The energy from Getting Real ’24 continues to resonate months after the event. Thousands attended in person and online, engaging in an extraordinary spirit of dialogue and collective inquiry. I hope you find that the conference reports in this issue of Documentary capture the event’s substance and feel. At its best, Getting Real offers something rare and necessary: a space for a community of practice and for the open contest of ideas. My sincere thanks go to all who participated, and also of course to all those who worked to produce the event. Abby Sun and I have already begun planning for Getting Real ’26, and before long we’ll be reaching out for input from the field.
This summer, IDA is embarking on an important endeavor: writing our first strategic plan since 2015. In looking to the future, we will draw on the essence of our long-standing programs—this magazine (which began as a newsletter in the 1980s), our IDA Documentary Awards (now in their 40th year), and Getting Real itself (which evolved from our International Documentary Congresses of the early 1990s). However, we need to adapt our organization to the profound shifts in both our field and the broader world. It’s time to reassess how we can best serve the needs and interests of documentary practice.
To shape IDA’s future direction, we’ve launched a comprehensive assessment. This includes surveying our members, evaluating our programs, analyzing our position within the broader ecosystem, and conducting in-depth interviews with a diverse range of stakeholders: filmmakers, producers, distributors, institutional leaders, critics, educators, and others from around the world. Our goal is to clarify our role and develop a renewed vision for IDA that aligns with our community’s current needs and the evolving nature of documentary filmmaking.
Looking ahead, we’re excited about several initiatives unfolding this fall. In December, the 40th IDA Awards ceremony will be a highlight, hosted at a magnificent, historic venue in the heart of Los Angeles. Before then, we’ll announce the recipients of our Enterprise Fund and Pare Lorentz Fund grants, supporting important documentary projects. Earlier in the fall, we will present public engagement events across the United States to support investigative journalism in documentary practice, reinforcing our commitment to fact-based narratives in this election season.
In our ongoing effort to better serve our community, we’re enhancing IDA membership with new benefits and opportunities. Beginning this fall and rolling out through 2025, we will implement the most significant improvements to IDA membership in more than a decade. Membership has grown in recent years, with IDA members now in 84 countries; we plan to expand this broad transnational community further. To our current members: your support is vital. You make our work possible, and we’re deeply grateful for your continued engagement.
This is a treacherous moment for documentary filmmaking, as it is for all truth-seeking artistic expression. As we navigate our field’s dynamic landscape, we remain committed to fostering creativity, integrity, and impact in nonfiction storytelling. We are with you; thank you for being with us.