Accreditations for IDFA 2026

Experience the full festival alongside documentary professionals from around the world, with access to screenings, talks, networking events, and industry services throughout IDFA.

Festival dates: November 12-22, 2026

Eligible to apply: 
All professionals with a serious and demonstrable interest in documentary. 

This accreditation gives access to:
 

• 15 (free) tickets to all regular IDFA screenings, immersive art and events, including live cinema events. 5 of these tickets can be booked from October 26th at 12:00 PM, the remaining 10 tickets can be booked from November 13th. 
• The IDFA Awards Ceremony on Thursday, November 19th. 
• Discount on any additional tickets after your ticket limit of 15 tickets has been reached, as well as on some special films and projects, which will be listed online once the program has gone online. 
• Press & Industry screenings. Please note: You must book your (free) ticket(s) to your accreditation to gain admission (first come, first served). Tickets are available the day before the screening starts and will be automatically uploaded onto your accreditation. 
• The Industry Program, which includes Industry Talks, Consultancies and daily Guests Meet Guests networking drinks. 
• Industry Services, such as the online Press & Industry Library, where films will be made available to view online after its premiere screening, and the online Guest List, which includes company profiles, biographies, and contact information of accredited guests.

€210* excl. 9% VAT** - Early bird fee (2 June–31 August) 
€275* excl. 9% VAT** - Regular fee (1 September–31 October) 
€340* excl. 9% VAT - Late fee (1 November<)

*Discounts are available for members of various documentary organizations (early and regular fee) and professionals residing and working in the following countries (regular fee only).
**See FAQ below to find out more about VAT refunding.

> APPLY

IDFA Forum brings together filmmakers, producers, broadcasters, distributors, and funders to support new documentary and immersive projects through presentations, meetings, and conversations.

Forum dates: November 15-18, 2026

Eligible to apply: 
This accreditation is intended for independent producers, financiers, commissioning editors, sales agents, distributors, representatives of film funds and MEDIA Desks, digital platforms, NGOs, and other supporting film organizations. 

Applications are subject to a selection process and registration does not guarantee accreditation. Due to limited capacity, only one representative per production company (or affiliated companies) will be granted access. 

Please note: IDFA Forum is a producers’ market. Directors are not eligible to apply for this accreditation.

This accreditation gives access to:
 

• IDFA Forum, the market for co-producing and co-financing international documentaries and immersive and interactive projects, which includes access to Forum Pitch and Roundtable presentations, IDFA DocLab Forum, Rough Cut Screenings, and the Forum Awards. 
• IDFA Forum lunches, Monday-Wednesday, 16-18 November.
• 15 (free) tickets to all regular IDFA screenings, immersive art and events, including live cinema events. 5 of these tickets can be booked from October 26th at 12:00 PM, the remaining 10 tickets can be booked from November 13th.
• The IDFA Awards Ceremony on Thursday, November 19th. 
• Discount on any additional tickets after your ticket limit of 15 tickets has been reached, as well as on some special films and projects, which will be listed online once the program has gone online. 
• Press & Industry screenings. Please note: You must book your (free) ticket(s) to your accreditation to gain admission (first come, first served). Tickets are available the day before the screening starts and will be automatically uploaded onto your accreditation. 
• The Industry Program, which includes Industry Talks, Consultancies and the Social Events, Docs for Sale Happy Hour, and Guests Meet Guests networking drinks. 
• Industry Services, such as the online Press & Industry Library, where films will be made available to view online after its premiere screening, and the online Guest List, which includes company profiles, biographies, and contact information of accredited guests.

€375 excl. 21% VAT**

*Discounts are available for professionals residing and working in the following countries. 
**See FAQ below to find out more about VAT refunding.

> APPLY (Deadline: October 10, 2026)

Discover new documentary films and series from around the world and connect with filmmakers, distributors, sales agents, and festival representatives at Docs for Sale.

Docs for Sale dates: November: 14-18, 2026

Eligible to apply: 
Docs for Sale welcomes documentary professionals working in sales and exhibition, including buyers, festival programmers, distributors, and sales agents. 

The Docs for Sale Acquisition accreditation gives access to:

• The viewing booths at Docs for Sale (reservation is necessary), which include the full Docs for Sale 2026/2027 catalogue.
• A one-year subscription to the Docs for Sale online catalogue.
• The Docs for Sale Lounge.
• The daily Docs for Sale Happy Hour.
• 15 (free) tickets to all regular IDFA screenings, immersive art and events, including live cinema events. 5 of these tickets can be booked from October 26th at 12:00 PM, the remaining 10 tickets can be booked from November 13th.
• The IDFA Awards Ceremony on Thursday, November 19th.
• Discount on any additional tickets after your ticket limit of 15 tickets has been reached, as well as on some special films and projects, which will be listed online once the program has gone online.
• Press & Industry screenings. Please note: You must book your (free) ticket(s) to your accreditation to gain admission (first come, first served). Tickets are available the day before the screening starts and will be automatically uploaded onto your accreditation.
• The Industry Program, which includes Industry Talks, Consultancies and the Social Events, Docs for Sale Happy Hour and Guests Meet Guests networking drinks.
• Industry Services, such as the online Press & Industry Library, where films will be made available to view online after its premiere screening, and the online Guest List, which includes company profiles, biographies, and contact information of accredited guests.

