FAQ: new media & performances entries 2026

We welcome projects from independent artists, collectives, production studios, theater companies, and other organizations from all over the world working on interactive and immersive documentaries. The call is open to both experienced artists and new talent.

IDFA DocLab is IDFA’s new media section hosting a yearly immersive exhibition, VR Gallery, and program of live events. We welcome entries across all disciplines using emerging media to represent reality, including digital art, immersive experiences (such as VR/AR/MR, social VR and fulldome films), games, audio experiences, physical installations, live performances, immersive theatre etc.

IDFA DocLab is open to unreleased projects as well as projects that have been made publicly available (on the internet) after July 4, 2025. Priority is given to projects that have not yet been presented at other events or festivals. For reference, see the IDFA entry regulations.

• World premiere: the first presentation ever.
• International premiere: the first presentation of a project outside the country of production. Your project is eligible for international premiere status if, prior to IDFA, the project has only been presented in its home country. Example: a Canadian project that has only been showcased in Canada is eligible for an international premiere at IDFA.
• European premiere: the first presentation in Europe. Your project is eligible for European premiere status if, prior to IDFA, the project has been presented outside the country of production but not yet in Europe. Example: a Chinese project that has been showcased in China and the United States is eligible for a European premiere at IDFA.
• Dutch premiere: the first presentation in the Netherlands.

All interactive, immersive, or performance-based entries submitted to IDFA will be considered for several possible program sections, including:

• IDFA DocLab Competition Sections (for projects eligible for one of the DocLab Awards)
• IDFA DocLab Exhibition (our main presentation space for new media works) 
• IDFA DocLab Live Events Program (for performances, artist talks, and experimental formats presented live) 

Your project may be eligible for more than one section. If selected, IDFA’s artistic director, supported by the programming team, will determine the best fit based on your work’s format, concept, and audience experience.

Please go to  MyIDFA  in order to fill out the online entry form and pay the entry fee. Please provide us with the appropriate viewing materials via a (password-protected) streaming/download link or by uploading supporting documentation. We can preview interactive/immersive projects on most platforms and devices, such as MAC, PC, iOS, Android, Quest, Pico, VIVE, Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, etc. We can also consider projects made for other platforms, devices, and VR/AR headsets. For projects using custom platforms or custom devices, please specify what is required in the online entry form. In case the build of a project cannot be shared, please provide a video or walk-through of the full experience.

For physical installations, performances, or projects that cannot be sent digitally, please provide extensive visual and written documentation. For instance: a description of the audience experience, platform(s) used, script, score, installation design, or any other relevant (production) details to showcase the work.

To be considered for IDFA DocLab, a new media project or performance needs to be at an advanced stage, if not fully completed, by the time it is sent. Unless approved in writing by IDFA DocLab department, only one version of a new media project or performance will be reviewed and assessed. 

Yes, you can until you submit the form. Once you have submitted the form, you can no longer change it yourself. If this happens, please send an e-mail to doclab@idfa.nl, and we will make your changes in the database.

The entry period opens on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. From that date, artists are welcome to enter their projects for consideration for IDFA 2026.

• Entry deadline for Film Fund DocLab Interactive Grant April 14, 2026 
• Early entry deadline April 14, 2026 
• Final entry deadline June 16, 2026 

All projects selected for IDFA DocLab 2026 will receive basic venue and production support. Besides this basic support, IDFA is able to offer a limited number of projects additional presentation support. 

• Through the Film Fund DocLab Interactive Grant, IDFA DocLab can offer a limited selection of Dutch project teams direct financial support for the finalization and presentation of a new work to premiere during IDFA 2026. For more information on this grant see the question below. Deadline to apply for this grant is April 14.
• IDFA DocLab can offer a limited number of international projects presentation support through the DocLab R&D Program. Projects can apply for a maximum of €5,000 to support the physical presentation of the project during the festival. For more information see the question below. Deadline to apply for this support is June 16.

All the information required to be considered for a grant is requested within the regular entry form, no separate application procedure is necessary.

The Film Fund DocLab Interactive Grant, funded by the Netherlands Film Fund, supports Dutch artists, as well as Netherlands-based media artists and international Dutch (co)productions in finalizing and presenting their work at the 38th edition of IDFA.

Who is it for?
The grant is intended for project entries that aim to use the festival as a global stage and creative testing ground. We especially encourage entries that fit one of the following profiles:

• New Dutch works seeking an international premiere platform for an innovative physical installation or performance
• Advanced-stage prototypes that would benefit from public exhibition
• A stand-alone version of a work that is part of a larger project

What support is offered?
The Netherlands Film Fund has made €20,000 available in total.
Each selected project can receive a maximum of €10,000 in grant funding.

Who is eligible?
To be eligible, the project must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• The creator/director is Dutch
• The creator/director is based in the Netherlands
• The project has a Dutch or Netherlands-based producer or co-producer

How do I apply?
There’s no separate application process for the Film Fund DocLab Interactive Grant. To apply, simply complete the regular IDFA DocLab entry form. Additional questions related to the grant are included within the form.

How are projects selected?
Eligible entries are reviewed by external program advisors and judged by a selection committee consisting of two representatives of the Netherlands Film Fund and two members of the IDFA DocLab curatorial team

Applicants will be notified of the grant results by mid-June 2026.

IDFA DocLab offers a limited number of international projects presentation support through the DocLab R&D Program. Projects can apply for a maximum of €5,000 to support the physical presentation of the project during the festival. There’s no separate application process, simply complete the regular IDFA DocLab entry form. Additional questions related to R&D support are included within the form.

