A Tribute to Gudrun Geyer

Gudrun Geyer has organized the International Documentary Film Festival Munich from 1985 to 2001.

Under Gudrun Geyer's influence and direction, from its beginnings in 1985 on a large, internationally recognized festival arose, in the mid-nineties comparable only to the festivals in Amsterdam, Nyon, Yamagata or Leipzig. Almost all internationally renowned documentary filmmakers have visited Munich in the past two decades.

The retrospectives on Indian, Cuban, Russian and Arabian documentary cinema that were realized through intense personal engagement, as well as the tributes to Alexandr Sokurov, Louis Malle, Raymond Depardon, Jean Rouch, Robert Kramer, Molly Dineen, Nurith Aviv, Gisela Tuchtenhagen and Gudrun Geyers last retrospective in 2001 on "100 years of animal films" are legendary.

The number of films grew over the years and peaked in 2001 with 200 films at the 16th International Documentary Film Festival.

You will find former programmes (from 1996 to 2001), texts about the history, the mission of the festival, the juries and the awards within the artechock archive (most in German only).

Following the 16th International Documentary Film Festival that reached a climax with over 10.000 visitors in 2001, Gudrun Geyer resigned from office. In 2001 she was honoured by the city of Munich for her life achievements.