Attending IDFA Forum 2023
Bringing together creative documentary makers with potential financial and sales collaborators, IDFA Forum 2023 will once again offer a platform for filmmakers working on ground-breaking creative feature documentaries and new media projects to explore co-production, co-financing, and distribution strategies. Find information about IDFA Forum 2023 below.
IDFA 2023 Forum information at glance
Producers Connection Presentations
Sunday, November 12, 13:00 – 17:00
Location: Felix Meritis, Keizersgracht 324 – Big Concert Room
Launched in 2021, this market service focuses on facilitating new connections among producers. 13 projects seeking international producing partners will present their film ideas to a room full of potential co-producers, followed by one-on-one meetings. Read more on IDFA's Producers Connection.
Access to this market element is limited to producers or producer/director teams.
One-on-One Meetings
Monday, November 13, 15:00 – 18:15 – Big Concert Room
Tuesday, November 14, 15:00 – 18:15 – Drawing Room
Wednesday, November 15, 9:30 – 13:00 – Drawing Room
Location: Felix Meritis, Keizersgracht 324
One-on-one meetings between Producers Connection projects and other IDFA Forum industry professionals can be arranged on a case-by-case basis. All Forum passholders can access the full written project info online, and professionals taking meetings can also see the project's visual material online before the festival.
Producers Connection participants also take part in bespoke networking event: Producers Connection Drinks (hosted by Scenery) on Sunday, November 12, at 17:00 at Felix Meritis, Keizersgracht 324 (Pillar Lounge).
The Producers Connection is made possible in part by Eurimages and Buma Music in Motion.
Rough Cut Presentations
Sunday, November 12, 13:30 – 16:30
Location: Pathé City 2, Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 15-19 – Screen 2
Monday, November 13, 13:30 – 16:30
Location: IDFA Vondelpark Pavilion, Vondelpark 3
11 selected project teams will introduce a 20-minute excerpt of their rough cut. This presentation format caters specifically to film projects in editing or in rough cut stage looking for sales, distribution, or other exhibition opportunities. After the presentations, the full rough cut files will be made available online to industry professionals. Read more on IDFA's Rough Cut Presentations.
Open to IDFA Forum and Docs for Sale Acquisition passholders.
IDFA Forum Pitches
Monday, November 13, 9:00 – 13:00
Tuesday, November 14, 9:00 – 13:00
Location: Felix Meritis, Keizersgracht 324 – Big Concert Room and via a live stream in Dome Room
20 documentary projects in various stages of production will be featured in the renowned Forum pitch program. Each film team has up to 7 minutes to outline their project idea, followed by a moderated feedback session with a group of hand-picked industry professionals. This category services documentary projects looking for financing and distribution partners. Read more on IDFA Forum Pitches.
Open to IDFA Forum passholders.
IDFA DocLab Forum Presentations
Monday, November 13, 9:00 – 13:00
Tuesday, November 14, 9:00 – 13:00
Location: Felix Meritis, Keizersgracht 324 – Small Concert Room
The DocLab Forum presents 20 interactive and immersive non-fiction projects in different stages of production and financing. Presented in a program spread over two mornings, the project teams get an opportunity to discuss the content and form of their project and explore relevant next steps. Each team gets 15 minutes in total, starting off with a presentation of the project including visual material, after which several industry professionals are invited to give feedback. Read more on IDFA DocLab Forum Presentations.
Open to IDFA Forum passholders.
Services at the Forum
One-on-One Meetings
Monday, November 13, 15:00 – 18:15
Tuesday, November 14, 15:00 – 18:15
Wednesday, November 15, 09:30 – 13:00
Location: Felix Meritis, Keizersgracht 324 – Big Concert Room
Pre-arranged one-on-one meetings for all projects selected for IDFA Forum Pitches, DocLab Forum Pitches, Rough Cut Presentations, and Producers Connection take place at Felix Meritis across three days. Timings of the meetings might vary depending on presentation category-projects and industry professionals taking meetings can login to their MyIDFA account and view their latest schedule by navigating to MyIDFA > Professionals > Appointments. There is a one-on-one desk available at Felix Meritis for participants to check in on their meetings and to book additional ones.
Producers Connection Projects have separate meeting slots.
