Foreword

In this third year of our four-year policy plan, we took important steps in transforming IDFA from a festival that organizes various activities throughout the year, to an institute that focuses on documentary culture year-round. This endeavor, both for the public and for filmmakers, is approached from an artistic and business perspective, with the festival remaining the flagship that brings the world of documentary together in Amsterdam. The move to Het Documentaire Paviljoen (HDP) in the Vondelpark marks the realization of this transformation and heralds a new era for IDFA.

While HPD officially opened its doors in March 2024, the move to the new building took place in August 2023. The new location was partially in use during the Under Construction phase, starting from September 2023. During this period, various tests, screenings, and exhibitions were organized, while the festival in November provided the perfect opportunity to introduce the new spaces to both the city and the international documentary community.

HDP offers many new opportunities for programming, community building, and outreach. The new endeavor also requires a new way of working—both internally and with partners. In doing so, we aim to get closer to the city and its residents and are pleased with the new financing possibilities, which our team has developed with the support of various funds and individuals who have expressed their confidence in the project.

The 2023 edition of the festival marked an extremely important moment. While we have continued to strive for years to be a leading international festival that welcomes everyone from all corners of the world, we, like the rest of the world, were surprised by the war in Gaza. This event confronted us with our own limitations. While we tried with all our might to show genuine concern for everyone during this difficult period, we were unable to convince everyone and guarantee our position as an open, democratic, and safe space.

And while we took another step forward with regard to public attendance and the quality of the program compared to 2022—another firm step towards full recovery from the pandemic—it was all the more disappointing that twenty filmmakers and artists chose to withdraw their work from the festival. We would like to emphasize that we do not have easy answers to such extreme circumstances. However, we remain committed to meeting these challenges in a thoughtful, careful, and serious manner. That's why we've started a series of discussions, both internally with our own employees and externally with filmmakers and organizations worldwide. In addition, we have announced an international symposium that will take place in HDP in August 2024. This symposium will thoroughly explore the questions and challenges of a cultural institution like IDFA in these complex times.

During the 2023 festival edition, a total of more than 283 films and interactive projects were shown, from more than 90 countries. This included 77 world premieres, 39 international premieres, and 17 European premieres. Over the course of eleven days, audiences could participate in more than 1000 public screenings and events, spread over more than 20 locations across Amsterdam.