International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam

The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) is the world's largest documentary film festival held annually since 1988 in Amsterdam. Over a period of twelve days, it has screened more than 300 films and sold more than 250,000 tickets. Visitors to the festival have increased from 65,000 in 2000 to 285,000 in 2018.[1]

International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam
LocationAmsterdam, Netherlands
Founded1988
Hosted byIDFA
LanguageInternational
Websiteidfa.nl

The festival is an independent, international meeting place for audiences and professionals to see a diverse (in form, content, and cultural background) program of high-quality documentaries. IDFA selects creative and accessible documentaries, which offer new insights into society. In its mission statement,[2] IDFA says it ‘strives to screen films with urgent social themes that reflect the spirit of the time in which they are made’.

The festival was initially held at the Leidseplein area in the center of Amsterdam. It has since spread to a number of other locations, including Tuschinski Cinema and EYE Filmmuseum. Apart from its international film program, the variety of genres, and the many European and world premieres featured each year, the festival also hosts debates, forums, and workshops. Since 2007, the festival's New Media program IDFA DocLab showcases the best interactive non-fiction storytelling and explores how the digital revolution is reshaping documentary art.

In addition to the festival, IDFA has developed several professional activities, contributing to the development of filmmakers and their films at all stages. At the co-financing and co-production market IDFA Forum filmmakers and producers pitch their plans to financiers; at Docs for Sale new documentaries are on offer to programmers and distributors; the IDFA Bertha Fund supports filmmakers and documentary projects in developing countries, and the IDFAcademy offers international training programs for up-and-coming doc talents.

IDFA was founded by Ally Derks, who remained at the helm from 1988 until 2017 when she stepped down. Barbara Visser oversaw the 2017 edition as interim director. In January 2018, Syrian film producer Orwa Nyrabia was appointed[3] as the new artistic director of IDFA.

Prizes

The best new documentaries of the year compete in IDFA's main competition programs:

  • The IDFA Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary for best documentary longer than 70 minutes.

Prize: €15,000 (The jury also presents a Special Jury Award)

  • The IDFA Award for Best Mid-Length Documentary for best documentary between 40 and 70 minutes.

Prize: €10,000 (The jury also presents a Special Jury Award)

  • The IDFA Award for Best Short Documentary for best documentary under 40 minutes.

Prize: €5,000 (The jury also presents a Special Jury Award)

  • The IDFA Award for Best First Appearance for best debut film.

Prize: €10,000 (The jury also presents a Special Jury Award)

  • The IDFA Award for Best Student Documentary for best student documentary from film academies around the world.

Prize: €5,000 (The jury also presents a Special Jury Award)

  • The Beeld en Geluid IDFA Award for Dutch Documentary for best Dutch documentary.

Prize: €7,500 (The jury also presents a Special Jury Award)

Alongside the competition programs, five awards are awarded during IDFA:

  • VPRO IDFA Audience Award for best film as voted by the audience.

Prize: €5,000

  • Amsterdam Human Rights Award for the documentary that best depicts the theme of human rights.

Prize: €25,000

  • Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds Documentary Scholarship, a €50,000 grant for a documentary talent, allowing the recipient to make a documentary about a subject of their choice.
  • Filmfonds DocLab Interactive Grant, a cash prize for the development of interactive projects within the Netherlands.
  • Karen de Bok Talent Award for the winner of the IDFAcademy & NPO-fonds workshop. It is the successor of the Media Fund Award Documentary. The NPO Fund awards the winner €25,000 to further develop the project in collaboration with a producer and a broadcast.

Program sections

In addition to the competitions, IDFA presents several non-competitive film programs:

Regular programs

  • Masters

In this program section, the festival presents the latest documentaries by renowned documentary auteurs.

  • Best of Fests

In Best of Fests, the festival presents films that have made an impact on the international festival circuit this year.

