzing, Schnitt: Justus Hanfland, Ton: Sounddesign: Frederic Hellmann, Musik: -
Leonard Mann is a documentary filmmaker. He began specialising in documentary storytelling whilst studying for his Bachelor’s degree in Communication Design at the Peter Behrens School of Arts in Düsseldorf. He is currently studying documentary film directing at the Cologne Academy of Media Arts. In his films, he forges close relationships with his protagonists and creates open, equal and intimate spaces. His works are often produced in small teams, with him frequently operating the camera himself. Alongside his own projects, he occasionally works as a freelancer on television productions. His documentary *Der mit dem Krokodil tanzt* has screened at numerous film festivals, won the Audience Award at the kurzsuechtig festival in Leipzig and was shortlisted for the German Short Film Award. Leonard Mann is a scholarship holder of the German National Academic Foundation. He lives and works in Cologne.
Russian Federation, - / 2025 / Documentary / 26 min
OT Russian / UT English
We follow Lelya, Yulia and Natalya – three elderly sisters from the indigenous Udege people living in the Russian taiga – as they go about their daily village life, fishing, gathering mushrooms and singing traditional songs together. Through beautiful imagery and with a touch of humour, this engaging documentary highlights the decline of the culture of the Udege ethnic minority, a people who were once hunters. It reminds us to appreciate and preserve the less visible aspects of life amidst the noise of mainstream culture and everyday life.
Regie: Lolita Ismailova, Produktion: Svetlana Dalskaya, Drehbuch: Lolita Ismailova, Kamera: Korney Belykh, Schnitt: Lolita Ismailova, Ton: Alexander Lanetsky, Musik: -
Lolita Ismailova (born in 1999 in St Petersburg) is a Russian documentary film director and actress. She graduated in 2021 from the I.D. Kobzon Institute of Theatre Arts in Moscow (specialising in theatre and film acting). Directing training: At the same time, she attended various film schools and workshops focusing on non-fiction film and documentary directing. THREE SISTERS is her directorial debut.
