Ally Derks, the long-time director of IDFA: the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam, gave the opening address on Wednesday evening for filmmakers, professionals and attending guests assembled for the official opening of the 23rd edition of the much-respected documentary festival. She used her remarks to offer a focus on the challenges facing both documentary filmmakers and supporters of the arts in these austere economic times. What follows are excerpts from her speech: "Dear frien...
Over 2000 national and international guests are descending on the historic city of Amsterdam as the 23rd edition of IDFA: the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam begins its 11-day marathon of film premieres, professional activities and special events. Showcasing more than 300 films and with evening “talk shows” and a full series of conferences and market social networking, this year’s event is a must for makers and lovers of non-fiction film. The unique challenges of producing...
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Over 2000 national and international guests are descending on the historic city of Amsterdam as the 23rd edition of IDFA: the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam begins its 11-day marathon of film premieres, professional activities and special events. Showcasing more than 300 films and with evening “talk shows” and a full series of conferences and market social networking, this year’s event is a must for makers and lovers of non-fiction film. The unique challenges of ...
Ally Derks, the long-time director of IDFA: the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam, gave the opening address on Wednesday evening for filmmakers, professionals and attending guests assembled for the official opening of the 23rd edition of the much-respected documentary festival. She used her remarks to offer a focus on the challenges facing both documentary filmmakers and supporters of the arts in these austere economic times. What follows are excerpts from her speech: ...
FURTHER ART BY CHANCE JURY REVEALED…
PATRICIA BECKMANN WELLS
Patricia
Beckmann Wells studied cinema and animation at the University of
Southern California. After the graduation she worked at Philips Media
and Warner Digital as an animator. For many years she’s been working as
a manager in companies like Film Roman and DreamWorks as Head of
Training and Development and as chair of a new department at the
Savannah College of Art and Design. She is the author of three
Animation textb...
Monday, December 4----With the 19th edition of the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (IDFA) just ending on Sunday night, the organizers have already begun to strategize for next year's 20th anniversary.
As reported by Geoffrey Macnab in the last edition of the IDFA Dagkrant Dailies, a clearer picture is beginning to emerge of what shape IDFA will take as it celebrates its 20th anniversary (a definite milestone for any festival event).
The main change will be that the Festiva...
Saturday, December 2----At the "think tank" conference dubbed DocAgora, one of the many parallel events here at the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (IDFA), the marketing, financing and sales opportunities for documentaries on the web was discussed in a lively debate. One of the most vocal proponents was James Fabricant, the head of marketing and content for MySpace UK. Fabricant was one of several speakers who offered some glimpses into the way that documentary filmmakers can...
Friday, December 1----As the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (IDFA) heads into its final weekend, the speculation is growing on which films will win the major prizes at the ceremonies on Saturday night. There has been, as one would expect at a festival with many heart-felt opinions, many passionate discussions on the merits (or demerits) of certain films.
Last evening, the nominations were announced for IDFA’s competition programs: the Joris Ivens Competition for best lon...
Wednesday, November 29----So, what does God look like to you?? That is the provocative question posed by filmmaker Nathan Lang, as he travelled the United States in a coast-to-coast adventure to examine the religious pulse of ordinary Americans. Going to seven different cities and constructing a studio box with hidden video cameras, Lang has assembled over 100 hours of candid footage that will eventually become the documentary feature film GOD IN THE BOX (great title, Nathan).
Lang is in Amst...
Wednesday, November 29----Alan Berliner, the American documentarian who is the Special Guest of the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (IDFA), will be giving a Master Class on his approach to filmmaking today. In honor of Berliner's presence in Amsterdam, here is part two of an Interview conducted last week by Online Festival Dailies Editor Sandy Mandelberger with the man himself.
Sandy Mandelberger (SM): In your newest film WIDE AWAKE, which is screening at IDFA, you deal very...
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, dis...
Monday, November 27----Three of the fifteen documentary feature films selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) as contenders for this year's Best Documentary Oscar are associated with the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (IDFA). The 79th Academy Awards will be given out on Sunday, February 27, 2007 in Los Angeles.
