FAQ: Training at IDFA
Applying to one of our training programs? Find the answers to frequently asked questions here.
General
Fill out the relevant entry form via MyIDFA. If you do not have an existing account, you must register for a new account. You will then receive a password by email. Once you have received the password, go back to MyIDFA and login with your email address and password, then click on ‘Professionals’, and then ‘My entries’. After that, you can select the entry form for the training program you want to apply for.
Once you have filled out the whole form, you can submit it at the bottom of the page. All required information must be filled out before you can submit the form. You can only submit the form once. If you find any inconsistencies in the form after submitting, please e-mail them to idfacademy@idfa.nl.
- IDFA Project Space NL (for Dutch speaking filmmakers)
- IDFAcademy during IDFA
- Young Producers (for Dutch speaking producers)
IDFA Project Space
IDFA Project Space is open to directors making their first or second feature documentary. In line with IDFA’s mission, the focus is on creative documentary projects. This is a project-driven program in which participants focus on strengthening the narrative of their documentary film project. Project stages can vary from the late development or early production stage to the advanced editing or rough-cut stage.
No. Students are not eligible, including those from film schools.
No. Unfortunately, projects that are part of a study curriculum are not eligible.
Yes, you can submit more than one project. Each project must be submitted through a separate application, regardless of whether you are applying for the Development & Production section or Rough Cut section.
No, unfortunately we don’t accept applications for documentary film series.
We accept shorts, mid-length, and feature-length documentary films.
All applicants have the option to submit a short video in which the director introduces themselves and explains their motivation for the project. If you would like to include a video, the link to the Vimeo or YouTube link can be pasted in the entry form.
For the Development & Production section:
- Submit a trailer, edited sequence or audiovisual presentation (min. 3 and max. 20 minutes) on Vimeo or YouTube.
- Applications for the Development & Production section will only be accepted when accompanied by original visual material of the project. Material from other resources that serve merely as an example of style is not accepted.
- If available, a teaser or selected research material from the project is recommended if representative of the style. An audiovisual presentation can also be presented through a Vimeo or YouTube link.
- Additionally, applications should be accompanied by one previous work, preferably representative of the style of the director. This previous film, although required for the selection committee, is viewed only if necessary for decision making during the selection process.
For the Rough Cut category:
- Submit an edited sequence or collection of scenes (approx. 20 min) on Vimeo or YouTube. In case your material is longer than 20 minutes, please indicate which part we need to watch or make a selection of 20 minutes which you think is most representative and/or complementary to the end result.
When you submit the entry form, we’ll receive it automatically. Links to Vimeo (with the password, if required) or YouTube can be filled out in the entry form.
We accept all links from Vimeo or YouTube. When you submit a link via Google Drive, or other platforms, please make sure your settings allow the links to be viewable worldwide. In all cases, please provide a password and make sure the link remains online for at least 3 months following the submission deadline.
It’s necessary to complete the IDFA Project Space entry form via MyIDFA before the deadline. In addition to basic contact information and project details, the entry form includes a synopsis (max. 400 words), a biography and filmography of the director(s) and producer(s), a project description (max. 1000 words), a visual approach (max. 1000 words), your motivation or goals for attending (max. 750 words or video of max. 4-5 min), and a schedule and plan for the development and production of your documentary film.
No, it is not necessary to have funding upon applying.
In 2025, IDFA Project Space takes place over four months, from June to September. There are two online modules: one in June and one in September. In July, there is one in-person week in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
The whole application needs to be filled out in English. Any video materials need to be spoken in English or have English subtitles.
After submitting your application, you will receive confirmation right away. All applications that are complete will be considered for selection. Within four to six weeks, filmmakers will be informed if their project is pre-selected.
The selection results will be communicated at the end of April. Projects submitted to IDFA Project Space cannot be withdrawn after selection. From the selected projects, we expect commitment and availability to attend all sessions of the program, both online and in person.
The program requires selected filmmakers to participate for one online week in June, and one online week in September. During each of these weeks, expect approximately 3 to 5 hours every day, but this may vary. The in-person component of the program takes place over the course of six full days in July in Amsterdam.
