Dér Asia
ASIA DÉR is a Hungarian-Slovak documentary filmmaker recognized for her intimate, character-driven work and long-term observational approach. Alongside her filmmaking, she is passionate about teaching and mentoring emerging filmmakers, and researching sustainable practices in documentary production, focusing on how the field can better support filmmakers and the protagonists. She is an active advocate for independent filmmaking in Eastern Europe.
ASIA DÉR was born in Bratislava, spent most of her life in Budapest, and has been based in Vienna, Austria, since 2025.
She graduated from the DOCNomads international MA program and holds a DLA (Doctor of Liberal Arts) from the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest.
Her debut feature, Her Mothers (2020), co-directed with Sári Haragonics, premiered at Hot Docs International Documentary Film Festival and was screened at more than 30 international festivals, including Sarajevo, Thessaloniki, and Taipei. Among other recognitions, the film won Best Feature Documentary and Best Editing at the Moscow DOKer Festival and the Social Awareness Award at Crossing Europe.
Her second feature, I Won’t Die (2023), follows an art gallery owner confronting life after a terminal cancer diagnosis. The film premiered in 2023 at the A-category Warsaw Film Festival.
Other notable works include Howling Like We Do (2022), a reflection on the legacy of avant-garde artist Lajos Kassák, which earned her the Best Director award at the FilmArte Festival in Berlin, and Burdened by the Past (2017), a portrait of filmmaker Judit Ember.
Asia has participated in industry programs such as ZagrebDox Pro, East Doc Platform, Docu Rough Cut Boutique, DOCCIRCLE, and Cannes Docs.
She is a founder and former presidium member of the Hungarian Documentary Association (MADOKE), a part-time lecturer at freeSZFE and DOCNomads, and an active advocate for independent filmmaking in Eastern Europe.
SCHOOLS
2023. University of Theatre and Film Arts, Budapest - doctoral studies
2014. Documentary director MA at Docnomads MA program
2012. Media studies at the Pázmány Péter Catholic University
WORKSHOPS
2017. Zagreb Dox Pro
2017. East Doc Platform
2019. Docu Rough Cut Boutique
2019. Dok Preview at Dok Leipzig
2019. DOCCIRCLE
2021. Cannes Marche du Film
SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY AND AWARDS
Nem halok meg (I Won’t Die), 2023, 92 min, Matchframe Productions, Hungary
Best director at DOKER international film festival, 2024.
Best cinematography at the Zsigmond Vilmos international film festival, 2024.
Best film at the Tony Curtis film festival, 2024.
Available at DOC AROUND EUROPE
A magunk módjára üvölteni (Howling Like We Do), 2022, 90 min, KerekesFilm, Slovakia
Best Documentary feature at Kosice International film festival, 2022.
Best director at Berlin Art film festival, 2022.
Special Mention at Verzio international Human Rights Documentary festival, 2023.
Anyáim Története (Her Mothers) codirected with Sári Haragonics, 2020, 75 min, Campfilm, HBO, Hungary, SUNDANCE Filmfund
Best Documentary at Crossing Europe film festival in Linz, 2021.
Grand Prix for the Best Documentary Feature and best editing an DOKER, 2021.
Jury Prize at Chéries-Chéris, the Paris International LGBTQIA+ Film Festival
Special Mention at the Hungarian International Documentary Festival
Audience Award // Special mention by the grand jury and the student jury at 6th Festival de Cine LGTBI (2021)
AVAILABLE at HBOMAX
LANGUAGES
English, Slovak, German, Spanish