IDFA 2021

The historic first public cinema screening of The History of the Civil War (1921), long-lost sophomore film by Russian master Dziga Vertov, in Amsterdam’s Tuschinski Theatre, was both a glorious event and an archival triumph, if at times somewhat slow. That said, uninspiring scenes of parading soldiers were offset by an excellent live score, striking war footage and scattered hints of Vertov’s later genius.

Sergei Loznitsa’s feature documentary, Babi Yar, Context, screening in Masters, is part of a much bigger project, The Babyn Yar Memorial Centre, which is being overseen by the Russian director, Ilya Khrzhanovskiy, who also shot his massive and still ongoing Dau cycle of films and installations in Ukraine. Khrzhanovskiy explains to Business Doc Europe.

The MTV-backed doc Ascension, which premiered at Tribeca where it won Best Documentary and the Albert Maysles Award, is screening in the market at IDFA. Director Jessica Kingdon discusses the genesis of the documentary with Business Doc Europe.

Dutch director Shamira Raphaëla talks to Business Doc Europe about the force of nature that is Shabu, a 14-year-old kid living in one of Rotterdam’s roughest estates, but blessed with boundless talent, entrepreneurial savvy and a ton of teenage charm.

“We're in the business of emotions. We're not selling chairs or glasses. We’re selling stories,” First Hand Films’ Esther van Messel tells Business Doc Europe as she eyes up the prospect of industry gatherings once more at IDFA 2021.

The Lightdox IDFA 2021 slate may seem small, but that’s exactly the way company boss Anna Berthollet wants it. What’s more three of those films are in official IDFA selection, including the world-premiere of Serbian Srđan Keča’s Museum of the Revolution in Luminous section. Berthollet explains her rationale to Business Doc Europe.

At some point, maybe a quarter way into the film, you may find yourself asking: what is this all about? But stick with it and you’ll realise this question is an irrelevance. Because you’re about to get sucked in deep into this irresistible, colourful, rough, loving, and sometimes scary world of Cabaret Travesía Travesti.

For her debut feature doc Chinese director Qinyuan Lei returned to the city where she grew up initially to shoot a film about industry and the hardware eco-system, until she met two small siblings having the time of their lives being very mischievous. The director explains more to Business Doc Europe.

The Dutch documentary doyen is having one of those dream IDFAs. Not only did he produce the opening film Four Journeys, the festival is celebrating the 25th anniversary of one of The Netherlands’ most influential docs, Amsterdam Global Village, one Van Huystee’s first feature doc productions. And to cap it all he’s jetting off to NY work on Saturday to cheer on They Call Me Babu (IDFA 2019), which is competing for an Emmy.

Film historian Nikolai Izvolov briefs Business Doc Europe on the rescue and restoration of Russian master Dziga Vertov’s epic The History Of The Civil War which will, during IDFA, be screened for the first time in a cinema to the general public. The momentous event takes place in the Tuschinski on Saturday November 20.