{{Short description|Dutch documentary curator}} {{Infobox person | name = Ally Derks | image = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing brackets --> | alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --> | caption = | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1958}} | birth_place = Vorden, Netherlands | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (DEATH date then BIRTH date) --> | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = Documentary film curator, film festival director | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = }}
'''Ally Derks''' is a documentary film curator and cinema industry professional from the Netherlands. She co-founded IDFA in 1988 and directed it for 30 years. Derks is nicknamed ‘Madam IDFA’ and ‘the High Priestess of Documentaries’ for her immense contribution to the world of documentary cinema.
== Career == === IDFA === Derks studied Dutch literature, film and theater at Utrecht University.<ref name=bosch/><ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.dutchnews.nl/2016/11/a-documentary-is-somebodys-truth-idfa-founder-ally-derks-takes-stock/ | title =A documentary is somebody's truth: IDFA founder Ally Derks takes stock | date =2016-11-09 | publisher =Dutch News | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =https://povmagazine.com/dial-m-for-mogul/ | title =Dial M for Mogul | last =Wintonick | first =Peter | date =2011-04-01 | publisher =POV magazine | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref>
In 1985, Ally Derks joined the team of Festikon, a festival of educational cinema founded by the Dutch Film Institute in 1961 and closed in 1987 due to the lack of interest of the audience. Menno van der Molen, Festikon's director, envisioned the new festival, entirely dedicated to documentaries, and invited Ally Derk to launch IDFA.{{sfn|De Valk|2010|p=295}}<ref name=derks2007>{{cite web |first= Ally |last=Derks | title=Those 'Dam Docs!: IDFA is the Gold Standard for Nonfiction Festivals | website=International Documentary Association | date=24 July 2024 | url=https://www.documentary.org/feature/those-dam-docs-idfa-gold-standard-nonfiction-festivals | access-date=2025-02-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.docresi.org/faculty.aspx?ID=80 | title =Ally Derks, IDFA Bertha Foundation, The Netherlands | publisher =Docs Resi | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref>
Only in 2001, she installed 7 official ‘pre-selectors’, the Dutch film professionals, who evaluated the submissions and chose 500 that would qualify for further evaluation by Derks.{{sfn|De Valk|2010|p=295}} By 2016, the team of ‘viewers’ had been expanded to 20.<ref name=ida/>
In 1998-2015, she also headed the IDFA Bertha Fund (formerly known as the Jan Vrijman Fund).<ref name=bosch/><ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.polishdocs.pl/en/interviews/950/ally_derks_on_polish_documentaries_and_dutch_fact_driven_passion | title =ALLY DERKS ON POLISH DOCUMENTARIES AND DUTCH, FACT DRIVEN PASSION | date =2011-10-18 | publisher = Polish Docs | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref>
Derks headed IDFA from 1988 until 2017, when she stepped down.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-11-10 |title=Het genre zal overleven - De VPRO op IDFA |url=https://www.vpro.nl/festivals/idfa/lees/2017/interview-ally-derks.html |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=VPRO |language=nl}}</ref> For her decades-long work in the industry, Derks was nicknamed ‘Madam IDFA’ and ‘the High Priestess of Documentaries.’ She shaped IDFA's program and profile for 30 years. Under Derks, the festival grew from a niche event with 80 documentary films and an audience of 3000 into a ten-day cinema event with an annual attendance of more than 270,000.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://awfj.org/blog/2016/11/01/spotlight-november-2016-ally-derks-idfa-founder-documentaries-mogul-and-innovator/ | title =SPOTLIGHT November, 2016: Ally Derks, IDFA Founder, Documentaries Mogul and innovator | last =Merin | first =Jennifer | date =2016-11-01 | publisher =Alliance of women film journalists | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/why-idfa-founder-ally-derks-is-the-high-priestess-of-documentaries-50997/ | title =Why IDFA Founder Ally Derks is the High Priestess of Documentaries | last =Brooks | first =Brian | date =2011-11-21 | publisher =Indie Wire | access-date =2025-03-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =https://variety.com/2017/film/festivals/idfa-ally-derks-30-years-festival-1202620755/ | title =IDFA Founder Ally Derks: 'I Always Had The Idea: Why Isn't There A Cannes For Documentaries?' | last =Wise | first =Damon | date =2017-11-21 | publisher =Variety | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref>
=== Other projects ===