Yes. If you are selected, the fee you will pay includes accommodation. We will arrange a hotel for you.
As part of IDFA's Filmmaker Support department, the IDFA Bertha Fund supports independent, critical, and artistic voices from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Oceania with the aim of stimulating and empowering the creative documentary sector in these regions. IDFA Bertha Fund-supported filmmakers who are selected for IDFA Project Space will receive a fee waiver and subsidized travel to Amsterdam.
IDFA Project Space NL
IDFA Project Space NL is primarily for Dutch-speaking emerging filmmakers who have at least one documentary film to their name. This film can be short, mid-length, or feature-length, and it must have been screened in cinemas, at a festival, or on a (S)VOD platform. More experienced filmmakers who want to explore a new form with a clear motivation can also apply. Permanent employees of one of the Dutch public broadcasters are not eligible.
No. Students are not eligible, including those from film school.
No. Unfortunately, projects that are part of a study curriculum are not eligible.
The whole application needs to be filled out in Dutch. Any video materials need to be spoken in Dutch or have Dutch subtitles. Later, during the program, you will need to have a logline in English as well.
We accept shorts, mid-length, and feature-length documentary films.
No, unfortunately we don’t accept applications for documentary film series.
- Motivation of the director
- Originality of the idea, the subject, the story, or the perspective towards the subject or story
- Previous work of the director
All applicants have the option to submit a short video in which the director introduces themselves and explains their motivation for the project. If you would like to include a video, the link to the Vimeo or YouTube link can be pasted in the entry form.
You can submit a trailer, edited sequence, introduction to the subject, or a visual presentation on Vimeo or YouTube. If no audiovisual material is available, photos or a visual presentation can be presented through a Vimeo or YouTube link.
In addition, applications can be accompanied by one previous work if available, preferably representative of the style of the director.
When you submit the entry form, we’ll receive it automatically. Links to Vimeo (with the password, if required) or YouTube can be filled out in the entry form or sent by email to idfacademy@idfa.nl. If emailed separately, we still need all links on the day of the deadline at the latest.
It’s necessary to complete the IDFA Project Space NL entry form via MyIDFA before the deadline. In addition to basic contact information and project details, the entry form includes a logline (max. 50 words), a film idea (max. 1000 words), your motivation or goals for attending (max. 1000 words or video max. 4-5min), and a CV or biography.
After submitting your application, you will receive confirmation right away. All applications that are complete will be considered for selection. In mid-June, filmmakers will be informed if their project is pre-selected.
In mid-June, twelve candidates will continue to the second round. Within one week, they will know if they are one of the six participants selected for the program, which begins in the first week of July.
The program starts in the first week of July. From mid-July to the end of August, participants work on their film plan in their own time. From the end of August until the festival in November, meetings are scheduled approximately two days a week on location in Amsterdam. Throughout the entirety of the program, participants are expected to be able to work on their film plans 2-3 days a week.
IDFAcademy during IDFA
IDFAcademy during IDFA is open to directors and producers making their first or second film, who have proven their talent on a national scale and want to expand their career internationally. Although the program is not project-driven, participants who have a project or finished film during their attendance will benefit from applying the knowledge gained during the four-day program to their own documentary.
The entire application needs to be filled out in English.
Applications for IDFAcademy will open on June 1 and close August 1.
IDFA Young Producers
To be eligible for the Young Producers program, you must have verifiable experience as a producer or executive producer for documentaries and demonstrate international ambitions. You must have a project in development that is suitable for international collaboration or distribution. In addition, you will need to be available to participate in the full program of IDFAcademy during IDFA as well as IDFA Forum, from November 14 to 20, 2024.
If you want to be considered for one of the six Young Producers, send your CV and motivation letter to Laura Peetoom, Talent Development Producer (laurapeetoom@idfa.nl). In your motivation letter, clearly state which documentary project you would like to join the Young Producers program with. Applications are closed for 2024.
The motivation letter and CV needs to be written in Dutch.
