Education

For IDFA’s education program, 2025 marked a year of continued growth and development. With a total reach of 59,752 school children and students—a significant increased from 55,000 in 2024 and 50,000 in 2023—IDFA’s impact within education continues to grow. This growth was partly driven by new initiatives developed in collaboration with high-quality partners. At the same time, an increasing number of schools found their way to Het Documentaire Paviljoen.

The over 59,000 participants were distributed across a range of programs:

• 3,000 attended screenings in Het Documentaire Paviljoen;
• 7,000 visited the festival;
• 20,000 watched a film through Docschool Online;
• 6,000 participated in an online film lesson through LessonUp;
• 7,000 took part in a film lesson or workshop at school;
• 16,000 attended a screening in a cinema in their region.

Through a new educational program centered on documentary activism (article in Dutch), secondary school and vocational students explored how art—and documentary film in particular—can function as a form of activism. Guided by a professional moderator at Het Documentaire Paviljoen, students examined the motivations and methods of documentary makers addressing social issues such as climate change, housing activism, and looted art.

Film excerpts from Dutch documentary films including Hotel Mokum (Yannesh Meijman) and The Story of Ne Kuko (Festus Toll) were combined with statements that invited students to reflect on the intersections and boundaries between authorship and resistance. IDFA developed this program as an addition to citizenship education in secondary schools and vocational programs, helping young people to participate in and contribute to a democratic society. The lessons launched in the autumn and were offered both during the festival and year-round at Het Documentaire Paviljoen.

In 2025, IDFA Education initiated two projects aimed at reaching groups that do not automatically encounter IDFA’s programming. These projects were developed in collaboration with strong partners in the educational field: Eye and IMC Weekendschool.

Films for special education (in collaboration with Eye Education)

In the spring, IDFA and Eye Education launched a project focused on Cluster 1 and Cluster 2 for special education. Cluster 1 schools serve blind and visually impaired students; Cluster 2 serves Deaf and hard-of-hearing students and those with speech or language development disorders.

Students in both forms of education often require additional support in development of social-emotional skills, including recognizing, articulating, and expressing feelings, as well as building confidence and independence. Film has proven to be an effective tool in this context, as demonstrated in recent pilots conducted by both Eye and IDFA. Next to watching films, guided post-screening discussions play a central role in helping students process and articulate their experiences.

By presenting films that touch on themes of resilience, independence, social skills, and emotional regulation, students are offered practical tools for navigating everyday situations. The broader aim is to strengthen self-reliance by providing creative tools through which students can express themselves through film and recognize their own creative strength.

The project was launched in 2025 with financial support from the Netherlands Film Fund. In close collaboration with teachers, the films were selected, audio descriptions were added, and tailored lesson materials were developed. Following the pilot phase, the films and lessons will be made available nationwide in 2026 through Eye’s Korte Film Poule. The knowledge and experience gained will also be shared within the Netwerk Filmeducatie, enabling other partners to benefit from the findings.

Filmmaking to find your place in society (in collaboration with IMC Weekendschool)

IDFA developed a second project in collaboration with IMC Weekendschool and Cinekid. IMC Weekendschool prepares young people for the transition from school to further education and career paths, supporting them in making motivated choices about their future. Its mission is to ensure that students from all educational levels and social backgrounds find a place in society that aligns with their interests and talents.

Building on the idea that young people are the filmmakers of the future, a documentary filmmaker developed a lesson series that guides the young participants to make their own documentary on a social issue. In 2025, a pilot was conducted at two IMC Weekendschool locations in Amsterdam. In 2026, the project will be rolled out nationally with local filmmakers across ten Weekendschool locations. Cinekid will subsequently translate the program into a lesson series for approximately ten primary schools working in partnership with the Weekendschool. This project was made possible with financial support from the Nationale Postcode Loterij.

Beyond its regular program, IDFA continues to expand access to film education through initatives such as these, ensuring that an ever-wide range of audiences can learn about and through film. Film remains a medium that can move, broaden perspectives, and open up new worlds.

IDFA's education program is supported by Fonds 21, Brook Foundation, Kidsweek, Deloitte Impact Foundation and IDFA’s Special Friends+ and Patrons.