Dumping grounds
The painter Leonid Sejka is considered to be one of the most original renovators of the former Yugoslavia. "During an attempt to emigrate from art" he found the inspiration for his paintings on the dumping grounds of the city, and goaded the socialist culture bureaucracy as well as the adepts of Western abstractions which were also present in Yugoslavia at that time.
Conversations with friends give an impression of Belgrade in the Fifties and Sixties, of a city and a climate that nowadays exist only in private apartments, if at all.
A documentary by Jutta Hercher and Peter Urban
Co-production by WDR/3sat and KernTV/ supported by Filmförderung Hamburg 2002
58 min, 2002
The women of Kisani Sabha
A documentary by Ulrike Schaz about landless women living in Bangladesh on river islands, the so-called chars.
Co-Production with WDR/arte.
Funded by "Filmförderung Hamburg GmbH" and the European commission.
60 min, 2000; 80 min, 2001.
"It breaks my heart"
Two Bosnian refugee families are looking for a new home. A longterm documentary by Leslie Franke and Hermann Lorenz. WDR, Arte, 60 Minutes, 2000
Munich Documentary Film Festival 2000, Grand Prix of the VI. Krakauer Ethnographic Film Festival 09/2000, International program of the Human Rights Film Festival "Stalker" in Moscow 12/2000. International Film Festival Istanbul 11/2001, Festival International de Films de Fribourg 03/2002
The better you are, the more you achieve
The stressful life of an ordinary middle class child who never manages to live up to the expectations of his environment. A film by Leslie Franke and Hermann Lorenz;
25 min, 2000
Nominated for the television award "Grimme-Preis" 2000
Failure as an opportunity
This film accompanies the election campaign Chance 2000 of the film and theatre director Christoph Schlingensief during the election in 1998.
A documentary by Alexander Grasseck and Stefan Corinth, commissioned by Kleines Fernsehspiel ZDF;
92 min, 1999
Amber prospectors
Russian artists, traders, divers, old and young, misfits and respectable people - they all seek their »great fortune« in amber.
A documentary by Oleg Morosov, commissioned by Kleines Fernsehspiel ZDF;
72 min, 1999
Beijing Lan
An unusual theatre project in China
A documentary by Alexander Grasseck, Stefan Corinth and Olaf Berg in co-production with 3-Sat und ARTE,
45 min, 1998
School is like the dawn of a new day for us
Documentary by Leslie Franke about Roma and Sinti children in German and Dutch schools. Funded by the EU, the school and youth board of Hamburg, and ordered by the foundation Sinti Werk Best.
43 min, 1998
Life in Algeria
Rachid Nafir, an Algerian refugee, returns to his native country.
The film, passionate as well as romantic, also represents a path of self-discovery, a critical look at the past.
A film by Rachid Nafir
60 min, 1997
Moscow's watch at the Baltic sea
The German city has vanished in the sorrow of fleeing East Prussians. The soviet Baltijsk, the secret secluded city, has survived the Soviet Union...
A film by Oleg Morozov
45 min, 1997
Deportation: Bosnian refugees out
The film documents the desperate situation of Bosnians refugees that had been expelled from their country, fled to Hamburg and are now threatened by deportation....
A reportage by Leslie Franke and Hermann Lorenz;
35 min, 1996
Farmers as victims
Scandianvian farmers in the EU
Will the lakeland and forests of central Finland turned into a natural preserve, with the remaining locals becoming landscape gardeners for tourists...?
A reportage commissioned by ARTE; by Leslie Franke and Roland Plank.
30 min, 1996
Trakehnen to be German again?
Confidence tricks of the right wing extremists. Trakehnen, a place full of traditions, is one of the favourite drill grounds of German right wing extremists.
A documentary by Leslie Franke und Hermann Lorenz;
45 min, 1995
Brining, hanging, smoking
The film shows the last days of the last fish smoking plant of Hamburg. A culture in danger of extinction.
A Documentary by Leslie Franke and Elisabeth v. Dücker, commissioned by the "Museum der Arbeit".
