This keynote talk was delivered at Getting Real '22 and was published as part of Documentary's Winter 2023 issue. To view the video recording, click here. I wanted to share with you some stories of my journey of being a documentary filmmaker—particularly the mistakes, the struggles and the failures. Coming to America Before I even began my career, when I came to the US in 2011, I had no idea what a documentary was or what my future would be. I was 26 years old, and all I knew was that I wanted to become a journalist so I could report on the injustice I had witnessed in China. I went to Ohio
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This keynote talk was delivered at Getting Real '22 and was published as part of Documentary's Winter 2023 issue. To view the video recording, which includes a brief Q&A between Erika Dilday and IDA's Director of Artist Programs, Abby Sun, click here. Anyone who wants to make change does not have the luxury of being comfortable. Documentary filmmakers know this better than anyone. Filmmakers go to difficult places, ask difficult questions and even put their lives on the line to deliver to audiences the truths that inform us, enlighten us, and hopefully lead us toward real change. But what else
To celebrate IDA’s 41st birthday, and in gratitude to the generous community who has championed our important work for so many years, IDA membership at all levels will be discounted by 20% between February 4-11, 2023. Please join us!
Editor’s Note: Anand Patwardhan, renowned as one of India’s greatest filmmakers, has amassed a considerable body of work over the course of his 50-year career, interrogating the sociopolitical systems that have convulsed India for decades. Patwardhan is the very model of an independent artist—principled about his funding sources, streamlined in his budgeting, focused on the communities he documents. Rather than a keynote address at Getting Real 2022, the programming team devised a keynote conversation with filmmaker/writer Blair McClendon, who generated a stimulating discourse about
International Documentary Association (IDA) announced the recipients of the 2022 Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund. Three projects were selected out of 19 applicants to receive a total of $75,000 in production and post-production grants, and two projects were given special mentions. Made possible by the New York Community Trust, the Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund supports feature-length documentary films that reflect the spirit and nature of Pare Lorentz's work, exhibiting objective research, artful storytelling, strong visual style, high production values, artistic writing, and outstanding music
Los Angeles, CA (February 1, 2023) –– International Documentary Association (IDA) announced that Orwa Nyrabia, Syrian filmmaker, activist, and Artistic Director of IDFA (International Documentary Festival Amsterdam) and Chris Albert, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Communications for National Geographic Content and Disney Branded Television, joined the organization’s Board of Directors. Orwa Nyrabia and Chris Albert join the IDA board of directors of 10 members including Grace Lee (Co-President), Chris Pérez (Co-President), Amir Shahkhalili (Secretary), Marcia Smith (Treasurer), Hallee
Nowhere is the commercialization of the nonfiction field seemingly more apparent than at the Sundance Film Festival. With entertaining documentaries this year on Michael J. Fox, Little Richard, the Indigo Girls, Brooke Shields, Stephen Curry, and Judy Blume, this year’s festival could easily be framed as the further mainstreaming of the documentary form, packaged into recognizable names and formulas by the likes of Apple, Amazon, Netflix, CNN, Showtime, and Hulu. And yet, there were also some countervailing trends. Despite a perceived “rocky” market for independent docs looking for buyers (as
IDA is proud to announce the renewal of partnership with Getty Images and new benefits for IDA members! As home to the largest privately owned archive in the world, with over 300 million editorial and creative photos, over 11 million video clips, and a full selection of music tracks and sound effects, Getty Images provides an unparalleled and comprehensive look into the past—whether you’re seeking something familiar or something unique. Getty Images is an invaluable resource whether you are a seasoned filmmaker or have just started! As part of this membership, IDA members receive the following
During my 15 years in prison, numerous filmmakers and media professionals entered the facilities where I was housed with the intention of telling the stories of the people inside. Some hoped to shed light into dark spaces that our society has created; others hoped to fulfill the appetites of mainstream audiences desiring the thrill of the sensational. During my time inside, I observed an outside film crew producing a big budget film involving incarcerated people as their central participants. The directors and producers earned the trust of the incarcerated participants by approaching those
Afton Quast Saler is a documentary and narrative fiction filmmaker, writer, and performer, who is committed to disability and mental health advocacy through the arts. She started her professional career in the arts at 13 years old, touring as an actress in Europe and regional theaters across the country. After training at the T. Schreiber Studio Conservatory in New York City, where she would begin writing short plays, she began to discover the purest reflection of herself in a passion for writing, directing, and creating her own work. Afton’s writing has since won awards in screenwriting