{{Short description|Film festival}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}} {{Infobox Film Festival | name = International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam | image = IDFA logo RGB black.png | caption = | location = Amsterdam, Netherlands | founded = 1988 | host = IDFA | language = International | website = {{URL|idfa.nl}} }}
The '''International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA)''' is the world's largest documentary film festival held annually since 1988 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
== Description ==
IDFA is an independent, international meeting place for audiences and professionals to see a diverse (in form, content, and cultural background) program of high-quality documentaries. IDFA selects creative and accessible documentaries, which offer new insights into society.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.idfa.nl/en/info/mission-statement|title=Mission statement {{!}} IDFA|last=idfa.nl|first=IDFA|access-date=2018-02-12|archive-date=12 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212201850/https://www.idfa.nl/en/info/mission-statement|url-status=dead}}</ref> By 2009, IDFA had achieved the reputation of the most important doc fest.{{sfn|De Valk|2010|p=294-295}}<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/idfa-emotional-start-to-worlds-most-important-doc-fest-246188/ | title =IDFA: Emotional Start to World’s Most Important Doc Fest | last =Brooks | first =Brian | date =2009-11-20 | publisher = IndieWire | access-date =2025-03-03}}</ref> Every year in November, the festival takes place over the period of 11 days, in more than 40 venues around the city, welcoming an audience of 295.000 (2019), and a record number of documentary film professionals, as over 3500 gather for the festival, from more than 100 countries every year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.oberon.nl |first=Oberon Amsterdam |title=IDFA Institute {{!}} Annual report 2023 |url=https://www.idfa.nl/en/about-idfa/annual-reports/annualreport-2023/ |access-date=2024-11-05 |website=IDFA |language=en}}</ref>
The festival was initially held at the Leidseplein area in the centre of Amsterdam.<ref name=":6" /> It has since spread to a number of other locations, including the Tuschinski Theatre and EYE Filmmuseum. Apart from its international film program, the variety of genres, and the many European and world premieres featured each year, the festival also hosts debates, forums, and workshops. Since 2007, the festival's New Media program IDFA DocLab showcases the best interactive non-fiction storytelling and explores how the digital revolution is reshaping documentary art.<ref name=":6" /> By that year, IDFA had grown to an audience of 145,000.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.screendaily.com/gonzalon-arijons-stranded-takes-top-prize-at-idfa/4036116.article | title =Gonzalon Arijon's Stranded takes top prize at IDFA | last =Macnab | first =Geoffrey | date =2007-12-01 | publisher = Screen Daily | access-date =2025-03-03}}</ref>
In addition to the festival, IDFA has developed several professional activities, contributing to the development of filmmakers and their films at all stages. At the co-financing and co-production market IDFA Forum filmmakers and producers pitch their plans to financiers;<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.indiewire.com/features/craft/a-view-from-the-bleachers-catching-pitches-at-idfas-forum-50934/ | title =A View from the Bleachers: Catching Pitches at IDFA’s FORUM | last =Tsiokos | first =Basil | date =2011-11-25 | publisher =IndieWire | access-date =2025-03-03}}</ref> at Docs for Sale new documentaries are on offer to programmers and distributors; the IDFA Bertha Fund supports filmmakers and documentary projects in developing countries, and the IDFAcademy offers international training programs for up-and-coming doc talents.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Vallejo |first=Aida |title=Documentary Film Festivals |publisher=Palgrave MacMillan |year=2020 |isbn=9783030173234 |editor-last=Vallejo |editor-first=Aida |volume=2: Changes, Challenges, Professional Perspectives |location=Cham |pages=23–53 |language=en |chapter=IDFA’s Industry Model: Fostering Global Documentary Production and Distribution |editor2=Ezra Winton}}</ref>
== History ==
IDFA was founded as a successor to the 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. Van der Molen invited Ally Derks, who had joined Festikon's team as an intern in 1985, to prompt the idea and create IDFA.{{sfn|De Valk|2010|p=295}}<ref name=derks2007/>{{sfn|Vallejo Vallejo|2020|p=26}} 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> First colleagues that were invited to join the team were Derks' fellow Theatre and Film Studies graduates Adriek van Nieuwenhuyzen and Willemien van Aalst. As the festival's undoubted leader, Derks was nicknamed ‘Madam IDFA’ and ‘the High Priestess of Documentaries’, her vision was the one that shaped the event's program and profile for almost 30 years.<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> 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}}
IDFA has always been politically charged and prioritised the socio-cultural impact of documentary cinema.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://variety.com/2023/film/global/idfa-orwa-nyrabia-politics-cinema-1235783951/ | title =IDFA Artistic Director Orwa Nyrabia on the Intersection of Politics and Cinema: ‘No Festival Can Escape the Fact That It Is Also a Political Activity’ | last =Sales Ross | first =Rafa | date =2023-11-08 | publisher =Variety | access-date =2025-03-03}}</ref>{{sfn|De Valk|2010|p=299}} As explained by the team, it was opened to “to be a platform for voices that are usually not listened to”.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.screendaily.com/news/idfa-head-orwa-nyrabia-to-organise-symposium-to-help-festivals-navigate-turbulent-political-times/5188015.article | title =IDFA head Orwa Nyrabia to organise symposium to help festivals navigate turbulent political times | last =Macnab | first =Geoffrey | date =2023-11-17 | publisher =Screen Daily | access-date =2025-03-03}}</ref>
In 2013, IDFA inaugurated the ''Emerging Voices from Southeast Asia'' program.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/idfa-announces-2013-selection-new-section-devoted-to-voices-from-southeast-asia-34033/ | title =IDFA Announces 2013 Selection: New Section Devoted to Voices from Southeast Asia | last =Holloway | first =Clint | date =2023-10-11 | publisher =Indie Wire | access-date =2025-03-03}}</ref>
In 2016, Derks announced stepping down. In almost three decades under her rule, IDFA grew into the largest and most prestigious doc festival in the world.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/top-dozen-documentary-film-festivals-up-next-hot-docs-and-full-frame-192940/ | title =Top Dozen Documentary Film Festivals: Up Next, Hot Docs and Full Frame | last =Beth | first =Hanna | last2 =Anderson | first2 =John | date =2014-03-31 | publisher =Indie Wire | access-date =2025-03-03}}</ref> After Derks' resignation, Barbara Visser oversaw the 2017 edition as interim director.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-04-05 |title=Ally Derks kondigt vertrek aan bij IDFA |url=https://filmkrant.nl/nieuws/ally-derks-kondigt-vertrek-aan-bij-idfa/#:~:text=Barbara%20Visser,%20die%20in%202017,gaat%20zeker%20zes%20jaar%20terug |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Filmkrant |language=nl-NL}}</ref> In January 2018, Syrian film producer Orwa Nyrabia was appointed new artistic director of IDFA.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/orwa-nyrabia-appointed-new-artistic-director-of-idfa-exclusive/5126065.article|title=Orwa Nyrabia appointed new artistic director of IDFA (exclusive)|work=Screen|access-date=2018-02-22|language=en}}</ref>