Yes. If you need more time or more budget to realize your project, we recommend entering into IDFA DocLab Forum, where projects in all production and financing stages can find their way to new partnerships, receive in-depth feedback, and explore new ways to move forward. Read more about DocLab Forum.

You will receive an automated e-mail including a copy of the filled-out entry form after sending in the form. In case you did not receive confirmation, please check your spam folder. Communication regarding project entries will be sent by email to the main contact indicated in the entry form.

Once the payment has been received and the entry is processed, you will receive another e-mail confirming receipt of your entry.

Once you submit your entry form, you can no longer change it yourself. Please send an e-mail to doclab@idfa.nl, and we will make your changes in the database.

All entries will be reviewed thoroughly and carefully by our team of international program advisors. These experts from around the world join in the discussion and give their recommendations, followed by a final round of selection and production checks by the IDFA DocLab curatorial team. The selection process is overseen by IDFA’s artistic director.

Artists who applied for the Film Fund DocLab Interactive Grant will be informed that their project is selected, still in consideration, or not selected by mid-June. 

All other entries will be informed that their project is selected, still in consideration, or not selected by mid-September.

If your project is selected, you’ll be asked to provide materials to help us promote and present your work effectively. These typically include: 

• High-resolution stills (JPEG, at least 5MB each) 
• An electronic press kit (EPK) 
• A high-resolution trailer or teaser (if available) 
• Final presentation assets, tailored to your project’s format. For example: a website link, the final build of a VR/AR work or game, physical elements or digital plans for installations. 

We understand that many projects evolve up to the moment of exhibition. The exact materials and deadlines will be coordinated directly with the IDFA exhibition production team, based on your project’s needs and status. 

Selected projects will also receive the official IDFA laurel, which you’re welcome to use in your publicity. Laurel files will be sent to you digitally.

If selected, your work will be showcased as part of the annual IDFA DocLab festival exhibition, VR Gallery and/or our live events program.

IDFA invites all directors of selected films and new media projects to attend the festival and represent their work in Q&As and other events. Directors of selected films and new media projects will receive free festival accreditation upon filling out an accreditation form via MyIDFA. The festival will do its utmost to cover the costs of hotel accommodation for directors not based in the Netherlands whose works have been selected for IDFA’s festival program. After selection, IDFA’s Guest Services department will inform directors about all guest arrangements.

Yes, we do. 

• Early entry deadline April 14, 2026 (entry fee for student films €25, for others €35)
• Final entry deadline June 16, 2026 (entry fee for student films €25, for others €45)

If the fee is a barrier, we offer a limited number of discount codes. For more information on how to request one, please see the question: "How can I become eligible for a discount code?"

IDFA greatly appreciates your entries, and we sincerely hope that you see IDFA as a valuable launch pad for your project. Unfortunately, we have to charge a fee for each entry. This fee will cover the processing, installation, careful viewing, and reviewing of your project by our external program advisors and curatorial team.

After sending in the entry form in MyIDFA, you will be redirected to the payment page. Payments are handled by Adyen. We offer the following methods to pay the entry fee:

i. Credit cards: MasterCard, VISA, and American Express
ii. iDEAL (for entries from the Netherlands)

If you don’t have the ability to use one of the above methods of payment, please send an e-mail to program@idfa.nl.

Payment should take place as quickly as possible and within two weeks after the sending in the online entry form. Entries will not be processed and taken into consideration until your payment has been received. Entries cannot be taken into consideration if the payments are completed after our final entry deadline.

IDFA offers a discount for students. We also provide fee waivers in any of the following instances:

• If the main country (or countries) of production (main producer) is on the IBF country list, you are eligible for a fee waiver.
• If your project has been presented at IDFA DocLab Forum in the past, you are eligible for a fee waiver.
• Dutch new media (co-)productions that want to apply for the Filmfund DocLab Interactive Grant are eligible for a fee waiver.

Request a fee waiver here.

Unfortunately, we apply a no-refund policy.

If you get an error while trying to pay, please send an e-mail to program@idfa.nl.

In order to solve the problem, we advise you to open the page in Google Chrome and make sure to pause all ad blockers that may be running on the page. If the problem persists, please send an e-mail to program@idfa.nl.

If your payment was successful, the payment page will state this. You will receive a confirmation by email after your entry form has been processed by IDFA.

Yes, this may be the case, as Adyen handles all IDFA payments.

In case you fill out a company which has a billing address based outside the Netherlands, you will not be charged additional VAT by IDFA, but you will have to pay your VAT duties in your own country.

• If this is within the European Union, you need to fill in your VAT details in the billing address field. For general VAT rules within the EU please go to EU Tax and Customs info. Please make sure to fill out the correct VAT information in the billing details on the entry form, as this cannot be adjusted on the payment page. If you forget to fill out your VAT number you will be charged VAT. If you made a mistake in filling out the VAT information, please send an email to program@idfa.nl before completing the payment, as this is the only way to still edit the information. IDFA cannot refund VAT after the payment has been completed.
• If your company is based outside the EU, IDFA will not charge VAT but you will need to check your tax regulations in your own country and act accordingly.

All Dutch entries and all entries done by private persons only (with no company attached) will need to pay VAT and will be charged in the IDFA invoice.

If you've already sent in your form and continued to the payment page, you can no longer edit the billing information yourself. Please send an email to program@idfa.nl before completing the payment, as this is the only way to still add this information. IDFA cannot refund VAT after the payment has been completed.