Katharina Dockhorn studied history and cultural studies at Humboldt University in Berlin. She initially worked in the feature film department of East German television. Since 1993, she has been working as a freelance journalist for television stations, daily newspapers, monthly magazines and trade papers. Her areas of expertise include film policy and the film industry. She was one of the founding members of the Professional Association of German Media Journalists, of which she is a board member. She is a member of FIPRESCI and has represented the organisation on juries at the A-list festivals in Berlin, Cairo and Tallinn, among others.