Subscription to the Docs for Sale online viewing service is available all year round for qualified professionals. More information can be found here.

€290 excl. 21% VAT**

**See FAQ below to find out more about VAT refunding.

> APPLY

Present your selected film to international buyers, festival programmers, distributors, and sales agents attending Docs for Sale during IDFA.

Docs for Sale dates: November 14-18, 2026

Eligible to apply: 
One accreditation is included in the Docs for Sale entry fee for a representative (producer, director, or sales agent) of the film selected for Docs for Sale. Additional Docs for Sale Participant accreditations for selected film teams can be purchased. 

Buyers, festival programmers, and sales agents without a film in the current catalogue, can apply for a Docs for Sale Acquisition accreditation.

The Docs for Sale Participant accreditation gives access to:

• The Docs for Sale Lounge. 
• The daily Docs for Sale Happy Hour.
• Press & Industry screenings. Please note: You must book your (free) ticket(s) to your accreditation to gain admission (first come, first served). Tickets are available the day before the screening starts and will be automatically uploaded onto your accreditation. 
• The Industry Program, which includes Industry Talks, Consultancies and the Social Events, Docs for Sale Happy Hour and Guests Meet Guests networking drinks. 
• Industry Services, such as the online Press & Industry Library, where films will be made available to view online after its premiere screening, and the online Guest List, which includes company profiles, biographies, and contact information of accredited guests.
   

€75 excl. 21% VAT**

**See FAQ below to find out more about VAT refunding 

This accreditation is only available to catalogue participants.

> APPLY

Cover the festival alongside international press attending IDFA’s screenings, premieres, Awards Ceremony, high-profile Filmmaker Talks, and the Industry Program.

Eligible to apply:
Critics and journalists who wish to cover the festival.

This accreditation gives access to:

• Tickets to all regular IDFA screenings, immersive art and events, including live cinema events.
• Tickets to special films, projects or Forum and Docs for Sale events can be requested through the press officers.
• The IDFA Awards Ceremony on Thursday, November 19th. 
• Press & Industry screenings. Please note: You must book your (free) ticket(s) to your accreditation to gain admission (first come, first served). Tickets are available the day before the screening starts and will be automatically uploaded onto your accreditation. 
• The Industry Program, which includes Industry Talks, Consultancies and the daily Guests Meet Guests networking drinks. 
• Industry Services, such as the online Press & Industry Library, where films will be made available to view online after its premiere screening, and the online Guest List, which includes company profiles, biographies and contact information of accredited guests.

€50 excl. 9% VAT – Regular fee (1 June–31 October) 
€75 excl. 9% VAT – Late fee (1 November<)

If you have any questions, you can contact press@idfa.nl

> APPLY

Join emerging filmmakers and producers from around the world for the four-day IDFAcademy program of workshops, in-depth sessions, and conversations connected to the wider Festival Program and Industry Program.

IDFAcademy dates: November 12-15, 2026

Eligible to apply:
IDFAcademy is open to emerging filmmakers and producers looking to expand their careers internationally. Selection is based on the information provided in the application form. 

The deadline to apply for IDFAcademy is August 1, 2026. Applicants will be informed of the selection results in mid-October.

This accreditation gives access to:

• The IDFAcademy program of sessions, inspiration talks, workshops and social events.
• 15 (free) tickets to all regular IDFA screenings, immersive art and events, including live cinema events. 5 of these tickets can be booked from October 26th at 12:00 PM, the remaining 10 tickets can be booked from November 13th.
• Discount on any additional tickets after your ticket limit of 15 tickets has been reached, as well as on some special films and projects, which will be listed online once the program has gone online. 
• Press & Industry screenings. Please note: You must book your (free) ticket(s) to your accreditation to gain admission (first come, first served). Tickets are available the day before the screening starts and will be automatically uploaded onto your accreditation. 
• The Industry Program, which includes Industry Talks, Consultancies and the Social Events, Docs for Sale Happy Hour and Guests Meet Guests networking drinks. 
• Industry Services, such as the online Press & Industry Library, where films will be made available to view online after its premiere screening, and the online Guest List, which includes company profiles, biographies, and contact information of accredited guests.

€250* excl. 9% VAT

*Fee waivers are available for applicants residing and working in the following countries.

Applying to IDFAcademy is free of charge. Only selected participants will be asked to purchase an IDFAcademy accreditation. If you are selected, we will also review your eligibility for a fee waiver and inform you directly.

> APPLY

Explore the festival as a film student, attend screenings and talks, and discover new documentary voices and approaches from around the world.

Eligible to apply: 
Film school students and university or arts school students enrolled in a film or media degree with demonstrated specializations in film.   

This accreditation gives access to:

• 12 (free) tickets to all regular IDFA screenings, immersive art and events, including live cinema events. 5 of these tickets can be booked from October 26th at 12:00 PM, the remaining 7 tickets can be booked from November 13th.
• Additional (free) tickets to Filmmaker Talks.

