Dive into the Industry Program 2026

How can documentary cinema confront power beyond bearing witness to abuse? The Industry Talk: Fighting back – Cinema as an act of resistance?  explores this question through revisiting revolutionary archives, citizen footage, and courtroom records. Moderated by independent journalist Abby Sun, the discussion features acclaimed directors Laura Poitras (They’re Here (2026), co-helmed with Rachel Lauren Mueller), Mohanad Yaqubi (Revolutionaries Never Die (2026)), and Sofia Bordenave (Forest Up in the Mountain (2026)). The Industry Session: Films we make together – Co-creating with young protagonists turns to another compelling topic: co-creation in documentary film, raising important questions about participants’ agency, vulnerability, and consent. Joining the session are Dongnan Chen (Whispers in May (2026)), who engaged Yi girls in telling their own story, and Éric Baudelaire (For the Moon (2026)), who centered the perspectives of blind and partially sighted teenagers in Paris through their self-recorded footage. 

As AI inevitably reshapes film and life, ushering in promises and perils, the Industry Talk: End times – AI and documentary examines the creative and political stakes of AI in documentaries. The panel comprises directors whose recent films use AI to grapple with oppressive systems and apocalyptic narratives themselves sustained by this advanced technology. Moderated by Kat Cizek (Artistic Director of the Co-Creation Studio, MIT Open Documentary Lab), the discussion is joined by Daniel Mann (The Recce (2026)), Kyle McDonald (Apocalypse Early Warning System (2026)), Rita Toledo and Isabel Joffily (Morro Grande (2026)). Researcher Michaela Pnacek(ova) also presents a European AI Commons project that aims to develop transparent, ethical AI alternatives for Europe’s cultural and creative sectors. 

Many of the Talks and Sessions pick up questions explored in the Film Program, extending them into discussions about documentary practice. The use of archives, for instance, raises questions about whose histories are preserved and how these materials can be accessed, used, and reused. Bringing together practitioners working with archives, the Industry Talk, Ownership of the archive – Exposing erasure, reclaiming histories, interrogates the ownership of images and how power imbalances embedded in archives can be redressed. The Industry Talk: Is AI stealing my documentary? – Issue of licensing to AI companies examines another facet of archive discourse, pondering documentaries as “archives” for AI training and use, the ethics of feeding the “beast,” and licensing to AI companies as a potential revenue stream. 

Practical industry questions are also on the agenda. Starting with a first-ever study by the European Audiovisual Observatory on documentary-specific box office and streaming data, the Industry Talk: Direct-to-community distribution? – Fresh approaches to audience engagement explores emerging models and novel strategies for audience development, from community building to subscription offerings. Several informative Sessions also dig into this topic, such as the Industry Session: Who is your film for? – Exploring Jolt’s Audience Insight Modeler, and the Industry Session: Creative distribution – Strategies for a disrupted world, with documentary distribution expert Jon Reiss (President, 8 Above). Fair co-productions are a recurring topic at IDFA. The Industry Talk: Value-based co-productions – Practical tools for equitable partnerships rethinks ownership, rights, and revenue in international co-productions, moving past rigid pro-rata rules to recognize partners’ contributions across different production economies. Attendees will hear from producers and fund representatives discussing concrete methods that can be adapted to different projects, along with strategies for gauging a fund’s flexibility. 

As IDFA DocLab marks its landmark 20th edition, celebrating new media and immersive storytelling, the Industry Talk: Preserving the future – Building new media to last, moderated by Julia Scott-Stevenson (University of Technology Sydney), brings together immersive industry experts and creators to tackle a burning question: how to preserve and spread new media without taming its rebellious streak, while reimagining the notion of a collective theatrical experience. As attention spans shrink and social cohesion erodes, documentary matters more than ever in helping youths make sense of their experiences and navigate the world with greater nuance and resilience. Drawing on the idea of a Nutri-Score for Youth Media and featuring film examples and reflections, the Industry Talk: Mental resilience – Real stories for youth in a complex world explores documentary’s unique role and impact on young audiences. The panel takes place as part of Youth Day, a strand rooted in IDFA’s DNA and reflecting its long-standing focus on documentaries for young people across both its Film and Industry Programs. 

Across more than a hundred events and activities, Delegation Showcases remain integral, offering tailored visibility opportunities for delegations coming from around the world. During the showcases, filmmakers will present works in progress and engage directly with decision-makers, festival programmers, and other professionals. The invite-only Think Tanks will again bring together some of the industry’s most forward-thinking minds for candid exchanges of knowledge, perspectives, and developments.