Pillar Lounge
The Pillar Lounge in Felix Meritis welcomes Markets guest throughout the event and is your go-to place for setting up your own meetings, grabbing a cup of coffee, or catching up with other market guests.
Industry Desk at Felix Meritis
Saturday, November 11 – Wednesday, November 15, 9:00 – 18:00
Location: Felix Meritis, Keizersgracht 324 – Reception on the ground floor
The Industry Desk in the reception of Felix Meritis operates as a reception, available to support all IDFA Forum guests with questions about the venue, the schedule, and how to navigate the wider festival offering.
One-on-One Desk
Sunday, November 12 – Tuesday, November 14, 9:00 – 18:00
Wednesday, November 15, 9:00 – 13:00
Location: Felix Meritis, Keizersgracht 324
The meetings arranged during IDFA Forum are pre-arranged. However, during the Forum, industry professionals can come to the one-on-one desk to request additional meetings or make changes to their schedules.
Pitch Reports
IDFA Forum offers selected projects written notes of the feedback received during the pitches. The day after the pitch, the selected projects can pick up the reports at the Information Desk and our team will also email it to the contact person for each project.
Live Stream of Pitches in Dome Room
The pitches taking place on Monday and Tuesday morning in Big Concert Room can also be watched in Dome Room via a live stream.
Social events at the Forum
Producers Breakfast
Monday, November 13 – Wednesday, November 15, 8:00–9:00
Location: Felix Meritis, Keizersgracht 324 – Restaurant Felix
All accredited producers at IDFA Forum are invited to sign up to attend the Producers Breakfast. Designed to connect international producers with each other over coffee, the Producers Breakfast event invites accredited producers at the Forum to kick-start the day together. Producers can indicate countries they’d be curious to get to know better, and we will plan table seating accordingly.
The Producers Breakfast is hosted by RAPA and KCA. Pre-registration is necessary.
IDFA Forum Lunch
Monday, November 13, 13:00–14:30
Tuesday, November 14, 13:00–14:30
Location: Groene Paleis, Rokin 65
After the pitches on Monday and Tuesday, IDFA Forum guests are invited to have lunch at Groene Paleis. It is a short 10-minute walk from Felix Meritis.
The Monday lunch is hosted by Chicken & Egg Pictures.
Open to IDFA Forum passholders.
IDFA Forum Lunch and Awards Ceremony
Wednesday, November 15, 13:00-14:30
Location: Felix Meritis, Keizersgracht 324 – Pillar Lounge
Join us for the announcement of this year's IDFA Forum award-winners. The jury will announce winners in three different categories:
IDFA Forum Award for Best Pitch Project
IDFA Forum Award for Best Rough Cut Project – supported by InVision
IDFA DocLab Forum Award for Best Project
The Wednesday lunch is hosted by FeverFilm and Posta.
Open to IDFA Forum passholders.
Docs for Sale Happy Hour
Friday, November 10 to Wednesday, 15, 17:00 – 18:00
Location: Felix Meritis, Keizersgracht 324 – Docs For Sale Lounge
Docs for Sale, the Forum's sister event and one of the world's premier markets and distribution incubators for documentary cinema, hosts daily cocktail hours in Docs for Sale Lounge in Felix Meritis. For this networking event, IDFA Forum participants are welcome to join to mingle with filmmakers as well as sales, distribution, and exhibition professionals taking part in Docs for Sale.
The Docs for Sale Happy Hours are sponsored by Autlook Filmsales, EYE, Rise & Shine, Lightdox, Mediawan, and Millennium Docs Against Gravity.
Open to Docs for Sale Acquisition, Docs for Sale Participant, and IDFA Forum passholders.
Guests Meet Guests
Thursday, November 9 and Friday, November 10 – Café Kuyl, Rembrandtplein 26, 18:00 – 19:30
Saturday, November 11 and Sunday, November 12 – Boom Chicago, Rozengracht 117
Monday, November 13 and Tuesday, November 14 – De Duif, Prinsengracht 756
Bringing together IDFA passholders daily, the Guests Meet Guests cocktail events are a great moment to connect with other delegates and enjoy the pulse of the of the festival.
The Guests Meet Guests drinks are hosted by Palestine Film Institute, Netflix, Doc/it, Polish Docs & HBO, ARTE, Catalan Films, and Docs Barcelona.
Open to all IDFA passholders.