Under Nyrabia, (January 2018 - June 2025), IDFA's programming and international presence changed substantially. Building on the work of Derks and the IDFA-affiliated IDFA Bertha Fund, he restructured the programs to become more international and inclusive, in terms of gender, cultural and geographical backgrounds,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Phillips |first=Charlie |date=2018-12-03 |title=International documentary festival Amsterdam: diversity to the fore |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/dec/03/amsterdam-international-documentary-film-festival-orwa-nyrabia-los-reyes |access-date=2025-04-19 |work=The Observer |language=en-GB |issn=0029-7712}}</ref> and in terms of artistic sensibility, IDFA represented a wider spectrum of documentary film and art forms and genres.<ref>{{Cite web |title=IDFA director: Diversity is also about artistic expression |url=https://www.dfi.dk/en/english/news/idfa-director-diversity-also-about-artistic-expression |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=www.dfi.dk |language=en}}</ref> In 2019 he introduced the non-competitive premier sections Luminous and Frontlight, and in 2021 the major Envision Competition, about which he said " “Films that seem to be a little too classical, although very well made, now have a natural home in the international competition while films that really go an extra mile when experimenting with form, do not seem to be too much when we have the new Envision Competition. We can accommodate a wider range of filmmaking approaches this way.”<ref>{{cite web |last=Macnab |first=Geoffrey |date=2021-08-17 |title=IDFA director teases new-look programme, honorees and Hito Steyerl collaboration |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/idfa-director-teases-new-look-programme-honorees-and-hito-steyerl-collaboration/5162397.article |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=Screen }}</ref> He also introduced the section "IDFA On Stage" where live documentary cinema and performances with documentary elements were presented. Furthermore, Pathways were introduced in 2019 as a way of helping audiences navigate the festival's program thematically, and in the Industry part of the festival, a new structure was shaped between 2019 and 2022, with major change including the introduction of the Producers' Connection, a platform where producers from around the world present their projects to each other seeking collaboration rather than pitching only to funders.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cunningham |first=Nick |date=2021-06-22 |title=IDFA Forum launches Producers Connection |url=https://businessdoceurope.com/idfa-forum-launches-producers-connection/ |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=Business Doc Europe |language=en-GB}}</ref> In 2023, IDFA moved to its new premises in Vondelpark, at the historical Vondelpark Pavilion building, which IDFA renamed Het Documentaire Paviljoen, with a new cinema hall, and multiple public-facing spaces.<ref>{{cite web |last=Macnab |first=Geoffrey |date=2023-11-07 |title=“This is a mirror of the world”: IDFA director Orwa Nyrabia on reflecting pressing global issues at the festival |url=https://www.screendaily.com/features/this-is-a-mirror-of-the-world-idfa-director-orwa-nyrabia-on-reflecting-pressing-global-issues-at-the-festival/5187665.article |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=Screen }}</ref> In November 2024, Nyrabia announced that he will be stepping down at the end of his contract by Summer of 2025. In a statement announcing his upcoming departure, IDFA said "Since taking the job in January 2018, Nyrabia and the team of IDFA revamped the festival’s film and industry programs and launched new platforms and initiatives that have become mainstays of the festival, such as the Envision Competition, IDFA On Stage, and the Producers Connection. Also, during this period, the organization achieved gender parity in its various offers. IDFA’s focus on expanding global representation in the sector was a key aspect throughout his tenure, now embedded into all processes, making it a one-of-a-kind gathering where the film community with all its diversity meet up and feel at home. During the past seven years, IDFA successfully navigated a pandemic, adapted and evolved with the shifting social and political realities, and the ever-changing documentary landscape". While the chair of the supervisory board, Lawyer Marry Fortman, said "[Nyrabia's] influence in the artistic field lifted IDFA and has driven the festival as well as the organization to places we never knew they existed."<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.oberon.nl |first=Oberon Amsterdam |date=2024-11-07 |title=IDFA Institute {{!}} Orwa Nyrabia to step down in 2025 as Artistic Director |url=https://www.idfa.nl/en/news/orwa-nyrabia-stopt-als-artistiek-directeur-van-idfa-in-2025/ |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=IDFA |language=en}}</ref>
At the opening ceremony in held on 8 November 2023 in the shadow of the Gaza war, three activists burst onto the stage and waved a sign saying "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free", to show solidarity with the people of Gaza.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/06/14/gaza-israels-open-air-prison-15|title=HRW Gaza: Israel's 'Open-Air Prison' at 15" Banner|work=Screen|access-date=2023-11-12|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-middle-east-67185260 | title=Israel confirms two more hostages released from Gaza | date=2023-10-22 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-67053011 |title=Hamas hostages: Stories of the people taken from Israel | work=BBC News | date=2023-10-09 }}</ref> The audience, which included the festival director Orwa Nyrabia, applauded the activists. On 10 November members of Israel's film community condemned the use of the slogan and Nyrabia's applause, some demanding Nyrabia be fired, and others demanding that the Dutch government stops supporting the festival. Various petitions were launched online to lobby for that.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2023/11/pro-palestine-protesters-international-documentary-festival-opening-night-1235599679|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110183808/https://deadline.com/2023/11/pro-palestine-protesters-international-documentary-festival-opening-night-1235599679/|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 November 2023|title=IDFA Documentary Festival Opening Night Interrupted By Pro-Palestinian Protesters With "From The River To The Sea" Banner|work=Screen|access-date=2023-11-11|language=en}}</ref> After IDFA official apologized,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/idfas-artistic-director-apology-pro-palestinian-protesters-banner-calling-for-destruction-of-israel-1235787431/|title=IDFA's Artistic Director Apologizes After Protesters Crash Opening Night With Banner Calling for Destruction of Israel|work=Screen|access-date=2023-11-12|language=en}}</ref> a group of Palestinian filmmakers and others standing in solidarity withdrew from the festival and started a petition in protest.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.palestinefilminstitute.org/en/idfa-2023.article|title=In response to IDFA's damaging statement on 11 November 2023|work=Screen|access-date=2023-11-12|language=en}}</ref> Following this challenge, Orwa Nyrabia announced that IDFA will organize an international symposium on the responsibilities of film organizations and festivals in times of global change.<ref>{{cite web |last=Macnab |first=Geoffrey |date=2024-05-16 |title=IDFA director unveils festivals symposium to address era of protest |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/idfa-director-unveils-festivals-symposium-to-address-era-of-protest/5193509.article |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=Screen }}</ref>
