Communication and reach

When preparing for the festival, we took possible COVID-19 measures and lockdowns into account, but fortunately the emergency scenarios we developed did not prove necessary. IDFA was able to present a festival as usual—with a few minor (online) adjustments—where audiences, professional guests, and students could enjoy documentary films in cinemas, as well as all the other elements that make an in-person festival beautiful and urgent experience. With over 240,000 visits this edition, IDFA was able to report a substantial recovery in the number of visits. The figures have not recovered to the levels reported prior to COVID-19, such as the over 300,000 visits in 2019.

The audience and guest surveys, conducted among all audiences and festival guests, once again reported an overall positive festival experience. The audience satisfaction score was 8.4, consistent with the score reported in 2021, and an increase from 8.0 in 2020. For this edition, the Net Promoter Score—which measures the extent to which IDFA is recommended by so-called ‘promoters’—was 61, consistent with the score in 2021. In 2020, 19% of IDFA’s audiences were under the age of 44, which increased to 26% in 2021, and grew even further to 29% in 2022. By actively targeting student and study associations and offering them a discounted rate, the festival experienced a sharp increase in student attendance, reporting 5,000 student visits during IDFA 2022.

A large amount of publicity for IDFA films featured in the competition programs was included in international trade magazines in 2022, such as Screen International, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter. International press guests rated the festival services, number of interesting films on offer, and opportunity to meet filmmakers during IDFA with an 8.5.

For IDFA 2022, the festival campaign was designed by talented filmmaker and artists Louis Hothothot, whose debut film was the opening film of IDFA 2021. The campaign enabled IDFA to position itself as an artistic brand and event that celebrates the art of documentary film.

IDFA’s online reach grew once again in 2022, including the number of social media followers (13%) and newsletter subscribers (7%). The number of website visitors increased by 10% during the festival and remained consistent throughout the year—reporting over 1 million unique visitors per year. During the festival, website visitors read 50% more pages than in 2021.