The program for the 31st International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (November 14th – 25th) — the first under the new artistic directorship of Syrian documentary filmmaker Orwa Nyrabia — feels equal parts familiar and fresh. On the one hand, as in years past, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed by the sheer size of the world’s largest nonfiction film festival. Once again the fest will include exceptional industry events like the IDFA Forum (and Docs for Sale, the IDFA Bertha Fund, IDFA Academy, etc.), competitions (14 in total), and more meet-and-greets and parties than one can reasonably attend. (Do I stop by the Korean night of food and music or the Scandinavian reception?)
On the other hand, Nyrabia and his team have made the upcoming event more navigable than ever, with a slimmed-down lineup — only a dozen films in each competition category this time — and a new site feature called Program Pathways, which groups films into 15 thematic categories (everything from “Lovers, Rebels, and Skateboarders,” to “Show Me Your ID,” to “Back to the USSR,” and “Backstage Politics”). This inspired me to get organized and create my own personal “Top 10” list of events not to be missed.
To read my suggestions visit
Filmmaker magazine.
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