DokLeipzig has announced its opening film for the 2025 edition: “Writing Life: Annie Ernaux Through the Eyes of High School Students”, the latest work by French filmmaker Claire Simon.

The documentary follows teenagers from different regions of France —from Paris and its suburbs to Toulouse and French Guiana— as they delve into the work of Nobel Prize–winning author Annie Ernaux. Through their classroom discussions, the film reveals how the students engage with Ernaux’s texts, what echoes they find in their own lives, and what new ideas her words awaken.

DokLeipzig director Christoph Terhechte emphasized the scope of the project:

“Claire Simon’s film shows in a simple, and therefore so powerful, way how the arts and culture can shape not only our intellect, but also our values and political awareness. The arts often have to justify their relevance. This film makes it abundantly clear why there should be no doubt about the essential role they play in society.”