== Prizes ==
In the first few years the festival had only the Joris Ivens competition. By 2007, it had four competition programs and the Audience Award, but the Joris Ivens Award (for feature-length documentaries) remained the main prize. Films in competition films must be world, international, or European premieres.<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> The Joris Ivens Award was renamed the IDFA Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary after the 2008 edition,<ref>{{cite web | last=Jacobsen | first=Ulla | title=IDFA 2006: A Toast to the Documentary | website=MODERN TIMES REVIEW | date=18 March 2007|quote=...in the Joris Ivens, Silver Wolf and Silver Cub competitions-went to Danish films. | url=https://www.moderntimes.review/idfa-2006-a-toast-to-the-documentary/ | access-date=21 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Hernandez | first=Eugene | title=“Train” Wins IDFA’s Top Prize | website=IndieWire | date=27 November 2009 | url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/train-wins-idfas-top-prize-246153/ | access-date=21 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Macnab | first=Geoffrey | last2=Ide | first2=Wendy | last3=Romney | first3=Jonathan | last4=Kay | first4=Jeremy | title=IDFA 2018 winners revealed | website=Screen | date=21 February 2025 | url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/idfa-2018-winners-revealed/5134704.article | access-date=21 February 2025}}</ref> it was presented annually until 2020.<ref>{{cite web | title=Winners 1988–2024 | website=IDFA | url=https://professionals.idfa.nl/program/awards-juries/winners-1988-2023/ | access-date=21 February 2025}}</ref>
In 2021, IDFA announced a new program structure and introduced new central sections: Envision and International Competitions for over 40 and 60 min, respectively, flanked by several cross-section awards (Best Dutch Film, Best First Feature and ReFrame Award). As before, only premieres are allowed to compete in the main competition.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/399574/#cm | title =IDFA unveils its future programme structure, with two central competitions and new awards | last =Abbatescianni | first =Davide | date =2021-04-07 | publisher =Cineuropa | access-date =2025-03-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url =https://variety.com/2021/film/global/idfa-programmers-1235114974/ | title =IDFA Festival Programmers Tease ‘Brave Films,’ Talk New Program Structure | last =Balaga | first =Marta | date =2021-11-18 | publisher = Variety | access-date =2025-03-03}}</ref><ref name=barraclough>{{cite web | url =https://variety.com/2021/film/news/idfa-orwa-nyrabia-2-1234945593/ | title =IDFA Undergoes Revamp in Response to ‘Transformation’ in Documentary Filmmaking | last =Barraclough | first =Leo | date =2021-04-07| publisher = Variety | access-date =2025-03-03}}</ref>
The best new documentaries of the year compete in IDFA's main competition programs:<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.hollandtimes.nl/articles/artsandculture/idfa-2021-runs-from-november-17-to-28-in-amsterdam/ | title =IDFA 2021 runs from November 17 to 28 in Amsterdam | publisher = The Holland Times | access-date =2025-03-03}}</ref>
* The '''IDFA Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary''' for best documentary longer than 70 minutes (€15,000 prize) + Special Jury Award * The '''IDFA Award for Best Mid-Length Documentary''' for best documentary between 40 and 70 minutes (€10,000 prize) + Special Jury Award * The '''IDFA Award for Best Short Documentary''' for best documentary under 40 minutes (€5,000 prize) + Special Jury Award * The '''IDFA Award for Best First Appearance''' for best debut film (€10,000 prize) + Special Jury Award * The '''IDFA Award for Best Student Documentary''' for best student documentary from film academies around the world (€5,000 prize) + Special Jury Award * The '''Beeld en Geluid IDFA Award for Dutch Documentary''' for best Dutch documentary (€7,500 prize) + the Special Jury Award<ref>{{cite web | url =https://deadline.com/2022/11/2022-idfa-awards-winners-announcement-documentary-film-festival-news-1235175483/ | title =IDFA Reveals Prize Winners At 2022 Edition Of World’s Biggest Documentary Film Festival | last =Carey | first =Matthew | date =2022-11-17 | publisher =Deadline | access-date =2025-03-03}}</ref> * The '''Peter Wintonick Special Jury Award for First Appearance''' (inaugurated 2013, €7,500 prize).<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/idfa-names-special-jury-award-after-late-peter-wintonick-32656/ | title =IDFA Names Special Jury Award After Late Peter Wintonick | last =Knegt | first =Peter | date =2013-11-25 | publisher =IndieWire | access-date =2025-03-03}}</ref>
Alongside the competition programs, five awards are awarded during IDFA:<ref>{{cite web | url =https://businessdoceurope.com/idfa-2022-opens-with-all-you-see-prins-bernhard-stipend-to-pim-zwier/ | title =IDFA 2022 opens with All You See; Prins Bernhard Stipend to Pim Zwier | last =Cunningham | first =Nick | date =2022-11-10 | publisher =Business Doc Europe | access-date =2025-03-03}}</ref><ref name=barraclough/> * '''VPRO IDFA Audience Award''' for best film as voted by the audience (prize €5,000); * '''Amsterdam Human Rights Award''' for the documentary that best depicts the theme of human rights (€25,000 prize); * '''Prins Bernard Cultuurfonds Documentary Scholarship''', a €50,000 grant for a documentary talent, allowing the recipient to make a documentary about a subject of their choice; * '''Filmfonds DocLab Interactive Grant''', a cash prize for the development of interactive projects within the Netherlands; * '''Karen de Bok Talent Award''' for the winner of the IDFAcademy & NPO-fonds workshop. It is the successor of the Media Fund Award Documentary. The NPO Fund awards the winner €25,000 to further develop the project in collaboration with a producer and a broadcast.
== Program sections == In addition to the competitions, IDFA presents several non-competitive film programs:
=== Regular programs === * '''Masters''' In this program section, the festival presents the latest documentaries by renowned documentary auteurs. * '''Best of Fests''' In Best of Fests, the festival presents films that have made an impact on the international festival circuit this year. * '''Panorama''' In this section, the festival presents films from all over the world, which are thought-provoking in their form and choice of theme. * '''Paradocs''' The films in this section showcase what is going on beyond the frame of traditional documentary filmmaking, on the borders between film and art, truth and fiction, and narrative and design. * '''Music Documentary''' Screenings of many films from this program are accompanied by live performances connected to the films.