  • Panorama

In this section, the festival presents films from all over the world, which are thought-provoking in their form and choice of theme.

  • Paradocs

The films in this section showcase what is going on beyond the frame of traditional documentary filmmaking, on the borders between film and art, truth and fiction, and narrative and design.

  • Music Documentary

Screenings of many films from this program are accompanied by live performances connected to the films.

Specials

In addition to the regular programs, each year the festival presents programs like Queer Day, featuring new documentaries about LGBTQ-related topics; Focus programs which zoom in on aspects like sound design, editing , and cinematography or a topical theme; a themed program by DocLab, featuring live events and an interactive exhibition; and a retrospective of a filmmaker who also chooses a personal documentary Top 10.

Award winners

IDFA Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary (formerly: Joris Ivens Award)

YearFilmDirectorNationality of director
(at time of film's release)
1988Birthplace UnknownKarin Junger Netherlands
1988KsjsinerRuben Gevorksjanz Soviet Union
1989ŠķērsielaIvars Seleckis Soviet Union
1990Christo in ParisD. Maysles United States
1991Dreams and SilenceOmar Al-Quattan Belgium
1992La Memoria del aguaHector Faver Spain
1993BelovyVictor Kossakovsky Russia
1994Solo, de wet van de FavelaJos de Putter Netherlands
1995Délits FlagrantsRaymond Depardon France
1996AtmanPirjo Honkasalo Finland /  Germany
1997Auf der KippeAndrei Schwartz Germany
1998Fotoamator / PhotographerDariusz Jablonski Poland
1999André Hazes – Zij gelooft in mijJohn Appel Netherlands
2000The Sea That ThinksGert de Graaff Netherlands
2001FamilyPhie Ambo & Sami Saif Denmark
2002StevieSteve James United States
2003CheckpointYoav Shamir Israel
2004Stand van de maanLeonard Retel Helmrich Netherlands
2005My Grandmother's HouseAdán Aliaga Spain
2006The Monastery: Mr. Vig and the NunPernille Rose Grønkjær[4][5] Denmark
2007StrandedGonzalo Arijon France
2008Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed CountryAnders Østergaard Denmark
2009Last Train HomeLixin Fan Canada
2010Position Among the StarsLeonard Retel Helmrich Netherlands
2011Planet of SnailSeung-jun Yi South Korea
2012First Cousin Once RemovedAlan Berliner United States
2013Song from the ForestMichael Obert Germany
2014Of Men and WarLaurent Bécue-Renard France /   Switzerland
2015Don JuanJerzy Sladkowski Sweden /  Finland
2016Nowhere to HideZaradasht Ahmed Norway /  Sweden
2017The Other Side of Everything[6]Mila Turajlić Serbia
2018Reason[7]Anand Patwardhan India
2019In a WhisperHeidi Hassan & Patricia Pérez Fernández Cuba /  Cuba
2020Radiograph of a FamilyFirouzeh Khosrovani Iran
2021Mr. LandsbergisSergei Loznitsa Ukraine
2022Apolonia, Apolonia[8]Lea Glob[9] Denmark

VPRO IDFA Audience Award

YearFilmDirectorNationality of director
(at time of film's release)
1988The Last JudgementHerz Frank Soviet Union
1989SkierskalaIvars Seleckis Soviet Union
1990In Memory of the Day Passed ByŠarūnas Bartas Lithuania
1991DjembéfolaLaurent Chevallier France
1992Black HarvestRobin Anderson & Bob Connolly Australia
1993BelovyV. Kossakovsky Russia
1994Choice and DestinyTsipi Reibenbach Israel
1995Anne Frank RememberedJon Blair United Kingdom
1996Blue EyedB. Verhaag Germany
1997Vision ManW. Long Sweden
1998Twee VadersKo van Reenen Netherlands
1999CrazyHeddy Honigmann Netherlands
2000DesiMaria Ramos Netherlands
2001Offspring, BB. Stevens Canada
2002Bowling for ColumbineMichael Moore United States
2003My Flesh and BloodJonathan Karsh United States
2004The Yes MenDan Ollman & Sarah Price & Chris Smith United States
2005Sisters in LawKim Longinotto & Florence Ayisi United Kingdom
2006We Are Together / Thina simunyePaul Taylor United Kingdom
2007To See If I'm SmilingTamar Yarom Israel
2008RiP: A Remix ManifestoBrett Gaylor Canada
2009The CoveLouie Psihoyos United States

