Read all the latest news from the festival and IDFA's year-round programs here, in addition to in-depth articles.
Thanks to extra funding from the Open Society Foundations, the IDFA Bertha Fund is delighted to select two additional projects for IBF Classic – Ukraine Support: The Elf’s Tower by Polina Kelm and Displaced by Olha Zhurba will receive a total amount of 45,000 euros in production and post-production support.
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IDFA Project Space is now open for applications! Launched in 2020 by IDFA’s Filmmaker Support department, this innovative talent development program offers first- or second-time documentary directors the opportunity to work on their project with highly esteemed filmmakers and film professionals who are willing to share their knowledge and experience with emerging talent.
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The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk and its founding institutions, the International Film Festival Rotterdam, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and European Film Academy, together with the German Film Academy and the Berlin International Film Festival, protest vehemently against the arrest of Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti and demand her immediate and unconditional release. Having repeatedly shown her solidarity with the protests in Iran, the famous actress was arrested for "failing to provide proof for some of her statements".
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The Europe Conference, organized in collaboration with Arte, took place on November 16 at Felix Meritis, marking the first installment of a major new addition to IDFA's Industry Program. Split into two segments and lasting three hours, the session with several speakers looked at Europe, its identity, its co-production and distribution systems, changes brought on by the rise of big streaming services, and the identity of European co-productions with other countries, from two angles: inside Europe and outside Europe.
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Danish filmmaker Lea Glob has triumphed at IDFA, winning Best Film in the International Competition with her third film, and her first solo-directed effort, Apolonia, Apolonia. Filmed over a period of 13 years, it charts the trajectory of the titular protagonist, but also of the filmmaker herself.
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Blue ID by Burcu Melekoglu and Vuslat Karan has won the NPO IDFA Audience Award, the grand public prize of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA).
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The winners of IDFA's 35th edition competition programs were announced at the Awards Ceremony taking place at ITA (Internationaal Theater Amsterdam) on Thursday November 17th. Apolonia, Apolonia by Lea Glob was the winner of the IDFA Award for Best Film. Angie Vinchito won the IDFA Award for Best Film in the Envision Competition for Manifesto (Russia).
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‘Producing - beyond money,’ the Industry Talk that took place this week at Felix Meritis, looked at how the current funding and co-production landscape relying on Western European and North American systems often falls short of addressing the needs of the regions where the most topical and sought-after stories are coming from, such as Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
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A particularly moving Industry Talk took place on Tuesday at ITA, where IDFA Guest of Honor Laura Poitras led the conversation with representatives of the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (IFCR): IFFR Director Vanja Kaludjercic, ICFR coordinator Sara Ishaq and IDFA's Artistic Director Orwa Nyrabia.
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Earlier this evening, the IDFA Forum Awards were announced in Felix Meritis. Kani Lapuerta’s project Niñxs won the IDFA Forum Award for Best Pitch, Alison O'Daniel’s The Tuba Thieves took home the IDFA Forum Award for Best Rough Cut, and the DocLab Forum Award went to We Speak Their Names In Hushed Tones by Omoregie Osakpolor. Each award includes a cash prize of €1,500. The Tuba Thieves will also receive closed captioning and subtitles from inVision Subtitling.
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