Selin Murat appointed Executive Director of the IDFA Bertha Fund

For twenty-six years, the IDFA Bertha Fund has supported over 700 creative documentary films and film organizations from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin-America and the Caribbean, and Oceania. As the Executive Director of IBF, Selin Murat will develop strategic and artistic policies to ensure the Fund continues to support independent, critical, and artistic voices, giving them space for free artistic expression and ensuring relevant and critical filmmaking. Murat reflects: “I am deeply committed to promoting decolonial, fair, and balanced international practices and protocols, which I believe are at the heart of the IDFA Bertha Fund’s mission.”

The decision follows an extensive hiring process, with over 50 candidates expressing their interest in the Fund from across the world. Together with a small committee of staff and supported by an external consultant, the Supervisory Board feels confident in the future of the Fund under this new leadership.

A Turkish and French national, with work experience in Canada and Europe, Selin Murat steps into the role of Executive Director of the IDFA Bertha Fund following her role as Markets Manager in the IDFA Industry team since 2021. To the role, Selin Murat brings 15 years of experience in documentary producing, programming, management, and business and cultural strategy. Previous experience includes four years as a film and industry programmer with RIDM (Rencontres internationales du documentaire de Montréal) and over nine years working as a creative documentary producer.

“I deeply resonate with the values of the IDFA Bertha Fund, recognizing its global importance and the essential support it provides to filmmakers and the diversity of documentary filmmaking through sustainable artistic and professional practices. I am incredibly motivated to lead the Fund during a period of significant ecosystem change and am eager to build on its successes while navigating the complexities of an evolving global landscape,” says Murat.

Isabel Arrate Fernandez, the Fund’s Executive Director since 2002, reflects on Murat's new appointment: “I'm very confident that she's the right person for the role, with the right attitude. She is open and curious, and her experience, vision, and outlook on the world matches with the mission of the Fund. She knows the industry well, having had very different roles within it, with experience looking into equitable or fair co-production and opportunities for all—one of the key priorities for the Fund.” Isabel Arrate Fernandez will continue in her role as IDFA’s Deputy Director in a part-time capacity, overseeing strategic Filmmaker Support activities.

Arrate Fernandez’s ongoing involvement in IDFA will also provide the opportunity to transfer the role’s responsibilities meaningfully. “I’m extremely happy I get the chance to be around next year, to help Selin Murat understand the baseline of the Fund and so she can start building from that understanding. IDFA Bertha Fund has always been a tight-knit team, so it’s important that we lay the foundation for a meaningful way forward,” says Arrate Fernandez.

Stepping down from her role with IBF from January 2025, Arrate Fernandez looks ahead with excitement: “I’m open to explore. My love for film and documentary is not going anywhere, so I hope to continue to work in this field.”

A shared, deep-rooted commitment to supporting filmmakers is where Arrate Fernandez and Murat meet. On being passed the torch from Arrate Fernandez, Murat contemplates: “Taking on the role of Executive Director of the IDFA Bertha Fund means building on the exceptional foundation laid by Isabel Arrate Fernandez while ensuring the Fund’s future success, sustainability, and growth.”