Special Jury Prize

YearFilmDirectorNationality of director
(at time of film's release)
1988Hôtel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus BarbieMarcel Ophüls France /  United States
1988The Power of SolovkiMarina Goldovskaya Soviet Union
1989SkierskalaIvars Seleckis Soviet Union
1990The CollectorE. Strömdahl Sweden
1991DjembéfolaLaurent Chevallier France
1992Black HarvestRobin Anderson & Bob Connolly Australia
1993Mit Verlust ist zu RechnenUlrich Seidl Austria
1994Choice and DestinyTsipi Reibenbach Israel
1995Picasso Would Have Made a Glorious WaiterJonathan Schell United States
1996The Typewriter, the Rifle and the Movie CameraAdam Simon England
1997Little Dieter Needs to FlyWerner Herzog Germany
1998Pavel and Lyalya / a Jerusalem RomanceVictor Kossakovsky Russia
1999A Cry from the GraveLeslie Woodhead England
2000Keep the River on Your Right: A Modern Cannibal TaleLaurie Gwen & David Shapiro United States
2001ElsewhereNikolaus Geyrhalter Austria
2002On Hitler's HighwayLech Kowalski France
2003The CorporationMark Achbar Canada
2004Liberia: An Uncivil WarJonathan Stack & James Brabazon United States
2005Our Daily BreadNikolaus Geyrhalter Austria
2006Tender's Heat. Wild Wild beachAlexander Rastorguev Russia
2007Hold Me Tight, Let Me GoKim Longinotto United Kingdom
2008Forgetting DadRick Minnich & Matthew Sweetwood Germany /  United States
2009The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon PapersJudith Ehrlich & Rick Goldsmith United States
2012TeachedKelly Amis United States
2013A Letter to Nelson MandelaKhalo Matabane South Africa /  Germany
2014Something Better to ComeHanna Polak Denmark /  Poland
2015Ukrainian SheriffsRoman Bondarchuk Ukraine /  Latvia /  Germany
2016Still TomorrowJian Fan People's Republic of China
2017The DeminerHogir Hirori Sweden /  Iraq
2018Los ReyesBettina Perut & Iván Osnovikoff Chile /  Chile

IDFA Award for Best Mid-Length Documentary (formerly: Silver Wolf Award)

YearFilmDirectorNationality of director
(at time of film's release)
19956 Open, 21 ClosedAmit Goren Israel
1996Mr. Behrmann – Leben Traum TodAndreas Voigt Germany
1997Gigi, Monica...& BiancaYasmina Abdellaoui & Benoït Dervaux Belgium
1998HephzibahCurtis Levy Australia
1999Les Enfants du Borinage – Lettre à Henri StorckPatric Jean Belgium
2000Jung (War) in the Land of the MujaheddinFabrizio Lazzaretti, Alberto Vendemmiati, Giuseppe Petitto Italy
2001Haj-Abba's WivesMohsen Abdolvahab Iran
2002Interesting Times: The Secret of My SuccessJinchuan Duan Chile
2003Surplus: Terrorized into Being ConsumersErik Gandini Sweden
2004Georgi and the butterfliesAndrey Paounov Bulgaria
2005Before Flying Back to the EarthArūnas Matelis Lithuania
2006Enemies of HappinessEva Mulvad Denmark
2007To See If I'm SmilingTamar Yarom Israel
2008Boris RyzhyAliona van der Horst Netherlands
2009Iron CrowsBong-Nam Park South Korea
2010People I Could Have Been And Maybe AmBoris Gerrets Netherlands
2011MontenegroJorge Gaggero Argentina
2012Red WeddingLida Chan & Guillaume Suon Cambodia /  France
2013Pussy Versus PutinGogol's Wives Russia
2014Kamchatka — The Cure for HatredJulia Mironova Russia
2015At Home in the WorldAndreas Koefoed Denmark
2016Death in the TerminalTali Shemesh & Asaf Sudra Israel
2017The DreadMartin Benchimol & Pablo Aparo Argentina /  Argentina
2018SummaAndrei Kutsila Belarus
2019ArticlockwiseJalal Vafaei Iran
2020The WheelNomin Lkhagvasuren Mongolia

