Enter your film or project to IDFA 2026

Filmmakers and artists are invited to enter their documentary films and art for consideration in the festival program.

All entries are thoroughly reviewed by IDFA’s team of international selectors, with the selection process overseen by IDFA’s Artistic Director. The full program team will be announced in the coming period.

From bold debuts to urgent artistic statements, IDFA brings together documentary films and art that engage with the world in radically different ways. Across competitions, program sections such as Signed and Paradocs, and premiere presentations throughout the festival, the program reflects a wide range of cinematic languages and perspectives.

These are films that challenge form, shift perception, and open up new ways of looking at reality.

Before entering your film, please read the entry regulations and FAQ carefully. By entering your work, you confirm that you have read and accepted the full regulations.

Film entry deadlines

First film deadline
April 23

Second film deadline
May 28

Final film deadline
July 9

IDFA DocLab additionally invites immersive and interactive projects that use new media and emerging technology to tell stories and reflect on reality to apply. 

DocLab welcomes a wide range of formats, including installations, performances, web-based projects, digital artworks, games, audio works, XR experiences, or hybrid forms that don’t fit neatly into categories.

Before entering your project to be considered for IDFA DocLab, please read the entry regulations and FAQ carefully. By entering your work, you confirm that you have read and accepted the full regulations.

New media & performances entry deadlines

Film Fund DocLab Interactive Grant
April 14

Early entry deadline
April 14

Final entry deadline
June 16

For more information about the festival program structure, explore the overview of program sections and awards.