€90 including 9% VAT

> APPLY

All accreditations are meant for film industry professionals and will undergo a review and/or selection procedure to determine eligibility.

You are eligible for the early bird fee on the Festival accreditation when you have submitted your accreditation before the 1st of September 2026 and have completed payment before the 1st of October. If we have not received your payment before October 1st, the regular fee will be invoiced. 

Discount availability is limited on the early bird fee. Only the partner associations discount and the discount for selected film team members apply.

All IDFA accreditations include an administrative fee of €30, excl. VAT. This contribution helps us ensure that film professionals worldwide can continue to access IDFA's program and services in an inclusive and sustainable fashion. This small administrative fee helps IDFA counter inflation adjustment, offer fair accreditation and participation fees, improve on sustainability initiatives, while continuing to include its full support services to the entire IDFA community.

If you need to cancel, please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing guestservices@idfa.nl. Please mind our refund policy below.

For all cancellations received after October 18, IDFA handles a no refund policy.

By applying for accreditation you are agreeing to adhere to our Code of Conduct. Please make sure to read this through carefully.

Read here more about our principles and guidelines.

The deadline to apply for an Observer seat is October 1, 2026. All Observer accreditations will undergo a selection process due to limited seats.

The deadline to apply for IDFAcademy is August 1, 2026. All accreditations for IDFAcademy will undergo a selection process. IDFA will communicate the outcome of selection to the applicants in early October. When you are selected to IDFAcademy, participants are committed to attend in person for the whole duration of the program (November 12 to November 15).

All accredited guests will have access to the main DocLab 2026 exhibition at de Brakke Grond, featuring this year's top interactive and immersive documentary works. Details about access to ticketed and time-slotted interactive and immersive projects and programs (such as the VR Gallery, fulldome presentations in the ARTIS-Planetarium, performances and live events) will be provided soon on the DocLab page.

The applicant will guarantee to have secured clearance from the copyright holders of any copyrighted materials included within the entered accreditation for all purposes for which the material will be used, including the online Guest List, printed accreditations and printed/online festival related information guides. The applicant will guarantee to hold IDFA harmless from any claims from copyright holders in relation to use of the entered material. IDFA reserves the right to disqualify any accreditation with unauthorized inclusion of copyrighted materials.

By filling in an accreditation request you consent to the recording and use of images created during the festival for informational and promotional purposes related to the IDFA organization. You also consent to the processing of your personal information related to the organization of IDFA, which includes our online guest list with, if agreed upon separately, your contact details. We might also share your data privately (name/company/country) for reporting purposes to our public funders. Your data will be stored until seven years after your last participation or until you retract your consent, and use the information to contact you. IDFA informs you that you can always demand access to your data, correct it, remove it, file a complaint, withdraw your consent and file a complaint to the supervisory authority.

All accredited guests will be added to the Industry Newsletter to update you on (practical) information about the festival. Opt-out is possible, but only recommended after the festival.

Even if you have attended the festival previously, every guest must complete an accreditation form for the current edition. You can log in with the same MyIDFA username and password as before. Please note that everybody has to fill in a company profile or biography which will be published on the IDFA online guest list.

We do our best to review and process accreditation requests as soon as possible. For Festival, Docs for Sale and Press accreditations, we strive to process your accreditation within one to three weeks. For IDFAcademy and Forum accreditations you will hear about the status of your application once the selection deadline has passed.

Accreditations are only available to documentary professionals. Of course, you are welcome to attend any audience events at the festival. Depending on the amount of films you want to see, we recommend purchasing a strippenkaart for discounted screenings.

No, you can only take part in IDFAcademy once.

No. An accreditation is valid for the entire festival.

Unfortunately, you cannot transfer your accreditation to someone else. If you need to cancel, please contact the IDFA Guest Services department as soon as possible. It is only possible to cancel in writing: guestservices@idfa.nl. We hold a no refund policy for accreditations bought after 18 October.

Please use the 'forgot your password?' link to receive an email to reset your password. If you have a new email address, please log in with the old credentials on your MyIDFA and change the email address in your account so that no history is lost. If you have a new email address you forgot your password, please send an email to guestservices@idfa.nl to have your password reset manually. This ensures that your history is not lost.

You will receive a payment link as soon as your accreditation is approved. After payment you will automatically receive a confirmation email with an invoice.

Your accreditation request will be processed in one to three weeks, depending on when you submitted an accreditation form and the accreditation you want to obtain.

You can pay your invoice by credit card. iDEAL/Wero is available when you're in the Netherlands for Dutch bank account holders only. Contact IDFA Guest Services at guestservices@idfa.nl if these payment methods don’t work for you.

Festival and IDFAcademy accreditations are subject to 9% Dutch VAT. IDFA Forum and Docs for Sale accreditations are subject to 21% Dutch VAT. Entrepreneurs can submit a claim for refund of the VAT they have paid if: 

• they are not required to file a VAT return in the Netherlands 
• the Dutch VAT has been charged to them 
• the amount of VAT for which they claim refund is at least €50 per calendar year. 

See Claiming Refund of VAT or the general website of the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration for more information.