IDFA Award for Best Short Documentary (formerly: Silver Cub Award)

YearFilmDirectorNationality of director
(at time of film's release)
2005Butterfly ManSamantha Rebillet Australia
2006My EyesErlend E. Mo Denmark
2007The TailorOscar Pérez Spain
2008Slaves – An animated documentaryHanna Heilborn & David Aronowitsch Sweden /  Denmark
2009Six WeeksMarcin Janos Krawczyk Poland
2017 Vi bara lyder (we merely obey)[10] Erik Holmström och Fredrik Wenzel[11][12]  Sweden
2018I Signed the PetitionMahdi Fleifel Denmark
2019Up at NightNelson Makengo Republic of the Congo
2020UnforgivableMarlén Viñayo El Salvador
2021HandbookPavel Mozhar Germany /  Belarus
2022AwayRuslan Fedotow Russia

IDFA Award for Best First Appearance

YearFilmDirectorNationality of director
(at time of film's release)
1997Anthem, an American Road StoryShainee Gabel & Kristin Hahn United States
1998Les Amoureux de Dieu / Howling for GodDan Alexe Belgium
1999Zwischen 2 WeltenBettina Haasen Germany
2000HybridMonteith McCollum United States
2001SukaIgor Voloshin Russia
2002BarbeirosM. Junkkonen Finland
2003My Flesh and BloodJonathan Karsh United States
2003The Very Best DayPavel Medvedev Russia
2004Podul Peste TisaIleana Stanculescu Romania
2005The AngelmakersAstrid Bussink Netherlands /  Scotland
2006We Are Together / Thina simunyePaul Taylor United Kingdom
2007End of the RainbowRobert Nugent France /  Australia
2008Constantin and ElenaAndrei Dascalescu Romania
2009ColonyRoss McDonnell & Carter Gunn Ireland /  United States
2010Kano: An American and His HaremMonster Jimenez Philippines
2011The Vanishing Spring LightXun Yu China /  Canada
2012Soldier on the RoofEsther Hertog Netherlands
2013My Name Is SaltFarida Pacha  Switzerland /  India
2014DrifterGábor Hörcher Hungary /  Germany
2015When the Earth Seems to Be LightSalome Machaidze & Tamuna Karumidze & David Meskhi Georgia
2016Who We WereSine Skibsholt Denmark
2017The Distant Barking of DogsSimon Lereng Wilmont Denmark
2018Giacinto Scelsi. The First Motion of the ImmovableSebastiano d'Ayala Valva France
2019SolidarityLucy Parker United Kingdom
2020This Rain Will Never StopAlina Gorlova Ukraine

Movies that Matter Human Rights Award

YearFilmDirectorNationality of director
(at time of film's release)
2002The Day I Will Never ForgetKim Longinotto United Kingdom
2002The Trials of Henry KissingerEugene Jarecki United States /  United Kingdom /  Chile
2003Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial KillerNick Broomsfield & Joan Churchill United Kingdom
2004The 3 Rooms of MelancholiaPirjo Honkasalo Finland
2005China BlueMicha X Peled United States
2006New Year BabySocheata Poeuv United States
2007Jerusalem Is Proud to PresentNitzan Gilady Israel
2008Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed CountryAnders Østergaard Denmark

