Sundance Film Festival is back at Park City this month. In addition to seven IDA-supported film screenings, our Executive Directory, Simon Kilmurry, will be moderating “ Streaming: Next-Generation Opportunities for Documentary Storytelling” panel. The protagonists of two IDA Enterprise Documentary Fund grantees, A Thousand Cuts’ Maria Ressa and Welcome to Chechnya’s Masha Gessen will open up about what it takes for journalists to go up against powerful regimes in the “ Truth to Power” session. Other IDA staffers will also be in attendance in various capacities: Filmmaker Services Manager Toni

It is the documentary artform's responsibility to keep viewers informed and intrigued about the world at large. As such, documentaries have always been central in raising awareness around sociopolitical issues, and giving a voice to those working towards an equitable society, defending civil rights and fighting for the inalienable rights afforded to all human beings around the world. For Human Rights Day, we turn our attention to these particular stories and their cultural importance. Whether it's the ongoing struggle for peace in war-torn Syria, or the fundamental question of accountability

Celebrated around the world on October 10, World Mental Health Day is an important occasion to not only encourage conversations around mental health, but also promote education, awareness and advocacy reducing the social stigma surrounding it. The documentary landscape at large, in particular, is no stranger to the intersection of one's career with physical, emotional and financial struggles. On this day, it is critical to seek stories that openly discuss mental health in an open and honest way. IDA recommends these five documentaries as just a few places to spark conversation, as well as

International Music Day is on October 1, and it’s the perfect opportunity to explore our world’s multifaceted communities through music! We’ve curated a list of eight documentaries worth your while to not only dive into some great music, but also understand its role as a vehicle for and mirror on social, political and cultural issues around the world. What Happened, Miss Simone? (Liz Garbus, 2015) Liz Garbus’ Academy Award-nominated film offers an up-close-and-personal look into the life of iconic American singer-songwriter, pianist and vocalist Nina Simone, whose distinctive artistry and

To help you get ready for Podcast Day, we’ve compiled a list of must-listen audio docs that you can dive into online. We even asked this Saturday’s panelists to recommend a few of their own personal favorites, including docs whose production and creation they’ve been involved in: from classic true crime to animated history, here are some audio docs to listen.

Jehane Noujaim is internationally recognized for her confrontational documentaries and her bold insights into a range of topics, from identity to technology to sociopolitical conflict in the US and the Middle East. IDA has honored Noujaim’s films several times at the IDA Documentary Awards: she has won Best Feature Award in both 2001 and 2013, along with Feature Documentary Honorable Mention and Emerging Documentary Filmmaker Award in 2004. Her film The Square was also nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 91st Academy Awards®. Ahead of IDA’s Conversation Series with her on July 9

The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival will screen several films supported by IDA’s Fiscal Sponsorship Program and funding initiatives, including the opening night film, The Apollo by Roger Ross Williams. Here’s the lineup: The Apollo (Roger Ross Williams) Academy Award® winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams looks at the storied history of the iconic Apollo Theater. The landmark has been a cultural anchor on Harlem’s West 125th St. since 1934, and through its doors have passed the most legendary African-American artists of the past nine decades. It represents the ongoing struggle of black lives in

The 2019 Sundance Film Festival officially kicks off today in Park City, Utah. This year, we’re proud to tout that four IDA Enterprise Documentary Fund grantees, two IDA fiscally-sponsored projects and eight IDA member films will be showcased in the U.S. Documentary Competition and Documentary Premieres programs. While 45 percent of the festival’s films are directed by women, all four of our Enterprise grantees are created by women. If you are one of the 125,000 weathering the Utah winter, be the first to relish these films on the big screen. Don’t forget to look out for the IDA team who will

In recognition of World AIDS Day on December 1, we've curated a list of documentaries that tell harrowing, honest and triumphant stories of individuals fighting for their lives against AIDS and the prejudice surrounding the disease. Watch these documentaries and find a way to get involved with your community to fight against the global pandemic of HIV/AIDS and honor those who have died from the disease. How to Survive a Plague (David France, 2012) David France’s directorial debut for Independent Lens takes you on an all-encompassing journey through the history of the HIV/AIDS in the United

Editor’s note: In celebration of National Native American Heritage Month, we invited Rebekka Herrera-Schlichting, now formerAssistant Director of one of our Organizational Members, Vision Maker Media, to select films that help indigenous filmmakers practice their right to narrative sovereignty. Vision Maker Media envisions a world changed and healed by understanding Native stories and the public conversations they generate. Watch and share these great films! List last updated in November 2021. Lake of Betrayal (Paul Lamont, 2017) Lake of Betrayal, from director Paul Lamont, explores the