=== Specials === In addition to the regular programs, each year the festival presents programs like Queer Day, featuring new documentaries about LGBTQ-related topics; Focus programs which zoom in on aspects like sound design, editing, and cinematography or a topical theme; a themed program by DocLab, featuring live events and an interactive exhibition; and a retrospective of a filmmaker who also chooses a personal documentary Top 10.
== Award winners == <!---might be worth creating a "Past awards" and "Present awards" sections (for all awards)---> ===Best film=== ==== IDFA Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary (Until 2020, formerly: Joris Ivens Award) ==== {{for|the award given at the French festival Cinéma du Réel|Joris Ivens Prize for a Young Filmmaker}} {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Director !! Nationality of director<br /><small>(at time of film's release)</small> |- | 1988 || ''Birthplace Unknown'' || {{ill|Karin Junger|fr}} || {{NED}} |- | 1988 || ''Ksjsiner'' || Ruben Gevorksjanz|| {{USSR}} |- | 1989 || ''Šķērsiela'' || {{ill|Ivars Seleckis|et||fr||lv||ru|Селецкис, Ивар}} || {{USSR}} |- | 1990 || ''Christo in Paris'' || D. Maysles|| {{USA}} |- | 1991 || ''Dreams and Silence'' || Omar Al-Quattan || {{BEL}} |- | 1992 || ''La Memoria del agua'' || Hector Faver || {{ESP}} |- | 1993 || ''Belovy'' || Viktor Kossakovsky || {{RUS}} |- | 1994 || ''Solo, de wet van de Favela'' || Jos de Putter || {{NED}} |- | 1995 || ''{{ill|Délits Flagrants|fr|Délits flagrants}}'' || Raymond Depardon || {{FRA}} |- | 1996 || ''Atman'' || Pirjo Honkasalo || {{FIN}} / {{GER}} |- | 1997 || ''Auf der Kippe'' || Andrei Schwartz|| {{GER}} |- | 1998 || ''Fotoamator / Photographer'' || Dariusz Jablonski || {{POL}} |- | 1999 || ''André Hazes – Zij gelooft in mij'' || John Appel || {{NED}} |- | 2000 || ''The Sea That Thinks'' || {{ill|Gert de Graaff|nl}} || {{NED}} |- | 2001 || ''Family'' || {{ill|Phie Ambo|da||fr}} & Sami Saif || {{DEN}} |- | 2002 || ''Stevie'' || Steve James || {{USA}} |- | 2003 || ''Checkpoint'' || Yoav Shamir || {{ISR}} |- | 2004 || ''Stand van de maan'' || Leonard Retel Helmrich || {{NED}} |- | 2005 || ''{{ill|My Grandmother's House|ca|La casa de mi abuela}}'' || {{ill|Adán Aliaga|ca||es}} || {{ESP}} |- | 2006 || ''The Monastery: Mr. Vig and the Nun'' || Pernille Rose Grønkjær<ref name="Kristeligt Dagblad 2006">{{cite web |title=En studie i kærlighed og ensomhed |website=Kristeligt Dagblad |date=9 December 2006 |url=https://www.kristeligt-dagblad.dk/mennesker/en-studie-i-k%C3%A6rlighed-og-ensomhed |language=da |access-date=3 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="Sundholm Thorsen Andersson Hedling 2012 p. 12">{{cite book |last1=Sundholm |first1=J. |last2=Thorsen |first2=I. |last3=Andersson |first3=L.G. |last4=Hedling |first4=O. |last5=Iversen |first5=G. |last6=Møller |first6=B.T. |title=Historical Dictionary of Scandinavian Cinema |publisher=Scarecrow Press |series=G – Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series |year=2012 |isbn=978-0-8108-5524-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ae4QqlUDt9wC&pg=PA12 |access-date=3 July 2021 |page=12}}</ref> || {{DEN}} |- | 2007 || ''Stranded'' || {{ill|Gonzalo Arijon|pt|Gonzalo Arijón}} || {{FRA}} |- | 2008 || ''Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country'' || {{ill|Anders Østergaard|ar|أندرس أوسترغارد|arz|اندرس اوسترجارد|da|Anders Østergaard (filminstruktør)|de||fi||fr||pt}} || {{DEN}} |- | 2009 || ''Last Train Home'' || Lixin Fan || {{CAN}} |- | 2010 || ''Position Among the Stars'' || Leonard Retel Helmrich || {{NED}} |- | 2011 || ''Planet of Snail'' || {{ill|Seung-jun Yi|ko|이승준 (영화 감독)}} || {{KOR}} |- | 2012 || ''First Cousin Once Removed'' || Alan Berliner || {{USA}} |- | 2013 || ''Song from the Forest'' || Michael Obert || {{GER}} |- | 2014 || ''Of Men and War'' || Laurent Bécue-Renard || {{FRA}} / {{CHE}} |- | 2015 || ''Don Juan'' || Jerzy Sladkowski || {{SWE}} / {{FIN}} |- | 2016 || ''Nowhere to Hide'' || Zaradasht Ahmed || {{NOR}} / {{SWE}} |- | 2017 || ''The Other Side of Everything''<ref>{{cite news|language=sr |url=http://www.novosti.rs/vesti/kultura.71.html:697465-Mila-Turajlic-Nismo-ispricali-sopstvenu-istoriju |title=Mila Turajlić: Nismo ispričali sopstvenu istoriju |newspaper=Večernje novosti | date=24 November 2017 |access-date=25 November 2017}}</ref> ||Mila Turajlić||{{SRB}} |- | 2018 || ''Reason''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/idfa-2018-winners-revealed/5134704.article|title=IDFA 2018 winners revealed|newspaper=Screen Daily | date=22 November 2018|access-date=21 January 2019}}</ref>||Anand Patwardhan||{{IND}} |- | 2019 || ''In a Whisper'' || Heidi Hassan & Patricia Pérez Fernández|| {{CUB}} / {{CUB}} |- | 2020 || ''Radiograph of a Family'' || Firouzeh Khosrovani|| {{IRN}} |- | colspan="4" | Category split as of 2020 |} ==== Best Film Award International Competition ==== {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Film !Director !Nationality of director<br /><small>(at time of film's release)</small> |- |2021 |''Octopus<ref name=":5"/>'' |Karim Kassem |{{LBN}} / {{QAT}} / {{US}} |- |2022 |''Manifesto<ref name=":5"/>'' |Angie Vinchito |{{RUS}} |- |2023 |''1489''<ref>{{cite web |date=16 November 2023 |title=1489 wins Best Film in the International Competition and Canuto's Transformation wins Best... |url=https://www.idfa.nl/en/news/idfa-award-for-best-film-naar-1489-en-canutos-transformation/ |access-date=23 November 2023 |publisher=IDFA}}</ref><ref name=":5"/> |Shoghakat Vardanyan |{{ARM}} |- |2024 |''Trains<ref name=":5"/>'' |Maciej J. Drygas |{{POL}} |- |2025 |''A Fox Under a Pink Moon<ref>[https://professionals.idfa.nl/program/awards-juries/winners-1988-2025 Winners 1988–2025]</ref>'' |Mehrdad Oskouei |{{IRN}} |}
