Foreword

IDFA 2024 once again demonstrated the remarkable global quality of creative documentaries, both film and new media —and the growing public desire for a deeper understanding of the world. IDFA exists to nurture, support, and champion this creativity while introducing as many people as possible to artistic documentary cinema. But the festival also serves to contextualize these works—not to settle existing debates, but to enrich them through a critical and artistic lens. In that mission, we succeeded, and we look back on 2024 with great satisfaction.

That satisfaction extends beyond the outstanding quality of the 37th festival program. It also encompasses the impact of IDFA’s documentary markets, education and talent development programs, and the IDFA Bertha Fund. Meanwhile, Het Documentaire Paviljoen had an inspiring first year, featuring a successful official opening week in March, the launch of its regular programming, and, in August, a symposium on the role of festivals in an increasingly polarized world.

In short, 2024 was a strong year for the multifaceted documentary institute that IDFA has become—with the crowning achievement being the Oscar win for No Other Land. Supported by the IDFA Bertha Fund and winner of the NPO Audience Award at IDFA 2024, the film underscores how bold new art is increasingly engaging with society. Once again, documentary film proves itself to be an essential medium for advocating a more livable future.