Since IDFA's inception in 1988, the Audience Award is handed out annually. Visitors rate the film they have just seen by means of a voting card. The seven options range from 'Hopeless' to 'Superb'. All competition films and films from other program sections produced in 2009 competed for the Nederland 2 IDFA Audience Award, consisting of a cash prize of € 5000.
Winner 2009: The Cove by Louie Psihoyos,USA, 2009.
Prize winners 1988-2009 / IDFA Audience Award
2009 The Cove, Louie Psihoyos, USA, 2009
2008 RiP - A Remix Manifesto, Brett Gaylor, Canada, 2008
2007 To See if I’m Smiling, Tamar Yarom, Israel, 2007
2006 We Are Together / Thina simunye, Paul Taylor, United Kingdom, 2006
2005 Sisters in Law, Kim Longinotto & Florence Ayisi, United Kingdom, 2005
2004 The Yes Men, Dan Ollman, Sarah Price & Chris Smith, USA, 2003
2003 My Flesh and Blood, Jonathan Karsh, USA, 2003
2002 Bowling for Columbine, Michael Moore, USA, 2002
2001 Offspring, B. Stevens, Canada, 2001
2000 Desi, Maria Ramos, The Netherlands, 2000
1999 Crazy, Heddy Honigmann, The Netherlands, 1999
1998 Twee Vaders, Ko van Reenen, The Netherlands, 1998
1997 Vision Man, W. Long, Sweden, 1997
1996 Blue Eyed, Betram Verhaag, Germany, 1996
1995 Anne Frank Remembered, Jon Blair, England, 1995
1994 Choice and Destiny, Tsipi Reibenbach, Israel, 1993
1993 Belovy / The Belovs, Victor Kossakovsky, Russia, 1993
1992 Black Harvest, Robin Anderson & Bob Connolly, Australia, 1992
1991 Djembéfola, Laurent Chevallier, France, 1991
1990 In Memory of the Day Passed By, Sharunas Bartas, USSR, 1989
1989 Skierskala, Ivars Seleckis, Latvia, 1988
1988 The Last Judgement, Herz Frank, Latvia, 1987