kino.for you, the young curators’ project by DOXS RUHR, is set to continue its exciting journey. After two inspiring editions, this year’s festival once again creates a space for young perspectives. Its latest initiative Mind the Gap*s invites different generations to engage in an open dialogue about film and socio-political issues. This new section deals with topics such as the climate crisis, intergenerational contact, and dealing with historical heritage and memory. What divides, what unites, and how can film ensure that different views find each other in a conversation?
Mind the Gap*s brings important socio-political discussions into the public sphere, using the unique power of cinema. Through participatory approaches and curated film programmes, it creates a vibrant space for debate that spans across generations. In a series of film evenings DOXS RUHR will present a carefully selected mix of short and documentary films, such as the shorts THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE FOREST (Szymon Ruczyński, Poland 2023) and NO CRYING AT THE DINNER TABLE (Carol Nguyen, Canada 2019 – header picture). In A MOVE (UK/Ireland 2024), Elahe Esmaili portrays the profound shifts within her family in Iran, caught between tradition and new beginnings.
Learning with the Audience
The idea for Mind the Gap*s emerged from previous projects in which young, diverse voices tackled themes like mental health, ecological responsibility, and intergenerational trauma. These discussions inspired the festival team to expand the safe space of the young curators’ network and create a platform for intergenerational encounters. “We are interested in how different perspectives relate to each other. What are the images spread about youth and old age? How can we negotiate different experiences and knowledge in conversation?” asks Gudrun Sommer, festival director of DOXS RUHR. At the core of Mind the Gap*s is a strong concept of collaboration and co-creation: participants curate and present the film evenings together. “We provide the framework and facilitate the discussions, but the content is shaped by the participants.”
New Award
For the first time in this section, a prize will be handed out by an intergenerational jury: the Grand Prix Ruhr. This award will validate a documentary film that might fuel the socio-political debate. The prize thus highlights a unique aspect of documentary cinema: its ability to empathetically and critically depict conflicts, their ambivalence and the multiple perspectives. The award is endowed with €500 and the winning film will be made available for purchase by the streaming platform filmfriend.