Attending IDFA Forum 2021

IDFA Forum program

Producers Connection (by invitation only)

Saturday, November 20, 13:00 to 16:30 CET (presentations followed by networking drinks) Sunday, November 21, 9:00 to 19:00 CET (one-on-one meetings and networking lunch)

IDFA’s new market service focuses on facilitating new connections among producers. Fifteen projects seeking international partners will present their projects to a room full of potential co-producers. The Producers Connection presentations take place in the Grote Zaal room at the venue de Brakke Grond (Nes 45).

The Producers Connection is supported by Eurimages, Buma Music in Motion (BMIM) and FeverFilm & Posta.

Buma Music in Motion brings five composers experienced in film scoring to Producers Connection. They will take pre-arranged one-on-one meetings with the selected projects and attending Dutch producers.

Access to this market element is limited to producers or producer/director teams who are invited to actively participate in meetings (no Observers).

Rough Cut Presentations

Sunday, November 21, 11:30 to 16:45 CET

The Rough Cut Presentations take place at Pathé Tuschinski 4 (Reguliersbreestraat 26) and feature an afternoon program of presentations, including a lunch break. The selected film teams introduce a twenty-minute excerpt of their rough cut, followed by a short, moderated Q&A. Following the Rough Cut Presentations on Sunday, the full rough cut files will be available online for Forum and Docs for Sale professionals.

Please note: due to COVID-19 restrictions, advance sign up is required for this program.

Open to all Forum passholders as well as Docs for Sale Acquisition passholders.

​DocLab Forum Short Presentations

Sunday, November 21, 10:00 to 13:00 CET

Thirteen selected teams will present their projects to an international audience of potential collaborators and other industry professionals at Tolhuistuin (IJpromenade 2). The presentation is an opportunity for the teams to launch their project internationally and discover the relevant steps to take it further. Project teams will present for approximately five to seven minutes each, including presentation of any project visuals. The moderator will ask the project teams a few questions about the artistic intentions and goals of the team.

IDFA Forum & DocLab Forum Pitches

Monday, November 22, 9:00 to 13:00 CET
Tuesday, November 23, 9:00 to 13:00 CET
Wednesday, November 24, 9:00 to 13:00 CET

The Forum’s program of pitches is spread out over three days this year, on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings in the Compagnietheater (Kloveniersburgwal 50). Four DocLab Forum Pitches will be among the 27 projects presented. The pitches take around twenty minutes each and consist of a presentation from the project team and a moderated feedback session with a group of hand-picked decision makers. Key participants who cannot travel to Amsterdam—such as pitch team members or decision makers on the feedback panels—will be able to participate in the pitch online.

Open to all Forum passholders.

One-on-one Meetings

Pre-arranged one-on-one meetings for all projects selected for the Forum Pitches, DocLab Forum Presentations & Pitches, and Rough Cut Presentations take place both in person and online.

Additionally, four projects selected from the IDFA DocLab R&D Program will also taking one-on-one meetings as part of the DocLab Forum. In-person meetings are on Monday, November 22; Tuesday, November 23; and Wednesday, November 24, from 14:45 to 18:00 CET in Compagnietheater.

Online meetings for parties that cannot travel are on Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26. Exact times to be announced.

Accessibility of IDFA Forum venues

IDFA Industry is working to remove access barriers in our programming and services, with the goal of making IDFA Forum accessible to all participants. Please reach out to us at idfaforum@idfa.nl if you have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility.

Compagnietheater – Kloveniersburgwal 50

• Accessible for wheelchair users. Wheelchair users can enter through the side entrance, on the right side of the building. Our staff at the main entrance can assist with access into the building: Please ring the doorbell at the front door or call +31 (0) 20-5205310 to arrange to use the side entrance.
• There is a lift in the back of the building, on the opposite side from the main entrance on the ground floor.
• There is a wheelchair-accessible toilet on the ground floor right behind the bar.
• Meeting rooms are well-lit, and the table floor plan is designed to reduce noise levels.
• Assistance dogs are welcome.
• There are one or two disabled parking spaces at Nieuwmarkt and another disabled parking space at Kloveniersburgwal 72 (Compagnietheater is Kloveniersburgwal 50).

Zuiderkerk – Zuiderkerkhof 72

• Wheelchair accessible.
• A toilet for wheelchair users is available.
• Assistance dogs are welcome.
• There is one disabled parking spot on Sint Antoniesbreestraat, approximately 100 meters away.

Pathé Tuschinski – Reguliersbreestraat 26

• Wheelchair accessible (there is an elevator via the Arthouse entrance).
• A toilet for wheelchair users is available.
• Assistance dogs are welcome.
• In Tuschinski 4, where the Rough Cut Presentations take place, there is one wheelchair space in the top row.
• Telecoils are available.
• The nearest disabled parking space can be found on the Amstel at number 30.