=== Best Cinematography Award International Competition === {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Film !Director !Nationality of director<br /><small>(at time of film's release)</small> |- |2021 |''Where Are We Headed<ref name=":5"/>'' |Ruslan Fedotow |{{BLR}} / {{RUS}} |- |2022 |''Paradise'' <ref name=":5"/> |Paul Guilhaume |{{FR}} / {{SWI}} |- |2023 |''Flickering Lights'' <ref name=":5"/> |Anirban Dutta & Anupama Srinivasan |{{IND}} |- |2024 |''The Guest'' <ref name=":5"/> |Zvika Gregory Portnoy & Zuzanna Solakiewicz |{{POL}} / {{QAT}} |}
=== Best Directing Award International Competition === {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Film !Director !Nationality of director
<small>(at time of film's release)</small> |- |2021 |''Children of the Mist<ref name=":5"/>'' |Diem Ha Le |{{VNM}} |- |2022 |''Apolonia, Apolonia<ref name=":5"/>'' |Lea Glob |{{DEN}} |- |2023 |''Life is Beautiful<ref name=":5"/>'' |Mohamed Jabaly |{{NOR}} / {{PAL}} |- |2024 |''An American Pastoral<ref name=":5"/>'' |Auberi Edler |{{FR}} |}
=== Best Editing Award International Competition === {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Film !Director !Nationality of director
<small>(at time of film's release)</small> |- |2021 |''Mr. Landsbergis<ref name=":5"/>'' |Danielius Kokanauskis |{{LIT}} / {{NLD}} |- |2022 |''Journey Through Our World<ref name=":5"/>'' |Mario Steenbergen |{{NLD}} |- |2023 |''The World Is Family'' ''<ref name=":5"/>'' |Anand Patwardhan |{{IND}} |- |2024 |''Trains<ref name=":5"/>'' |Maciej J. Drygas |{{POL}} |}
=== Best Film Envision Competition === {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Film !Director !Nationality of director
<small>(at time of film's release)</small> |- |2024 |''Chronicles of the Absurd<ref name=":5"/>'' |Miguel Coyula |{{CUB}} |}
=== DFA Audience Award === {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Director !! Nationality of director<br /><small>(at time of film's release)</small> |- | 1988 || ''The Last Judgement'' || {{ill|Herz Frank|arz|هيرز فرانك|de||fr|Hercs Franks|he|הרץ פרנק|it||lt|Hercas Frankas|lv|Hercs Franks|ru|Франк, Герц Вульфович|uk|Герц Франк}} || {{USSR}} |- | 1989 || ''Skierskala'' || {{ill|Ivars Seleckis|et||fr||lv||ru|Селецкис, Ивар}} || {{USSR}} |- | 1990 || ''In Memory of the Day Passed By'' || Šarūnas Bartas || {{LTU}} |- | 1991 || ''Djembéfola'' || {{ill|Laurent Chevallier|fr}} || {{FRA}} |- | 1992 || ''Black Harvest'' || Robin Anderson & Bob Connolly || {{AUS}} |- | 1993 || ''Belovy'' || V. Kossakovsky|| {{RUS}} |- | 1994 || ''Choice and Destiny'' || Tsipi Reibenbach || {{ISR}} |- | 1995 || ''Anne Frank Remembered'' || Jon Blair || {{GBR}} |- | 1996 || ''Blue Eyed'' || B. Verhaag|| {{GER}} |- | 1997 || ''Vision Man'' || W. Long|| {{SWE}} |- | 1998 || ''Twee Vaders'' || Ko van Reenen|| {{NED}} |- | 1999 || ''Crazy'' || Heddy Honigmann || {{NED}} |- | 2000 || ''Desi'' || Maria Ramos || {{NED}} |- | 2001 || ''Offspring, B'' || B. Stevens|| {{CAN}} |- | 2002 || ''Bowling for Columbine'' || Michael Moore || {{USA}} |- | 2003 || ''My Flesh and Blood'' || Jonathan Karsh || {{USA}} |- | 2004 || ''The Yes Men'' || Dan Ollman & Sarah Price & Chris Smith || {{USA}} |- | 2005 || ''Sisters in Law'' || Kim Longinotto & Florence Ayisi || {{GBR}} |- | 2006 || ''We Are Together / Thina simunye'' || Paul Taylor || {{GBR}} |- | 2007 || ''To See If I'm Smiling'' || Tamar Yarom|| {{ISR}} |- | 2008 || ''RiP: A Remix Manifesto'' || Brett Gaylor || {{CAN}} |- | 2009 || ''The Cove<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=www.oberon.nl |first=Oberon Amsterdam |title=IDFA Professionals {{!}} Winners 1988–2024 |url=https://professionals.idfa.nl/program/awards-juries/winners-1988-2023/ |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=IDFA |language=en}}</ref>'' || Louie Psihoyos || {{USA}} |- |2010 |''Waste Land<ref name=":5"/>'' |Lucy Walker |{{UK}} / {{BRA}} |- |2011 |''Broken Cameras<ref name=":5"/>'' |Emad Burnat & Guy Davidi |{{PAL}} / {{ISR}} / {{NLD}} / {{FRA}} |- |2012 |''Searching for Sugar Man<ref name=":5"/>'' |Malik Bendjelloul |{{SWE}} / {{UK}} |- |2013 |''Twin Sisters<ref name=":5"/>'' |Mona Friis Bertheussen |{{NOR}} |- |2014 |''Naziha's Spring<ref name=":5"/>'' |Gülsah Dogan |{{NLD}} |- |2015 |''Sonita<ref name=":5"/>'' |Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami |{{IRN}} |- |2016 |''La Chana<ref name=":5"/>'' |Lucija Stojevic |{{ESP}} / {{ISL}} / {{US}} |- |2017 |''Deaf Child<ref name=":5"/>'' |Alex de Ronde |{{NLD}} |- |2018 |''Don't Be a Dick About It<ref name=":5"/>'' |Benjamin Mullinkosson |{{US}} |- |2019 |''For Sama<ref name=":5"/>'' |Waad al-Kateab & Edward Watts |{{UK}} |- |2021 |''Writing with Fire<ref name=":5"/>'' |Sushmit Ghosh & Rintu Thomas |{{IND}} |- |2022 |''Blue ID<ref name=":5"/>'' |Burcu Melekoglu &Vuslat Karan |{{TUR}} |- |2023 |''20 Days in Mariupol<ref name=":5"/>'' |Mstyslav Chernov |{{UKR}} |- |2024 |''No Other Land''<ref name=":5"/> |Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor |{{PAL}} / {{NOR}} |}
