Partners, sponsors and Friends

Bringing stories to life, together

Het Documentaire Paviljoen continued to evolve this year—not only as a vibrant meeting place for filmmakers and audiences, but also for partners and other organizations. As venue hire continued to grow, more partners and external organizations were able to realize their ideas in this unique space in the heart of Vondelpark. In 2025, we were also delighted to receive many positive reviews—something we are especially proud of.

IDFA is grateful for the invaluable support of our partners and funds. Their contributions allowed us, once again in 2025, to provide an international platform for filmmakers, showcase their work, and facilitate meaningful conversations—not just during the festival in November, but all year round. We introduced a new partnership with Follow the Money, through which we organized a number of in-depth public screenings. And with Kidsweek, we expanded the visibility of our education offering.

Partners also helped broaden and open up IDFA’s documentary programming to wider audiences. Creative Europe MEDIA, Fonds 21, Vfonds, and the Cultuurfonds contributed to strengthening the festival program and further developing the programming at Het Documentaire Paviljoen. The Netherlands Film Fund and Creative Europe MEDIA supported the strengthening of IDFA’s industry activities, talent development programs, and filmmaker support by the IDFA Bertha Fund. The Brook Foundation contributed with new support for films with a focus on nature and sustainability. Thanks to the Amsterdam Noord city district, local residents were able to attend festival screenings free of charge.

With support from Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industry / Creative Industries Immersive Impact Coalition, IDFA launched the new two-year Shared Reality program together with a consortium consisting of IDFA DocLab, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, POPkraft, and a group of filmmakers—a research initiative exploring collective immersive media experiences.

These are just a few examples of how funds and partners support the core of IDFA and make extraordinary projects a reality.

Partner highlights in 2025

Thanks to the dedication of our partners, we were able to organize a wide range of inspiring programs and exclusive events. Some highlights:

• IDFA Hits at Carré, a series of special screenings made possible by the VriendenLoterij;
• Presentation of the NPO Doc IDFA Audience Award to Cutting Through Rocks by Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni, presented by Mandy Emadi during a special screening at Pathé Noord;
• IDFA Partner Days, curated by media partners VPRO, de Volkskrant, and De Groene Amsterdammer;
• Special screenings in collaboration with WePresent, Oxfam Novib, OneWorld, VPRO, Het Parool, NPO, De Groene Amsterdammer, and Follow the Money;
• The Beeld & Geluid IDFA ReFrame Award presented to Remake, directed by Ross McElwee;
• IDFAcademy and Industry events, organized with partners including Buma Music in Motion, Beeld & Geluid, NPO Fonds, Arte France, and LaScam;
• Extending IDFA’s partners with new members, including Kidsweek and Follow the Money.

Through these collaborations, funds and partners remain at the heart of IDFA—enabling us to keep connecting, inspiring, and showcasing stories from filmmakers around the world.

In 2025, we experienced once again how strong the community around IDFA truly is. Support from private sponsors continued to grow, reflecting how many people feel connected to documentary as an art form and as means of better understanding the world. Our patrons, Special Friends+, Special Friends, Young Doc Circle members, and Friends together form a committed community that has supported IDFA loyally for many years.

Particularly meaningful is the trust of those who choose to include IDFA in their wills. These bequests make it possible to continue investing in documentary filmmakers, stories, educational programs, and audiences long-term—contributing the continuity, resilience, and independence of our organization.

Over the past year, we have taken important steps in the further development of the Fonds Vrienden van IDFA (Friends of IDFA Fund). Through this support fund, we aim to pool private gifts and bequests carefully and sustainably, directing them toward IDFA and IDFA Bertha Fund’s core activities. In choosing to contribute, sponsors give filmmakers the space to develop bold, independent stories on their own terms. By doing so, they invest in a festival and a fund that champions diverse voices and perspectives. The Fonds Vrienden van IDFA builds on the existing community of committed sponsors and is led by an independent board and a group of ambassadors dedicated to the future of IDFA and the IDFA Bertha Fund. We hope to officially launch the fund in mid-2026, marking the next step in the structural embedding of private support.

We believe it is important to keep our sponsors closely involved in what we do. Through special screenings with post-show discussions and other moments of exchange, we build lasting relationships founded on mutual trust. Thanks to this engagement, we can continue investing in documentaries that inform, deepen understanding, and offer new perspectives—contributing to an open and engaged society.

IDFA operates on a diverse funding model, generating 75% of its revenue independently to ensure a solid financial foundation and mitigate risks. At the same time, we carefully establish partnerships with institutions and organizations that align with our core values and ambitions. The support of all our partners, private sponsors, and volunteers was indispensable in realizing a successful edition of IDFA 2025.

With deep gratitude, we thank our structural funders for making IDFA 2025 possible: the Municipality of Amsterdam and the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science.

IDFA thanks:

Premium Partner of IDFA: VriendenLoterij

Main Partners of IDFA: VPRO, Fonds 21, de Volkskrant, Brook Foundation and WePresent by WeTransfer.

Partners: InsingerGilissen, Oxfam Novib, Beeld & Geluid, De Groene Amsterdammer, National Geographic Documentary Films, NPO, Follow the Money, GVB, Pathé, OneWorld, Indyvideo, BeamSystems, Filmtechniek and Festivaltickets.

Funds: Creative Europe MEDIA, Nederlands Filmfonds, Vfonds, het Cultuurfonds, Vevam, CLICKNL, Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie / Creative Industries Immersive Impact Coalition, NPO-fonds, Dioraphte en Deloitte Impact Foundation.

All Club IDFA members, sponsors, suppliers, Friends, Young Doc Circle, Special Friends, Special Friends+ and patrons who made the festival possible. This support has been essential for the 38th edition of International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.

We would also like to express our great thanks to the more than 500 volunteers who make the festival possible every year.