General accreditation and submissions Markets open June 21, 2023.
Stay tuned for the LineUp of documentaries with German participation at 36 IDFA, being publishe here at the end of October 2023.
As first film selections of IDFA 2023 are presented, hereas work in progress
LineUp German productions and co-productions:
AFRICA, I WILL FLEECE YOU by Jean-Marie Teno, ©1992 [Focus: 16 Worlds on 16]
Competitions and other sections
- International Competition The best of the art. Singular films that are artistically confident, well-rounded, and universally relevant. An international jury of five jurors will award the best film as well as other films that champion the craft and innovation of filmmaking.
- Envision Competition With stylistic integrity and courage, these films traverse our current reality, offering visions of a documentary art form that can, might, and will be. An international jury of five jurors will award the best film as well as other films that champion the craft and innovation of filmmaking.
- IDFA DocLab Competition for Immersive Non-Fiction A testament to the power of exceptional non-fiction storytelling across media and technologies, the selected works for the IDFA DocLab Competition for Immersive Non-Fiction reveal the full spectrum of immersive art. An international jury of three jurors will award the best project in addition to handing out a special jury award.
- IDFA DocLab Competition for Digital Storytelling The selected projects in the IDFA DocLab Competition for Digital Storytelling illustrate all the different ways to create stories in new ways to innovate and re-imagine the potential of interactive storytelling, often moving between the digital and the physical. An international jury of three jurors will award the best project in addition to handing out a special jury award.
- IDFA Competition for Short Documentary The IDFA Competition for Short Documentary has titles that showcase a healthy boom for the short film form. A mosaic of styles and themes defines this selection, exploring everything a short documentary can be. An international jury of three jurors will award the best film.
- IDFA Competition for Youth Documentary The IDFA Competition for Youth Documentary offers world-class films that challenge the definition of youth documentary. Selected titles are presented for two distinct age groups: 9- to 13-year-olds, and 14-year-olds all the way to adulthood.
- Luminous The premiere-only section’s lineup includes a wide range of styles and formalist approaches, from observational to personal to experimental.
- Frontlight The premiere-only section take an artistic approach to exploring the urgent issues of our time.
- IDFA on Stage The IDFA on Stage selection presents a boundary-breaking program of live cinema events—bridging film, new media, and the performing arts.
- IDFA DocLab Spotlight Documentary art across disciplines, presenting emerging media works and research projects by masters and new talents.
- Paradocs Pushing the limits of the documentary form. A showcase of the year’s best experimental documentary art.
- Masters The latest films by today’s auteurs of documentary cinema, whose renowned names and careers never disappoint.
- Best of Fests Prize-winners, public favorites, and high-profile titles from the international festival circuit.
- Top 10 Ten films selected by IDFA’s Guest of Honor, from influential masterpieces to hidden documentary gems.
- Retrospective A tribute to the festival’s yearly Guest of Honor with a celebration of their oeuvre.
- Focus Programs A selection of new and canonical films curated around a thematic point of focus.
MARKETS take place from Sunday November 12 until Wednesday November 15 onsite in Amsterdam, returning to a new and improved Felix Meritis floor plan. IDFA hosts a dynamic marketplace that caters to filmmakers, producers, and industry professionals throughout the full life cycle of documentary film and new media making at IDFA Forum (November 12-15, 2023) and Docs for Sale (November 10-15, 2023).
• Producers Connection + Rough Cut presentations – Sunday November 12 Afternoon
• Forum and DocLab Forum Presentations – Monday-Tuesday November 13+14 Morning
• All One-on-One Meetings for selected projects will take place Monday-Tuesday November 13+14 Afternoon + Wednesday November 15 morning.
• Forum Lunches take place Monday-Tuesday November 13+14.
Questions? Don’t hesitate to contact the industry team at idfaforum@idfa.nl or docsforsale@idfa.nl
Docs for Sale IDFA takes place November 10-15, 2023
As of 2023, prior to the event, teams with selected films in the catalogue attend hybrid workshops to maximize their distribution strategy and use of Docs for Sale’s activities.
• Submissions open June 21
• Deadline for submissions: September 8
• Acquisition accreditation opens on June 21 and closes October 1
Catalogue 2022—2023 A leading showcase of the most recent documentary films, series, and shorts seeking distribution and exhibition opportunities, including German productions and c-productions.
as single page
• IDFA 2023
• IDFA 2022
• IDFA 2021
• IDFA 2020
• IDFA 2019
• IDFA 2018
• IDFA 2017