=== Special Jury Prize === {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Director !! Nationality of director<br /><small>(at time of film's release)</small> |- | 1988 || ''Hôtel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie'' || Marcel Ophüls || {{FRA}} / {{USA}} |- | 1988 || ''The Power of Solovki'' || Marina Goldovskaya || {{USSR}} |- | 1989 || ''Skierskala'' || {{ill|Ivars Seleckis|et||fr||lv||ru|Селецкис, Ивар}} || {{USSR}} |- | 1990 || ''The Collector'' || E. Strömdahl|| {{SWE}} |- | 1991 || ''Djembéfola'' || {{ill|Laurent Chevallier|fr}} || {{FRA}} |- | 1992 || ''Black Harvest'' || Robin Anderson & Bob Connolly || {{AUS}} |- | 1993 || ''Mit Verlust ist zu Rechnen'' || Ulrich Seidl || {{AUT}} |- | 1994 || ''Choice and Destiny'' || Tsipi Reibenbach || {{ISR}} |- | 1995 || ''Picasso Would Have Made a Glorious Waiter'' || Jonathan Schell || {{USA}} |- | 1996 || ''The Typewriter, the Rifle and the Movie Camera'' || Adam Simon || {{ENG}} |- | 1997 || ''Little Dieter Needs to Fly'' || Werner Herzog || {{GER}} |- | 1998 || ''Pavel and Lyalya / a Jerusalem Romance'' || Viktor Kossakovsky || {{RUS}} |- | 1999 || ''A Cry from the Grave'' || Leslie Woodhead || {{ENG}} |- | 2000 || ''Keep the River on Your Right: A Modern Cannibal Tale'' || Laurie Gwen & David Shapiro|| {{USA}} |- | 2001 || ''Elsewhere'' || Nikolaus Geyrhalter || {{AUT}} |- | 2002 || ''On Hitler's Highway'' || Lech Kowalski || {{FRA}} |- | 2003 || ''The Corporation'' || Mark Achbar || {{CAN}} |- | 2004 || ''Liberia: An Uncivil War'' || Jonathan Stack & James Brabazon || {{USA}} |- | 2005 || ''Our Daily Bread'' || Nikolaus Geyrhalter || {{AUT}} |- | 2006 || ''Tender's Heat. Wild Wild beach'' || Alexander Rastorguev|| {{RUS}} |- | 2007 || ''Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go'' || Kim Longinotto || {{GBR}} |- | 2008 || ''Forgetting Dad'' || Rick Minnich & Matthew Sweetwood|| {{GER}} / {{USA}} |- | 2009 || ''The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers'' || Judith Ehrlich & {{ill|Rick Goldsmith|de||pt}} || {{USA}} |- | 2012 || ''Teached'' || Kelly Amis || {{USA}} |- | 2013 || ''A Letter to Nelson Mandela'' || Khalo Matabane || {{RSA}} / {{GER}} |- | 2014 || ''Something Better to Come'' || Hanna Polak || {{DEN}} / {{POL}} |- | 2015 || ''Ukrainian Sheriffs'' || Roman Bondarchuk || {{UKR}} / {{LAT}} / {{GER}} |- | 2016 || ''Still Tomorrow'' || Jian Fan || {{PRC}} |- | 2017 || ''The Deminer'' || Hogir Hirori || {{SWE}} / {{IRQ}} |- | 2018 || ''Los Reyes'' || Bettina Perut & Iván Osnovikoff|| {{CHI}} / {{CHI}} |}
=== IDFA Award for Best Mid-Length Documentary (formerly: Silver Wolf Award) === {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Director !! Nationality of director<br /><small>(at time of film's release)</small> |- | 1995 || ''6 Open, 21 Closed'' || Amit Goren|| {{ISR}} |- | 1996 || ''Mr. Behrmann – Leben Traum Tod'' || {{ill|Andreas Voigt (director)|de|Andreas Voigt (Regisseur)}} || {{GER}} |- | 1997 || ''Gigi, Monica...& Bianca'' || Yasmina Abdellaoui & Benoït Dervaux|| {{BEL}} |- | 1998 || ''Hephzibah'' || Curtis Levy|| {{AUS}} |- | 1999 || ''Les Enfants du Borinage – Lettre à Henri Storck'' || {{ill|Patric Jean|fr}} || {{BEL}} |- | 2000 || ''Jung (War) in the Land of the Mujaheddin'' || {{ill|Fabrizio Lazzaretti|it}}, {{ill|Alberto Vendemmiati|it}}, Giuseppe Petitto || {{ITA}} |- | 2001 || ''Haj-Abba's Wives'' || {{ill|Mohsen Abdolvahab|fa|محسن عبدالوهاب}} || {{IRN}} |- | 2002 || ''Interesting Times: The Secret of My Success'' || Jinchuan Duan|| {{CHI}} |- | 2003 || ''Surplus: Terrorized into Being Consumers'' || Erik Gandini || {{SWE}} |- | 2004 || ''Georgi and the butterflies'' || Andrey Paounov || {{BUL}} |- | 2005 || ''Before Flying Back to the Earth'' || Arūnas Matelis || {{LTU}} |- | 2006 || ''Enemies of Happiness'' || Eva Mulvad || {{DEN}} |- | 2007 || ''To See If I'm Smiling'' || Tamar Yarom|| {{ISR}} |- | 2008 || ''Boris Ryzhy'' || Aliona van der Horst || {{NED}} |- | 2009 || ''Iron Crows'' || Bong-Nam Park|| {{KOR}} |- | 2010 || ''People I Could Have Been And Maybe Am'' || Boris Gerrets || {{NED}} |- | 2011 || ''Montenegro'' || Jorge Gaggero || {{ARG}} |- | 2012 || ''Red Wedding'' || Lida Chan & Guillaume Suon || {{KHM}} / {{FRA}} |- | 2013 || ''Pussy Versus Putin'' || Gogol's Wives|| {{RUS}} |- | 2014 || ''Kamchatka — The Cure for Hatred'' || Julia Mironova|| {{RUS}} |- | 2015 || ''At Home in the World'' || {{ill|Andreas Koefoed|da}} || {{DNK}} |- | 2016 || ''Death in the Terminal'' || Tali Shemesh & Asaf Sudra|| {{ISR}} |- | 2017 || ''The Dread'' || Martin Benchimol & Pablo Aparo|| {{ARG}} / {{ARG}} |- | 2018 || ''Summa'' || {{ill|Andrei Kutsila|be|Андрэй Куціла}} || {{BLR}} |- | 2019 || ''Articlockwise'' || Jalal Vafaei|| {{IRN}} |- | 2020 || ''The Wheel'' || Nomin Lkhagvasuren|| {{MNG}} |}
