Training & Education
IDFAcademy IDFAcademy bridges the gap between film school and practice with tailor-made training programs focused on talented international documentary filmmakers, held during the festival and throughout the year. Through masterclasses, case studies, lectures, panels, small-scale workshops and roundtable sessions, the IDFAcademy program (held during IDFA, November 20-23) helps budding filmmakers learn about the latest documentary developments and sharpen their industry awareness. Every IDFAcademy day concludes with Meet the Professionals: round table sessions and one-on-one meetings with highly esteemed professionals attending IDFA.
For over two decades, the IDFA-Mediafonds Workshop, organized in cooperation with the Dutch Cultural Media Fund every year between May and November, has helped aspiring documentary filmmakers turn an original idea into a full-fledged film plan. The workshop delivers an average of eight projects each year, of which approximately 40% are realized. During the festival, the best plan receives the Mediafonds Documentary Award 2014 of €125,000 towards the realization of the film. A select group of aspiring filmmakers participate in the Kids & Docs Workshop. This joint venture between IDFA, children’s film festival Cinekid and the Dutch Cultural Media Fund runs from September through February every year. Participants develop a film plan for a 15-minute documentary aimed at children ages 12 and under. Filmmakers who complete the entire course receive support from one of the eight participating broadcasters. Since the start of the workshop in 1999, it has produced 77 children’s documentaries. Since 2012, the best Dutch children’s documentary of the year receives the Mediafonds Kids & Docs Award of €15,000 at the festival.
Losers
Every year in early July, the IDFAcademy Summer School invites several dozen young filmmakers, editors and producers from countries all over the world to Amsterdam for a week-long training program giving hands-on writing and editing advice. Mentored by internationally renowned tutors, participants take their documentary projects to the next level through lectures, workshops and discussions.
IDFAcademy Results at IDFA 2014
4 Ever (Reber Dosky, The Netherlands) Developed in the Kids & Docs Workshop 2013/2014. Screening in Kids & Docs; see page 164. Chellina / da Beast (Zoeteke Lugthart, The Netherlands) Developed during the Kids & Docs Workshop 2013/2014. Screening in Kids & Docs; see page 165. Die Before Blossom (Ariani Djalal, Indonesia) Developed during the IDFAcademy Summer School 2013. Selected for the IDFA Competition for First Appearance; see page 38. Floating Bodies (Nelleke Koop, The Netherlands) Developed during the IDFA-Mediafonds Workshop 2010/2011; winner of the Mediafonds Documentary Award in 2011. Screening in Panorama; see page 129. The Invisible Friend (Hans Busstra, The Netherlands) Developed during the IDFA-Mediafonds Workshop 2010/2011. Screening in Panorama; see page 132. In the Dark (Goran Stankovic, Serbia) Developed during the IDFAcademy Summer School 2011. Screening in Panorama; see page 131. Johan (Sjoerd Niekamp, The Netherlands) Developed during the Kids & Docs Workshop 2013/2014. Screening in Kids & Docs; see page 167.
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