Katja Lell

Katja Lell is an Assistant Professor for transcultural, intersectional, and anti-discriminatory perspectives on cinema at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne (KHM). Since 2025, she has collaborated with Prof. Alejandro Bachmann on the project 'All Disabled Selves,' examining ableism in cinema across theoretical, structural, and institutional dimensions. Concurrently, she pursues a PhD at the University of Cologne’s Department of Art and Music, focusing on queer-theoretical analyses of experimental film education. Prior to 2024, she was a research associate at the University of Cologne and has lectured internationally. As a freelance cultural worker and filmmaker since 2013, Lell organizes film screenings, develops educational materials, and publishes on film pedagogy. Notable works include the 2024 co-authored book Tension in Intercultural Film Education (kopaed Verlag).

Her educational background includes studies in fine arts (video/film), philosophy, and art education at institutions in Hamburg and Zurich. Lell’s teaching spans workshops on queer-feminist film education, anti-discrimination frameworks, and experimental documentary practices. Recent presentations include a keynote at the Scottish International Film Education Conference (2023) and collaborative lectures on queer methodologies at the University of Hamburg and Cologne. Her artistic practice includes experimental films such as wie sich erinnern […] Вспоминать (2021), honored at the Nordic Film Days in Lübeck.

Her research emphasizes critical intersections of art, education, and social justice, with a focus on marginalized perspectives in media arts. Current projects explore decolonial and disability-focused approaches to film pedagogy, reflecting her commitment to inclusive academic and creative practices.