Filmmaker support

With IDFA Project Space, IDFA offers training programs to the next generation of documentary talent. In 2024, IDFA Project Space selected sixteen international projects in different stages of production—either in the development and production or editing phase. From June to September, participants took part in workshops and were matched with tutors to receive guidance from experienced film professionals. The sixteen international filmmaking teams also spent an intensive week of workshops together in Amsterdam. The teams were invited to develop their projects alongside high-profile filmmakers and industry professionals, and offered tutoring, plenary sessions, and Filmmaker Talks.  

For Dutch-speaking filmmakers, IDFA offers Project Space NL, supported by the NPO Fund. Starting in the summer of 2024, six filmmakers followed an intensive program of several months, during which they developed their film plan under the guidance of renowned professionals.  

IDFAcademy took place in De Balie for the first time this year. During the festival, 100 international participants attended an extensive program designed for directors and producers working on their first or second feature. They attended sessions and talks led by leading film professionals, including experienced producers, sales agents, and filmmakers such as Sophie Fiennes and Kazuhiro Soda. 

In 2024, five films that participated in IDFA's talent development programs made it into the official festival selection. Three titles were selected for the International Competition, and four films were nominated for the IDFA Award for Best First Feature. Read more about IDFA’s harvest here. 

The IDFA Bertha Fund (IBF) offers support to independent documentary filmmakers from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Oceania (IBF regions). IBF brings the love for documentary film together with the important mission of sharing urgent stories as widely as possible. 

Applications and selections 
In 2024, IBF received 714 applications from 86 different countries, of which 30 projects were selected. This year, sixteen IBF-supported projects were screened during the festival, of which six were world premieres. No Other Land by Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor, which won the Oscar for Best Documentary, was presented in a sold-out screening at Carré, with the filmmakers in attendance. The screening was followed by a conversation with IDFA’s Artistic Director Orwa Nyrabia and former Guest of Honor Laura Poitras. 

IBF-supported films continue to be showcased at renowned international film festivals, such as Cannes, Sundance, and the Berlinale. Additionally, television broadcasters across the globe regularly screen IBF-supported documentary films. Once completed, the films are often successfully distributed in their home countries.  

Each year, three IDFA Bertha Fund rounds take place, offering support through two funding programs for filmmakers from IBF-listed countries. 

• Projects can apply to IBF Classic for project development (€7,500) and production and post-production (€25,000). Each year, approximately twenty-five projects are selected for the grant. In 2024, IBF Classic supported 25 projects with a total of €380,000. 

• European and Dutch producers can apply for the IBF Europe grant, when co-producing with a filmmaker from the IBF Country List. The maximum contribution per project is €40,000. In 2024, five projects received IBF Europe grants, totaling €200,000 in support. 

• In 2024, IBF provided distribution grants for previously supported projects. Seven projects received IBF Classic Distribution Support (a total of €34,300) and five projects received an IBF Europe Promotion Grant (a total of €37,500). 

Since its launch at the Venice Film Festival in September 2020, The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR) has been working to unite the global film community against the political persecution of filmmakers worldwide. As a co-founder of the initiative, alongside the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) and the European Film Academy, IDFA remains deeply committed to supporting ICFR’s activities through advocacy, monitoring, observation, and communication.

Regrettably, the need for this work is far from diminishing. Throughout 2024, the organization has actively campaigned for filmmakers in Myanmar, Iran, the Philippines, Turkey, China, and Belarus, among others. Behind the scenes, ICFR has also provided support through soft advocacy, establishing connections with other aid organizations, and assisting with visa and residency applications. Additionally, with the remaining funds from its dedicated emergency fund, the organization has continued to offer financial assistance to filmmakers at risk due to the Russian war in Ukraine. In total, this fund has supported 658 filmmakers.

The IDFA Bertha Fund is supported by Bertha Foundation, Nationale Postcode Loterij, Creative Europe Media, JustFilms / Ford Foundation, Netherlands Film Fund, Stichting de Hoorn, Special Friends+ and Patrons of IDFA.

IDFA Talent Development Program is supported by Creative Europe Media, Netherlands Film Fund, NPO Fund and Dioraphte.