=== IDFA Award for Best Short Documentary (formerly: Silver Cub Award) === {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Director !! Nationality of director<br /><small>(at time of film's release)</small> |- | 2005 || ''Butterfly Man'' || Samantha Rebillet || {{AUS}} |- | 2006 || ''My Eyes'' || Erlend E. Mo|| {{DEN}} |- | 2007 || ''The Tailor'' || Oscar Pérez|| {{ESP}} |- | 2008 || ''Slaves – An animated documentary'' || Hanna Heilborn & David Aronowitsch|| {{SWE}} / {{DEN}} |- | 2009 || ''Six Weeks'' || {{ill|Marcin Janos Krawczyk|pl}} || {{POL}} |- |2017 |Vi bara lyder (we merely obey)<ref>{{Citation |website=Sveriges Television AB |title=Vi bara lyder |url=https://www.svtplay.se/video/17263698/vi-bara-lyder |language=sv |access-date=2022-05-01}}</ref> |Erik Holmström och Fredrik Wenzel<ref>{{Cite web |title=NYHETER |url=https://www.malmodockteater.com/nyheter |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=malmodockteater |language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=VI BARA LYDER |url=https://www.malmodockteater.com/vi-bara-lyder |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=malmodockteater |language=sv}}</ref> |{{SWE}} |- | 2018 || ''I Signed the Petition'' || Mahdi Fleifel || {{DNK}} |- | 2019 || ''Up at Night'' || Nelson Makengo|| {{COG}} |- | 2020 || ''Unforgivable'' || Marlén Viñayo|| {{SLV}} |- | 2021 || ''Handbook'' || Pavel Mozhar|| {{DEU}} / {{BLR}} |- | 2022 || ''Away'' || Ruslan Fedotow|| {{RUS}} |}
=== IDFA Award for Best First Appearance === {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Director !! Nationality of director<br /><small>(at time of film's release)</small> |- | 1997 || ''Anthem, an American Road Story'' || Shainee Gabel & Kristin Hahn || {{USA}} |- | 1998 || ''Les Amoureux de Dieu / Howling for God'' || Dan Alexe || {{BEL}} |- | 1999 || ''Zwischen 2 Welten'' || Bettina Haasen || {{GER}} |- | 2000 || ''Hybrid'' || Monteith McCollum|| {{USA}} |- | 2001 || ''Suka'' || Igor Voloshin || {{RUS}} |- | 2002 || ''Barbeiros'' || M. Junkkonen|| {{FIN}} |- | 2003 || ''My Flesh and Blood'' || Jonathan Karsh || {{USA}} |- | 2003 || ''The Very Best Day'' || Pavel Medvedev|| {{RUS}} |- | 2004 || ''Podul Peste Tisa'' || Ileana Stanculescu|| {{ROM}} |- | 2005 || ''The Angelmakers'' || Astrid Bussink || {{NED}} / {{SCO}} |- | 2006 || ''We Are Together / Thina simunye'' || Paul Taylor || {{GBR}} |- | 2007 || ''End of the Rainbow'' || Robert Nugent|| {{FRA}} / {{AUS}} |- | 2008 || ''Constantin and Elena'' || Andrei Dascalescu|| {{ROM}} |- | 2009 || ''Colony'' || Ross McDonnell & Carter Gunn|| {{IRL}} / {{USA}} |- | 2010 || ''Kano: An American and His Harem'' || Monster Jimenez || {{PHI}} |- | 2011 || ''The Vanishing Spring Light'' || Xun Yu || {{CHN}} / {{CAN}} |- | 2012 || ''Soldier on the Roof'' || Esther Hertog|| {{NED}} |- | 2013 || ''My Name Is Salt'' || Farida Pacha|| {{SWI}} / {{IND}} |- | 2014 || ''Drifter'' || Gábor Hörcher|| {{HUN}} / {{GER}} |- | 2015 || ''When the Earth Seems to Be Light'' || Salome Machaidze & Tamuna Karumidze & David Meskhi || {{GEO}} |- | 2016 || ''Who We Were'' || Sine Skibsholt|| {{DNK}} |- | 2017 || ''The Distant Barking of Dogs'' || Simon Lereng Wilmont|| {{DNK}} |- | 2018 || ''Giacinto Scelsi. The First Motion of the Immovable'' || Sebastiano d'Ayala Valva|| {{FRA}} |- | 2019 || ''Solidarity'' || Lucy Parker || {{GBR}} |- | 2020 || ''This Rain Will Never Stop'' || Alina Gorlova || {{UKR}} |}
=== Movies that Matter Human Rights Award === {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Director !! Nationality of director<br /><small>(at time of film's release)</small> |- | 2002 || ''The Day I Will Never Forget'' || Kim Longinotto || {{GBR}} |- | 2002 || ''The Trials of Henry Kissinger'' || Eugene Jarecki || {{USA}} / {{GBR}} / {{CHI}} |- | 2003 || ''Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer'' || Nick Broomsfield & Joan Churchill|| {{GBR}} |- | 2004 || ''The 3 Rooms of Melancholia'' || Pirjo Honkasalo || {{FIN}} |- | 2005 || ''China Blue'' || Micha X Peled|| {{USA}} |- | 2006 || ''New Year Baby'' || Socheata Poeuv|| {{USA}} |- | 2007 || ''Jerusalem Is Proud to Present'' || Nitzan Gilady || {{ISR}} |- | 2008 || ''Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country'' || {{ill|Anders Østergaard|ar|أندرس أوسترغارد|arz|اندرس اوسترجارد|da|Anders Østergaard (filminstruktør)|de||fi||fr||pt}} || {{DEN}} |}
=== IDFA DOC U! Award for the youth jury's favorite film (formerly: Moviesquad DOC U! Award) === {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Director !! Nationality of director<br /><small>(at time of film's release)</small> |- | 2005 || ''Shadya, Roy'' || Roy Westler|| {{ISR}} |- | 2006 || ''A Lesson of Belarusian'' || Miroslaw Dembinski|| {{POL}} |- | 2007 || ''Planet B-Boy'' || Benson Lee || {{USA}} |- | 2008 || ''Kassim the Dream'' || Kief Davidson || {{USA}} |- | 2009 || ''The Yes Men Fix the World'' || Andy Bichlbaum & Mike Bonanno || {{FRA}} / {{USA}} |- | 2010 || ''Autumn Gold'' || {{ill|Jan Tenhaven|de}} || {{GER}} |- | 2011 || ''The Last Days of Winter'' || Mehrdad Oskouei || {{IRN}} |- | 2012 || ''Little World'' || Marcel Barrena || {{ESP}} |- | 2013 || ''#chicagoGirl – The Social Network Takes on a Dictator'' || Joe Piscatella|| {{USA}} / {{SYR}} |}
=== IDFA Award for Best Student Documentary ===
{| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Director !! Nationality of director<br /><small>(at time of film's release)</small> |- | 2007 || ''Paradise – Three Journeys in This World'' || Elina Hirvonen || {{FIN}} |- | 2008 || ''Shakespeare and Victor Hugo's Intimacies'' || Yulene Olaizola || {{MEX}} |- | 2009 || ''Redemption'' || Sabrina Wulff|| {{GER}} |- | 2015 || ''My Aleppo'' || Melissa Langer|| {{USA}} |}
=== IDFA DocLab Competition for Immersive Non-Fiction === The IDFA DocLab Competition for Immersive Non-Fiction rewards the best immersive non-fiction of the festival.
{| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Work !! Artist(s) !! Nationality of artist<br /><small>(at time of work release)</small> |- | 2021 || ''Museum of Austerity<ref name=":5"/>''|| Sacha Wares, John Pring || {{UK}} |- | 2022 || ''In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats<ref name=":5" />''|| Darren Emerson|| {{UK}} |- |2023 |Turbulence Jamais Vu<ref name=":5" /> |Ben Joseph Andrews, Emma Roberts |{{AUS}} |- |2024 |''Me, a Depiction<ref name=":5" />'' |Lisa Schamlé |{{NED}} |}
==== Special Jury Award for Creative Technology ==== {| class="wikitable" |+ !Year !Work !Artist(s) !Nationality of artist<br /><small>(at time of work release)</small> |- |2021 |''Symbiosis<ref name=":5" />'' |Marcel van Brakel, Mark Meeuwenoord, |{{NED}} |- |2022 |''Plastisapiens<ref name=":5" />'' |Miri Chekhanovic, Edith Jorisch |{{Can}} / Israel |- |2023 |''Natalie's Trifecta<ref name=":5" />'' |Natalie Paneng |{{ZAF}} |- |2024 |''The Liminal''<ref name=":5" /> |Alaa Al Minawi |{{NED}} / {{LBN}} / {{PAL}} |}
=== IDFA DocLab Competition for Digital Storytelling === The IDFA DocLab Competition for Digital Storytelling rewards the best Digital Storytelling.
==== Award-winning works ==== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Director !! Nationality of director<br /><small>(at time of film or website's release)</small> |- | 2010 || ''Out My Window'' || Katerina Cizek || {{CAN}} |- |- | 2011 || ''In Situ'' || Antoine Viviani || {{FR}} |- | 2018 || ''1 the Road''<ref name=":0">{{cite web | url=https://www.idfa.nl/en/info/jury-report-idfa-doclab-competition-for-digital-storytelling-2018 | title=Jury report: IDFA DocLab Competition for Digital Storytelling 2018 | IDFA }}</ref>|| Ross Goodwin || {{USA}} |- | 2019 || ''The Waiting Room VR''<ref name=":1">{{cite web | url=https://www.idfa.nl/en/info/jury-report-idfa-doclab-competition-for-digital-storytelling-2019 | title=Jury report: IDFA DocLab Competition for Digital Storytelling 2019 | IDFA | last1=Www. Oberon. Nl | first1=Oberon Amsterdam }}</ref>|| Victoria Mapplebeck || {{UK}} |- | 2021 || ''Un(re)solved<ref name=":2">{{cite web | url=https://www.idfa.nl/en/info/jury-report-2021-idfa-doclab-competition-for-digital-storytelling | title=Jury report: 2021 IDFA DocLab Competition for Digital Storytelling | IDFA | last1=Www. Oberon. Nl | first1=Oberon Amsterdam }}</ref>'' || Tamara Shogaolu || {{USA}} |- | 2022 || ''He Fucked the Girl Out of Me<ref name=":3">{{cite web | url=https://www.idfa.nl/en/info/jury-report-2022-idfa-doclab-competition-for-digital-storytelling | title=Jury report: 2022 IDFA DocLab Competition for Digital Storytelling | IDFA }}</ref>'' || Taylor McCue || {{USA}} |- |2023 |''Anouschka'' |Tamara Shogaolu |The Netherlands, United-States, Switzerland |} ===Zapper Award (1994–1996)=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Director !! Nationality of director<br /><small>(at time of film's release)</small> |- | 1994 || ''Death of a Nation: The Timor Conspiracy'' || David Munro || {{ENG}} |- | 1995 || ''My Vote is My Secret Chroniques Sud Africaines 1994'' || Julie Henderson & Thulani Mokoena & Donne Rundle|| {{FRA}} |- | 1996 || ''Grenzeloze Liefde – Made in Japan'' || Puck de Leeuw || {{NED}} |}
== 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 }} *{{cite journal | last1 = Vallejo Vallejo | first1 = Aida | date = 2020 | title = IDFA’s Industry Model: Fostering Global Documentary Production and Distribution | url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341737129_IDFA%27s_Industry_Model_Fostering_Global_Documentary_Production_and_Distribution | journal = Documentary Film Festivals | volume = 2 | pages = 22-53 }}
== External links == * [http://www.idfa.nl/ Official site] * [https://www.youtube.com/user/IDFA Official YouTube channel of the IDFA] (contains all the movie trailers) * {{IMDb event|0000025}}
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Category:Festivals in Amsterdam Category:Film festivals in the Netherlands Category:Documentary film festivals in the Netherlands Category:Film festivals established in 1988