Picking up the pieces together: IDFA Project Space 2024 shows projects in a new light

From July 1 to 6, sixteen international filmmaking teams with a documentary project in progress were welcomed in our new home Het Documentaire Paviljoen. As part of the four-month talent development program, the participants delve into in-depth guidance from renowned film professionals and given the space to exchange ideas and find common ground.

Tackling a wide range of profound personal stories and pressing issues, this year’s participants spoke the collective experiences and drive at the heart of them all. Ayaal Adamov and Anna Gudkova of The Road of Bones aptly shared: “It feels like we’re all sharing a theme—of picking up the pieces of worlds falling apart. Collecting memories to see what can be preserved.”

Read about how seeing their projects in a new light gave participants the clarity and drive to take the next steps.

Following the program’s online kick off in June, IDFA Project Space welcomed participants in our new cultural space Het Documentaire Paviljoen for the first time. The program and the venue not only offer engaging Filmmaker Talks, one-on-one meetings with tutors, and the space to edit intensively—it invites participants to establish connections.

Meike Statema, Head of Talent Development, enthusiastically reflects on the debut of IDFA’s new location: “The unparalleled blend between the inspiring Talks space and public screenings of films by our extremely talented tutors, to seeing the filmmakers in animated conversation as they walk in from the park—this is exactly how we pictured our new chapter in Het Documentaire Paviljoen. We proudly open the doors to our home.”

IDFA Project Space revolves around the power of sharing knowledge and learning from one another. The opportunity to receive feedback and new insight from esteemed tutors and co-participants is something all involved expressed a deep gratitude for.

Ricardo Martensen, director and editor of Regarding Memory and Neglect, described the huge impact of sharing his Rough Cut project with tutor Galdys Joujou. “My film is an intimate story that is deeply intertwined in Brazilian history. I’m incredibly grateful to have worked so closely with Gladys for a week—both for her experienced take and her fresh eyes from an outside perspective. She offered me a completely new perspective to reshape the project I’ve been working on for five years.” 

Linda Qibaa, director of Road Trip, remarks how the week’s greatest insights were “not in technical conversations, but the emotional process.” Working closely with tutor Aliona van der Horst, who shares experience in telling deeply personal stories, Qibaa describes: “I thought my story was linear. About my father and a village submerged under water. Our conversations opened boxes I didn’t know needed opening in my story. It’s given me the confidence to confront some things that I was holding onto.”

Ricardo Ruales Eguiguren, director of The Broken R, takes on the intimate journey of finding your voice through documentary essay: “since I am still looking for my voice, I wanted my film to do that too.” Finding the clarity to finalize a long-term, personal project can be challenging, and Ruales Eguiguren speaks of the immense care and guidance provided by tutor Qutaiba Barhamji: “The week exposed questions that needed answers. It has been intense in a good way, uncomfortable in a good way. It pushes you to be honest, to explore your boundaries but with care.”

As the week unfolded, the filmmaking teams find common ground that transcends their differences. The anecdote circling is that the week before IDFA Project Space, one team was filming in -50 degrees landscapes, while another was navigating 50 degrees. 

As Louis Hothothot, director of Big Dreams, Hothothot grapples with the ethics of documenting his protagonist’s personal story, the group meetings revealed others had family relationships or political consequences to navigate. "That was the most surprising to me. There are totally different projects by other filmmakers from different backgrounds, but everyone considers ethical issue of filmmaking as one of their main subjects. I thought, wow, I'm in the right place."

As the week drew to a close, the significance of the week and the program’s ongoing support crystalizes. Ricardo Martensen expresses his thanks: “This is the third time I’ve come to Amsterdam because of IDFA. Whether I’m coming to the festival, pitching at the Forum or attending Project Space, it’s the place where—as a documentary filmmaker—you feel most welcome and at home.” We can’t wait to welcome the projects during IDFA and to see how their films meet the world.