SISTERS IN LAW, co-directed by Kim Longinotto and Florence Ayisi, opened last year's Festival and also copped the prestigious IDFA Audi...
Sunday, November 26----The on-going struggle of combatting AIDS in Africa is the focus of UK director Paul Taylor's powerful film WE ARE TOGETHER, which is having its world premiere screening this evening at the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (idfa). The film, a debut by its director, is competing in the First Appearances section of the Festival.
The devastation of the AIDS epidemic is told through the story of a 12 year old South African girl named Slindile, who lives at ...
Sunday, November 26---American documentarian Alan Berliner, who is receiving a Retrospective of his films here at the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (idfa), has also been invited to choose and screen his Top Ten Picks of the best documentaries ever made. That list has since expanded to 11 titles, and in the first of two interviews with Online Festival Dailies Editor Sandy Mandelberger, the director explains his choices and other inspirations in his unique career. Berliner, a ...
2004 VPRO Joris Ivens Award Winners for STAND VAN DE MAAN
Saturday, November 25----Members of the juries for the major competitions at the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (IDFA) have begun their process of screening films in contention and evaluating their worthiness for a series of top awards. Jurors in four separate competition categories will be among the busiest people as the Festival enters its first big weekend of screenings and events.
In the Joris Ivens Competition, ...
Friday, November 24---Among the more than 2000 international guests expected at the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (IDFA), which opened last evening, are veteran directors Michael Apted and Jennifer Fox, both of whom have new film projects making their debuts at the event.
Michael Apted, whose career has embraced both narrative and documentary features, will be giving a Press Conference on Monday, November 27 at the Salon de Balie, IDFA's headquarters. Apted will be represen...
Thursday, November 23----One of the exciting events of the Opening Night festivities of the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (IDFA) is the international premiere of acclaimed American director Spike Lee's moving opus WHEN THE LEVEES BROKE: A REQUIEM IN FOUR ACTS.
The film, which was produced by television cable giant Home Box Office and had its world premiere last month to honor the first anniversary of the devastation in New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina, will be shown in ...
Monday, November 20----One of the unique professional programs at the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (IDFA), which will begin this coming Thursday, is the IDFA Forum, a major co-production and co-financing professional conference that parallels the public screening event. The Forum is Europe's largest gathering of television commissioning editors and independent documentary producers.
IDFA first organized the Forum in 1993, as a way for documentary producers to interest bro...
The International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (IDFA), which begins next week, will be a bell weather on the current state of the art of non-fiction film and video production. High on its priority list is the charting of technological innovations that are transforming the medium. IDFA will present three exciting programs that will help attending filmmakers, distributors and new media mavens examine the changes ahead in the media landscape.
To focus attention on how the "new media" will...
The dramatic economic growth amidst potent political struggles makes the People's Republic of China one of the most fascinating countries in the world today. Along with the growth of the Chinese film industry as a whole, documentaries from the country of almost 2 billion people have also become objects of fascination. Even more than the fiction films emerging from the former "Red China", non-fiction works portray the conflicts and opportunities as China emerges as one of the most powerful and i...
Innovative American documentary filmmaker Alan Berliner will be a Special Guest of the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (idfa), the leading showcase and market for non-fiction film. The Festival, which brings together film, television and industry professionals, as well as a local enthusiastic audience, opens on November 23 in the beautiful city of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Berliner has been chosen as a Master of Documentary and will give a special lecture on his varied film...
The dramatic economic growth amidst potent political struggles makes the People's Republic of China one of the most fascinating countries in the world today. Along with the growth of the Chinese film industry as a whole, documentaries from the country of almost 2 billion people have also become objects of fascination. Even more than the fiction films emerging from the former "Red China", non-fiction works portray the conflicts and opportunities as China emerges as one of the most powerful and in...
One of the ways that the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (known as IDFA for short) has built strong loyalties with the local audience and visiting professionals is the platform it offers for documentary films of local filmmakers.
The first such showcase will be the Opening Night Film, to screen on November 23, of 4 ELEMENTS by Jiska Rickels. The film mixes documentary technique with visual poetry, which illustrates man's battle with his environment. The film focuses on four...