During her decades-spanning career, Derks has been a member of many juries, including Sundance, Hotdocs, Silverdocs, and Nordisk Panorama.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://artdocfest.com/en/jury/artdokfest_2022/ | title =Jury 2022 | publisher =ArtDocFest | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref> In 2015, she was the chairwoman of the EBS International Documentary Festival.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2025/01/689_185616.html | title =Documentary, tool to understand people | last =Byung-yeul | first =Baek | date =2015-08-26 | publisher = Korean Times | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref>
In 2017 she was offered a fellowship at the Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin. Since 2017, she has worked in Berlin as curator of the documentary programme of BUFA.<ref name=thewhy/>
Derks remains active as a consultant. She was one of the advisors who helped to launch the Diane Weyermann Fellowship at Points North Institute.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://variety.com/2022/film/news/diane-weyermann-fellowship-camden-international-film-fest-1235375055/ | title =Fellowship Honoring Late Documentary Champion Diane Weyermann Unveiled at Camden Film Fest | last =Morfoot | first =Alice | date =2022-09-16 | publisher =Variety | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =https://deadline.com/2022/09/points-north-institute-diane-weyermann-fellowship-announcement-news-1235120851/ | title =Points North Institute Launches Diane Weyermann Fellowship, Honoring Late Chief Content Officer Of Participant And Documentary Champion | last =Carey | first =Matthew | date =2022-09-16 | publisher =Deadline | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref>
In 2023, she was invited to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.wmm.com/executive-director-debra-zimmerman-and-wmm-filmmakers-invited-to-the-academy-of-motion-picture-arts-and-sciences/ | title =Executive Director Debra Zimmerman and 9 WMM Filmmakers Invited to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences | date =2023-06-29 | publisher = Women Make Movies | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref>
== Awards and recognition == In 2017, a section of IDFA titled ''Visual Voice'' was launched and dedicated personally to Derks.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://filmkommentaren.dk/idfa-2017-opening/ | title =IDFA 2017 Opening | date =2017-11-16 | publisher =Filmkommentaren | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref>
In 2020, Russian director Victor Kossakovsky dedicated his ''Gunda'' documentary (produced by Joaquin Phoenix) to Ally Derks.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://businessdoceurope.com/berlin-review-gunda-by-victor-kossakovsky/ | title =Berlin review: Gunda by Victor Kossakovsky | last =Driessen | first =Kees | date =2020-02-24 | publisher = Business Doc Europe | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref>
Her most notable awards are: *2017 – Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau;<ref name=thewhy>{{cite web | url =https://www.thewhy.dk/people/ally-derks | title =Ally Derks | publisher = The Why | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref> *2016 – IDA Pioneer award;<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.dutchcultureusa.com/blog/ida-presents-pioneer-award-to-idfa-founder-ally-derks/ | title =IDA presents Pioneer Award to IDFA Founder Ally Derks | publisher = Dutch Cultures USA | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref><ref name=ida>{{cite web | url =https://www.documentary.org/online-feature/ida-pioneer-award-ally-derks-reflects-three-decades-helm | title =IDA Pioneer Award: Ally Derks Reflects on Three Decades at the Helm | last =Pan | first =Sevara | publisher =Documentary.org | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref> *2015 – Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres; *2013 – Doc Edge International Super-Hero;<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1303/S00062/doc-fest-2013-international-documentary-super-hero-honoured.htm | title =Doc Fest 2013: International Documentary Super-Hero Honoured | date =2013-03-04 | publisher = Scoop New Zealand | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref> *2011 – Hot Docs Doc Mogul Award; *2007 – Lifetime Achievement Award by Docaviv.<ref name=bosch>{{cite web | url =https://www.robertboschacademy.de/en/fellow/ally-derks | title =Ally Derks | publisher = Academy Robert Bosch | access-date =2025-03-05}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== Sources == *{{cite journal | last1 =De Valk | first1 =Marijke | date =2010 | title ='And the winner is …' What happens behind the scenes of film festival competitions | url =https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1367877909359735 | journal =International Journal of Cultural Studies | volume =13 | issue =3 | pages =290–307 | doi =10.1177/1367877909359735 | url-access=subscription }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Derks, Ally}} Category:Living people Category:Festival directors Category:Film festival founders Category:Officers of the Order of Orange-Nassau Category:1958 births