About IDFA

''IDFA believes in the power of documentaries."

The festival proves that an ever-growing number of people are looking for high-quality, artistic sources of information and reflection. This is why, now more than ever, IDFA stands for documentary film as an art form, for aesthetics, beauty, imagination and inspiration.

What is IDFA?

Over the years, IDFA (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam) has grown into an international documentary institute that guides, inspires and takes a stand. This film institute consists of a (public) festival, a fund, two markets, a new media, talent and educational program and an online platform. It is an institute that focuses on diverse audiences, professionals and students and that selects on artistic quality of documentary films, in addition to urgency and accessibility. It is an institute where inclusion and gender equality are important principles and where extra attention is paid to talent development, new media and diversity in all sections. In addition to all of this, IDFA has opened a new home for documentary in Amsterdam: The Documentary Pavilion. In this documentary hub we give critical, creative documentary a place to connect with relations and the wider audience.

Mission and Vision

IDFA aims to bring creative documentary films and large audiences together. Therefore, IDFA stimulates the production and distribution of a diverse range of documentaries and develops the demand for documentary films. In this way, IDFA contributes to (improving) the international documentary climate, specifically by promoting greater inclusion and giving underrepresented filmmakers a voice. IDFA believes in the power of documentaries. In creative documentaries that deepen, reveal and inspire. In documentaries that bring people closer together. And in documentaries that stand for change by moving people.

Audience reach IDFA 2024: 260.000 visits

Audience reach

Every year, IDFA welcomes over 260,000 visitors in movie theaters throughout Amsterdam. Amongst our visitors are international press, filmmakers and longtime documentary lovers. During the film festival, IDFA also works together with so called 'satellite' movie theaters throughout The Netherlands, to engage with people outside of Amsterdam as well. These movie screenings take place all over the country, from Groningen to Maastricht. Additionally, after the festival has finished, the 'Best of IDFA' films go on tour (3 months) and are screened in over 50 movie theaters in The Netherlands.