ZDOK.25 will take place on Wednesday, March 19, Thursday, March 20, and Friday, March 21, 2025, in the lecture hall of the Museum für Gestaltung, Ausstellungsstrasse 60, (Wed, Thu) and in the Toni Cinema of the ZHdK, Pfingstweidstr. 96, 8005 Zurich (Fri).
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IT’S A MATCH
Relationship work in documentary film      

The interplay between the filmmakers and those being filmed is complex, does not always run smoothly, and yet, when it ‚matches‘, it is not infrequently the beginning of an extraordinary film. But who is actually in front of the camera? Are they participants, contributors, partners? Or are they rather characters, protagonists, who are only formed in the editing process? Do we pay them? How do we treat them? How much say do they have? Do we still care about them once the film is finished?

People who open their lives and daily routines for a documentary film have often experienced a crisis or are in a difficult situation. And filmmakers are most likely to achieve powerful scenes when the full depth of a crisis can be captured. They depend on the people being filmed to open up trustingly and to allow situations in which they are stressed, sad or desperate. However, the effect of public exposure can hardly be predicted for those filmed, and it can have profound consequences for their personal lives. How can we find a balance in working together? And at what point are deviations between the real people and the created figures ethically questionable?

ZDOK.25 offers a multi-layered examination of one of the most central topics in documentary filmmaking. Filmmakers, protagonists and researchers discuss relationship issues related to documentary film from different perspectives, thus promoting a discourse on contemporary cinematic positions.

• FILMMAKERS:
  Heidi Specogna (Cahier Africain, The Lady with the Arrows), Annett Ilijew (Facing Time), Lisa Gerig (The Hearing), Maja Tschumi (Immortals),  Mehdi Sahebi (Prisoners of Fate),  Fabienne Steiner (Fitting In), Bigna Tomschin (editor of Polish Prayer) and the cooperative team of Marisa Meier, Luisa Ricar and Franziska Sonder (Tiny Kitten vs 2nry System, work in progress): They provide insights into their relationship work, the creative processes behind the films and the ethical dilemmas they face.
• CONTRIBUTORS:
  Former contributors or protagonists participate in the presentations and discussions and explain their specific perspective: Living Smile Vidya (The Hearing), Malek Madhi (Immortals),  Maia Arson Crimew (Tiny Kitten vs 2nry System, work in progress).
• RESEARCHERS:
  Patrica Aufderheide (American University, Washington D.C.), Jens Eder (Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf), Emily Coleman (King’s College London), Rand Beiruty (artistic researcher, Amman/Berlin), David Alamouti (University of the Arts, London) contextualize the topics, incorporate new studies and discuss ethical standards.
• SPECIAL INPUT:
  Psychotherapist Serra Ciliv (Film in Mind, UK) uses a live demonstration to make the real problems between those who film and those who are filmed visible and tangible. Danish producer and author Mikael Opstrup explains the trend towards the ‚character-driven documentary‘.

Follow the links below for a variety of pages about our bilingual conference. Texts in German refer to talks and panels in German language (D), whereas English texts are linked to English speaking program items (E). All talks and panels will be translated simultaneously in to English. Please bring your own headphones to connect them to your mobile phone in order to listen to the translation. – More info: > ZDOK English

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