Berlin-based multi-platform documentary festival Dokumentale is about to kick off its second edition, unspooling from 12-22 June (see the news). Following a strong debut last year, the event is doubling down on its mission to celebrate the diversity of non-fiction storytelling by expanding across the capital, with screenings, discussions and immersive experiences taking place in cinemas, museums, nightclubs and cultural venues. We spoke to Anna Ramskogler-Witt and Vivian Schröder – the festival’s artistic director and impact director, respectively – to get an idea of its dynamic programme of films, books, podcasts, VR works and live performances.

Cineuropa: Glanz & Widerstand opens this year's festival with a bold, interdisciplinary approach. What inspired you to launch proceedings with an immersive performance, rather than a film?
Anna Ramskogler-Witt: It started on a winter’s afternoon at Atelier Gardens – our festival centre – where we were standing with friends who are ballet dancers. The space, Berlin's oldest film studio, sparked the first idea for Glanz & Widerstand – a blend of nostalgia and creative energy.

Vivian Schröder: Marlene Dietrich had filmed there before, and it felt like a dialogue between past and present. We wanted to begin with a statement – something that redefined documentary as experience. The result was a one-night fusion of film, ballet and sound – an immersive encounter with beauty and resistance.

ARW: And what could be timelier than her famous line: “Anti-fascist out of a sense of decency”?

The Dokumentale presents a wide array of formats, from films and VR to books and podcasts. What curatorial strategy guides the integration of such diverse media into a cohesive festival experience?
ARW: It all comes down to reality. Each format, whether podcast or VR, reckons with the real. That's our North Star. We don't force coherence through style or genre. Instead, we trust that their shared commitment to the non-fictional binds them together.

VS: The festival is a kind of prismatic lens: reality enters as white light, and we refract it – through audio, text and immersive worlds. The spectrum is broad, but the source is singular.

With The Good Media Pitch and the D’Hub industry programme [see the news], the Dokumentale is also building bridges between media makers and civil society. What kind of impact or outcomes do you hope to see from these industry connections?
VS: The thread that runs through our work is connection – between storytellers, activists, producers and communities. D’Hub and The Good Media Pitch create intersectional spaces where narratives are not only shared, but also support a cause and try to bring change.

ARW: Today, the line between media and society is dissolving. Disinformation erodes trust. We see that documentaries can bring this back, partly.

VS: Through impact producing, we help filmmakers develop campaigns that move beyond the screen – into policy, education and organising. The goal isn't just to expose injustice, but also to support action.

This year sees an expanded programme for children and young adults, including immersive readings and youth documentaries. What motivated this new focus on younger audiences?
ARW: Last year, younger audiences were drawn to the VR installations with unfiltered curiosity. Our “children’s book cinema” was a surprise hit with nursery-age kids. So, this year, we're leaning in with a first weekend for all ages.

VS: But it’s also about media literacy. If we want future generations to navigate truth and narrative, we must equip them early, with tools and with wonder.

Berlin’s cinemas, clubs and museums are an integral part of the festival. How do these different venues influence the way the audience engages with the programme?
ARW: The venue shapes not just the experience, but also the audience. Clubs brought in people who might never have entered a cinema – but their hunger for dialogue was just as deep. The tone of the questions differed, but the curiosity was the same.

VS: This range of spaces enables a variety of encounters. Museums offer context, cinemas offer focus, and clubs offer spontaneity. Together, they form a kind of urban choreography, making the city an active participant.

How do you define “documentary storytelling” in 2025, especially considering the inclusion of virtual reality, experimental ballet and podcast formats?
ARW: From the start, we knew we didn’t want to just screen films; we wanted to open up a conversation about the many ways reality can be narrated. In 2025, documentary storytelling isn't about medium, but about intention.

VS: It’s a commitment to truth-telling – even when the truth is subjective, fragmented or embodied. A ballet may not look like a traditional documentary, but if it invites us to reckon with the real, it belongs here.

As the festival grows, how do you balance international scope with a strong local identity, especially in a city like Berlin, where both are so present?
VS: Berlin is a city of portals, opening outwards and inwards. We try to mirror that. The festival is global in content, but rooted in place. We partner with cinemas, clubs and local creators while staying attuned to Berlin's evolving landscape.

ARW: The international offers perspective; the local offers grounding. Together, they create a festival that's porous and particular – able to hold both a VR piece from Bogotá and a reading in a Neukölln studio. That’s the documentary spirit: rooted, yet listening to the world.