IDFA DOC U! Award for the youth jury's favorite film (formerly: Moviesquad DOC U! Award)

YearFilmDirectorNationality of director
(at time of film's release)
2005Shadya, RoyRoy Westler Israel
2006A Lesson of BelarusianMiroslaw Dembinski Poland
2007Planet B-BoyBenson Lee United States
2008Kassim the DreamKief Davidson United States
2009The Yes Men Fix the WorldAndy Bichlbaum & Mike Bonanno France /  United States
2010Autumn GoldJan Tenhaven Germany
2011The Last Days of WinterMehrdad Oskouei Iran
2012Little WorldMarcel Barrena Spain
2013#chicagoGirl – The Social Network Takes on a DictatorJoe Piscatella United States /  Syria

IDFA Award for Best Student Documentary

YearFilmDirectorNationality of director
(at time of film's release)
2007Paradise – Three Journeys in This WorldElina Hirvonen Finland
2008Shakespeare and Victor Hugo's IntimaciesYulene Olaizola Mexico
2009RedemptionSabrina Wulff Germany
2015My AleppoMelissa Langer United States

IDFA DocLab Award for Digital Storytelling

YearFilmDirectorNationality of director
(at time of film or website's release)
2010Out My WindowKaterina Cizek Canada
2011In SituAntoine Viviani France
20181 the Road[13]Ross Goodwin United States
2019The Waiting Room VR[14]Victoria Mapplebeck United Kingdom
2021 Un(re)solved[15]Tamara Shogaolu United States
2022He Fucked The Girl Out of Me[16]Taylor McCue United States

Zapper Award (1994–1996)

YearFilmDirectorNationality of director
(at time of film's release)
1994Death of a Nation: The Timor ConspiracyDavid Munro England
1995My Vote is My Secret Chroniques Sud Africaines 1994Julie Henderson & Thulani Mokoena & Donne Rundle France
1996Grenzeloze Liefde – Made in JapanPuck de Leeuw Netherlands

References

  1. "IDFA Annual Report". Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  2. idfa.nl, IDFA. "Mission statement | IDFA". Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  3. "Orwa Nyrabia appointed new artistic director of IDFA (exclusive)". Screen. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  4. "En studie i kærlighed og ensomhed". Kristeligt Dagblad (in Danish). 9 December 2006. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  5. Sundholm, J.; Thorsen, I.; Andersson, L.G.; Hedling, O.; Iversen, G.; Møller, B.T. (2012). Historical Dictionary of Scandinavian Cinema. G – Reference,Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series. Scarecrow Press. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-8108-5524-3. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  6. "Mila Turajlić: Nismo ispričali sopstvenu istoriju". Večernje novosti (in Serbian). 24 November 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  7. "IDFA 2018 winners revealed". Screen Daily. 22 November 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  8. "IDFA 2022: Drei ARTE-Koproduktionen ausgezeichnet". arte.tv. arte. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  9. "Lea Glob". docsbarcelona.com. Docs Barcelona. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  10. Sweden, Sveriges Television AB, Stockholm, Vi bara lyder (in Swedish), retrieved 2022-05-01{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. "NYHETER". malmodockteater (in Swedish). Retrieved 2022-05-01.
  12. "VI BARA LYDER". malmodockteater (in Swedish). Retrieved 2022-05-01.
  13. "Jury report: IDFA DocLab Competition for Digital Storytelling 2018 | IDFA".
  14. "Jury report: IDFA DocLab Competition for Digital Storytelling 2019 | IDFA".
  15. "Jury report: 2021 IDFA DocLab Competition for Digital Storytelling | IDFA".
  16. "Jury report: 2022 IDFA DocLab Competition for Digital Storytelling | IDFA".
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