Monday, November 27---Aside from the extensive public events and screenings here at the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (IDFA), a number of professional events are in high gear as the Festival moves into its mid-way point.

The IDFA FORUM, a co-production and financing networking extravaganza, creates networking opportunities for a number of selected documentary producers and directors, who get a chance to pitch and dialogue with visiting commissioning television editors, distributors and sales agents. The session, which is available only to registered participants, begins today and runs through Wednesday.

DOCS FOR SALE is an on-going professional sidebar market, where international sales agents and distributors have a chance to meet, view films and arrange for rights pickups. This year, IDFA has also expanded the size of the Industry Screenings, which are free for all professionals and press to attend, as a way of stimulating access to some of the strongest and most popular films in the IDFA program.

The IDFAcademy, a 6 day program of meetings and master classes, introduces emerging documentary talent to established professionals. The event kicked off on Sunday morning with a conference sessino entitled "How To Research", moderated by Australian producer/director Mitzi Goldman. Academy coordinator Joan Morselt, quoted in the IDFA Dagkrant Dailies, commented that "this year, we changed the program to add to the basic enu of research, launch and finance. We are also looking at the subjects of copyright and fair use, which allows the use of footage without hve to pay for it. We are also will have a session on grassroots distribution...all imortant topics for filmmakers to keep track of new developments."

Another addition to the event this year is the IDFAcademy Film Programme, which spotlights the best international student films of 2006. Films to be screened this week include THE SUBSTITUTE, by Belgian director Steve Thielemans; WINTERSON--A FILM ON DAKOTA SUITE, by Swiss directors Pascal Hoffman and Benny Jaberg; and the European premieres of the films TANJU MIAH (UK, Sadik Ahmed) and LIFE BEYOND LIFE (Hong Kong/China, Lui Cheuk-hang, Ng Kai-yin, Fu, Wai-ting, Wong Yan-chun).

Sandy Mandelberger
Online Festival Dailies Editor