Youth documentary at IDFA

This year, IDFA renews its long-standing commitment to youth documentary—nurturing filmmakers behind the camera, strengthening the industry around them, and engaging the young audiences we aim to challenge and inspire.

In collaboration with the D4K Alliance, IDFA welcomes the first Youth Doc Training at IDFA, a week-long European training program for emerging directors and producers from Germany, Flanders, Poland, and the Netherlands. Organized by DOXS RUHR and the Forum für Kultur und Bildung Leipzig, and hosted at the Goethe-Institut Amsterdam, the program offers tailored workshops, mentorship, and screenings that help shape the next generation of youth documentary makers.

Tuesday November 18

Youth documentary will also be addressed during the Industry Program, which runs from November 15 to 19. On Tuesday, November 18, the Industry Talk: Documentaries for youth: Safe spaces and sharp edges invites filmmakers, educators, and festival organizers to discuss how to explore the fine line between protecting and empowering young audiences.

In an age where young viewers can access almost anything online, how do filmmakers tell bold, honest stories without shying away from complexity or discomfort? The session will examine this tension through case studies and practical examples—looking at how creative and ethical choices shape films for youth, and how to create spaces where young viewers are not only protected, but also challenged, respected, and heard.

Speakers include Carlos Hagerman (Home is Somewhere Else, 2022), Eva Nijsten (Honestly, 2024), Anne Rethfeld (DAE), Gudrun Sommer (DOXS RUHR), and Alyxandra Westwood (Netherlands Film Festival), moderated by Signe Zeilich-Jensen (independent film consultant). After the talk, Karolina Śmigiel and Katarzyna Ślesicka (Wajda Film Center) will present thefilm-ed.eu, a new resource for educators and organizations working with documentary film in education.

The day also serves as a meeting point for everyone involved in youth documentary—including participants of the Youth Doc Training at IDFA—followed by an informal think tank on international co-production opportunities, drinks co-hosted by SEE NL, and special screenings for the training cohort.

This year, IDFA takes the next step in its approach to youth documentary by presenting its youth selection as a cross-section program titled Current Future, curated by filmmaker Niki Padidar. Current Future showcases works that defy our understanding of youth documentary, showing the complexities of our current reality to young audiences—with films now included across the entire festival program.

The cross-section program sets out to present works that challenge conventions, spark curiosity, and even leave space for confusion—encouraging young audiences to question their own understanding of the world.