The 68th edition of DOK Leipzig will open Oct. 27 with the international premiere of Claire Simon’s “Writing Life: Annie Ernaux Through the Eyes of High School Students.”
The film observes French teenagers as they study Ernaux, who became the first French woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2022. Simon observes the discussions these young people have – in Paris, in its suburbs, in Toulouse, and overseas in French Guiana, among other places.
“Claire Simon’s film shows in a straightforward and thus very powerful way how arts and culture can influence the development not only of our intellect, but also of our values and our political awareness,” festival director Christoph Terhechte said in a statement. “The arts often find themselves in a situation where they have to prove their relevance. Claire Simon’s film demonstrates smoothly why there should be no question about the value the arts hold for society.”
Ernaux is one of the most influential contemporary female authors in France and is considered a leading voice of the feminist cause. She is known for her spare, autobiographical writing style that blends autobiography with social critique, addressing issues such as class and gender roles, social trajectory, shame, abortion, and age.
Claire Simon, a director, screenwriter, cinematographer and actor, is among the most prominent names in documentary film. Her projects often place intimate stories in wider political context, focusing on women, youth and migration. She frequently writes and shoots her own work, and has previously presented films at DOK Leipzig, most recently “Elementary” (Audience Competition) in 2024. “Writing Life” had its world premiere in Venice this August.
DOK Leipzig will host the opening-night screening at CineStar, followed by a conversation with Simon. On Oct. 28, she will take part in the DOK Talk “Writing Life – In Conversation with Claire Simon” with festival director Christoph Terhechte on her cinematic approaches and themes, open to the public free of charge.
The 2025 edition of DOK Leipzig runs Oct. 27–Nov. 2.