35 min, 1995
Stories from Matrosovo
About a German and Russian new beginning at the Courland Lagoon
50 years ago, homeless Russians landed in this idyllic fishing village. At present, fleeing Russian Germans from Kazakhstan are arriving...
A film by Leslie Franke and Oleg Morozov;
45 min, 1994
Roma children at the Billbrookdeich
The teachers and the school administrators have to learn a lot if they want to make sure that Roma children go to school regularly.
A documentary by Leslie Franke and Christiane Chodinskij, commissioned by the Hamburg department of culture (Hamburger Kulturbehörde)
30 min, 1994
It is a long way to Europe: can Lithuania get away from Russia?
»..we used to think that everything would improve right away with the independence. But we did not reach Europe yet…«
A documentary by Hermann Lorenz, commissioned by ARTE
60 min, 1994
The taboo of freedom- jews in Lithuania
Rivha Bogomolnaja, the sole jewish survivor of the small Lithuanian village of Butdrimonas, is visiting her place of origin.
A film by Hermann Lorenz;
30 min, 1993
Herrings in the assembly line
Industrial female labour in the fishing industry.
A documentary by Leslie Franke and Elisabeth v. Dücker, commissioned by "Museum of labour" and NDR;
30 min, 1993
Cosmopolitan
Hamburg, main station. Exotic treats from all over the world are available at the food court. All of a sudden, HSV fans are storming through the foyer, shouting »Pack off, wogs!«
A short documentary by Leslie Franke and Hermann Lorenz;
12 min, 1992
Salivnoje used to be Postnicken
German visitors are shocked. 
But the former East Prussian town of Postnicken is presenting us a huge amount of cruel, odd and nonetheless appealing biographies.
A documentary by Oleg Morozov;
45 min, 1992
Les Cortasses: about a life in the Procence
Maurice used to be commander in the resistance movement of Gordes. 
At present, the 86 year old is living in Les Cortasses with his German friend Rolf Defank.
A documentary by Rolf Defrank. Camera/cut/production: Hermann Lorenz;.
60 min, 1992
Stages of life
Emotional and spiritual development of the painter Antoinette and three women of the "pricing" brigade from the furniture factory Hellerau in the reunification year of 1990.
A documentary by Leslie Franke and Sabine von Kessel;
35 min, 1991
A soft spot for children is not enough
A documentary commissioned by the union og public workers;
Ozon hole over New Zealand
Fear of the sun is growing in the midst of a splendid environment, 
pristine and almost untouched by pollution …
A report by Leslie Franke and Hermann Lorenz.
25 min, 1991
Kaliningrad-Königsberg. Interior views of a Russian enclave
Kaliningrad, an enclosed city within the off limits' military zone, used to be Königsberg. 
Hardly anything of the grey concrete bulding walls evokes this…
A documentary by Leslie Franke and Hermann Lorenz;
45 min, 1991
The end of dedication
Wage dispute 1988/89 of nurses and caregivers for the elderly in Hamburg. 
In this professional group formerly so willing to make sacrifices, imagination and unity bring about radical changes that reach far beyond the wage agreement.
A documentary commissioned by the union of public workers
by Hermann Lorenz; 45 min, 1989
Out of the USSR: Lithuania's path to independence
For the first time, a country dares to secede from the USSR. 
A report commissioned by the TV station ARD, by Leslie Franke and Hermann Lorenz;
35 min, 1989
Perestroika in the company: the daily grind during reforms in two car factories in Minsk
A documentary by Leslie Franke and Hermann Lorenz;
45 min, 1988
Tanja: Encounters with a Russian woman from Lipezk
Gaining insights in the working environment, the family and the very personal beliefs of a »simple« Russian woman.
A documentary by Leslie Franke and Hermann Lorenz;
45 min, 1987
Don't ask, don't beg, just go ahead and fight
Unemployed people in Hamburger fight for things that they were denied in their everyday life.
A documentary by Leslie Franke, Hermann Lorenz and Christian Schubert;
30 min, 1985