docfilm42 was founded by documentary filmmakers to establish a platform for independently produced documentaries.
docfilm42 was initiated in spring 2019 by Anli Serfontein, Susanne Dzeik, Jochen Hick, Sibylle Kappes and Peter Ohlendorf. On February 26, 2020, during the Berlinale, 12 people founded the association docfilm42 e.V. at an event in Berlin-Kreuzberg. This association is the publisher of the site docfilm42.de. Anli Serfontein, Jochen Hick and Susanne Dzeik were elected as the first board members. At the second general meeting on July 4, 2021, Claudia Morar and Peter Ohlendorf were newly elected to the board. Anli Serfontein and Jochen Hick did not stand for re-election.
docfilm42’s guiding principles are diversity and non-conformity and aims to generate higher awareness and visibility for social diversity. The platform links information about documentaries with communities. It creates a hub networking various players, (filmmakers, audiences, organizations, media, streaming platforms, initiatives, etc.).
Our initiative sees itself as a complement to existing offers and is a non-commercial project that does not compete with streaming portals. docfilm42 itself is neither a program organizer nor a streaming service.
The filmmakers whose films are presented on this site also organize cinema screenings with film discussions. For this purpose, docflm42 cooperates with various art house cinemas. These and other events are advertised on this site and announced in the calendar.
docfilm42 cooperates with AG DOK, Germany’s largest professional association for filmmakers, as well as with the streaming platform Sooner (formerly realeyz.de), where docfilm42 is represented with its own channel. Part of the films presented on docfilm42.de are available on Sooner, but also on other streaming platforms.
The catalogue of films on docfilm42 is expanded on a monthly basis. The selection is made by a team according to transparent criteria, based on aspects such as topic, diversity, social relevance, etc.
In addition, the films and events are thematically contextualised and discussed in an English- and German-language blog.