Tolhuistuin – IJpromenade 2

• Mostly wheelchair accessible. Inside the building is an elevator, but it is not suitable for an electric wheelchair.
• A toilet for wheelchair users is available (with assistance for the lock). The floor manager of Tolhuistuin has the key and can be contacted to open the toilet.
• Assistance dogs are welcome.
• There is no telecoil available.
• There are no disabled parking spaces nearby, but Tolhuistuin does have a private parking space. It would be possible to park up to 2 or 3 cars there, but this must be done in consultation with the Tolhuistuin on the day itself. Please note this parking space is not directly next to Tolhuistuin: the parking space is located at Tolhuisweg 5, and Tolhuistuin is at IJpromenade 2.

Social events

Market Drinks

Sunday, November 21, 21:00 CET

Join us for a drink to meet fellow industry guests and celebrate the beginning of IDFA’s market activities. The venue will be announced shortly. Invitations will be sent to all market guests ahead of the event.

Open to all Forum and Docs for Sale passholders.

Producers Breakfast

Monday, November 22, 8:00-9:00 CET
Tuesday, November 23, 8:00-9:00 CET
Wednesday, November 24, 8:00-09:00 CET

All accredited producers at the Forum can sign up to attend the Producers Breakfast, held every morning before the Forum Pitches at Compagnietheater (Kloveniersburgwal 50). The breakfast is a great opportunity to connect with other producers informally over coffee and croissants.

The Forum team will reach out to accredited producers at the end of October with more info on how to sign up.

Forum Lunch

Monday, November 22, 13:00-14:45 CET
Tuesday, November 23, 13:00-14:45 CET
Wednesday, November 24, 13:00-14:45 CET

After the pitches at Compagnietheater, all Forum guests are invited to have lunch at Zuiderkerk (Zuiderkerkhof 72). Zuiderkerk is within walking distance from Compagnietheater.

Open to all Forum passholders.

IDFA Forum Awards & Closing Drinks

Wednesday, November 24, 17:30 CET

Join us at the Compagnietheater (Kloveniersburgwal 50) for the Forum Closing Drinks and the announcement of this year’s Forum award-winners. We will announce winners in four different categories:

• IDFA Forum Award for Best Pitch Project
• IDFA Forum Award for Best Rough Cut Project
• IDFA DocLab Forum Award for Best Project

Open to all Forum and Docs for Sale passholders.

​Docs for Sale Happy Hour

November 19-24, 17:00-18:00 CET

Docs for Sale, IDFA’s sales market for completed films, hosts daily cocktail hours that Forum participants are welcome to join. Docs for Sale is located at the venue Arti et Amicitiae (Rokin 112).

Open to all Docs for Sale & Forum passholders.

Services at the Forum

Information Desk

During the IDFA Forum days, the Information Desk operates as a reception, available to support all Forum guests with questions about schedule, locations, etc.

​One-on-one Desk

November 22–24, 09:00-18:00 CET

During the Forum, decision makers can come to the one-on-one desk to request additional meetings or make changes to their schedules. The desk is located on the first floor of Compagnietheater (Kloveniersburgwal 50).

Consultancies

Forum attendees can register for consultancies with a range of experts who offer specific advice on all aspects of the documentary business, such as distribution and sales, marketing and outreach, etc. The Industry Office arranges the consultancies, which include both group and one-on-one sessions. These consultancies will be held from Saturday, November 20 to Wednesday, November 24 at the Brakke Grond (Nes 45) and Het Groene Paleis (Rokin 65). All Forum Observers (producers) will be invited to sign up for the consultancies in advance.

Your Forum or Festival pass also gives access to a full range of festival services. You can read more about what’s on offer for each pass here.

COVID-19 protocols at IDFA Forum

IDFA puts health and safety first. In order to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic and hold a physical edition of the festival, we are taking comprehensive measures to ensure our guests’ safety, including checking for adequate vaccination documents or test results upon entry to the Forum venues. Please read the most up-to-date info about IDFA’s COVID-19 policy here.

Participating in the Forum online

For professionals who are unable to travel to Amsterdam, it’s still possible to take part in the core Forum service. We can facilitate online participation for project representatives (pitch teams) or industry representatives (decision makers and Observers).

If you are actively participating during the pitches or presentations, we will invite you to participate in the pitch via Zoom.

If you are an Observer, and not actively participating in the pitches, we will provide a recording of the pitches within 24 hours after the live event, for a limited period.

On November 25 and 26, we will hold meetings with film teams or professionals who are unable to come to Amsterdam.

The IDFA Forum & DocLab Forum Online pass also gives access to the full services of the Festival Online Pass. You can read more about what’s on offer here.