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Ask Me Anything: IDA Awards Submission

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  • Gabriella Ortega Ricketts, Speaker
Slide providing information on Ask Me Anything: IDA Awards Submission virtual panel

In this special “Ask Me Anything” session, we will be joined by IDA Awards Manager Gabriella Ortega Ricketts to walk through the ins and outs of the 42nd IDA Documentary Awards submission process.

About the Program:

For documentary filmmakers, award submissions can feel both exciting and overwhelming, especially as they navigate evolving guidelines, eligibility requirements, and other factors. Whether you are submitting for the first time or returning with a new project, understanding the process is key to making the most of this opportunity.

In this special “Ask Me Anything” session, we will be joined by IDA Awards Manager Gabriella Ortega Ricketts to walk through the ins and outs of the 42nd IDA Documentary Awards submission process. From eligibility criteria and category considerations to deadlines, submission requirements, and plain-old FAQs, this session will provide clarity and practical guidance for filmmakers at every stage.

IDA Documentary Awards is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in the documentary field, celebrating outstanding nonfiction films and programs from around the world. Since its founding in 1984, the awards have recognized both emerging and established voices in different genres and categories.

This interactive session is designed to demystify the IDA Documentary Awards submission process and highlight key updates for this year. Doc Maker and Doc Pro members will also learn more about the exclusive benefits available to them when submitting to the awards.

Virtual IDA Members Only Event:
Date: Monday, May 11, 2026
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Pacific
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Capacity: Up to 500 people

Eligibility:
The Virtual “Ask Me Anything” Session in May is only open to Members who are Doc Maker or above.

Access:
If you have any access needs to share with us, please email access@documentary.org at least two weeks before the event. We will do our best to accommodate. The virtual event will have automatic Zoom captions.

Code of Conduct:
All participants agree to read and approve the IDA Events Code of Conduct here.

Event Participants

    A woman with short brown curly hair sits at a table in a blue short sleeve short. She holds one hand on her face and one hand on the counter.

    Gabriella Ortega Ricketts

    Gabriella Ortega Ricketts (she/her) is a Colombian-American actress, multidisciplinary artist, and producer living in Los Angeles with her partner and their three cats, Archie, Hank, and Duke. Born and raised in Los Angeles, with a stint in Bogotá, Colombia, she feels a lot of hometown pride and will argue with anyone who disparages the culture, landscape, and historic architecture of our fair city (criticisms about cops and the city council are encouraged, however). She graduated from Bard College in 2014 with a BA in Languages & Literature; as a result, she is very good at copy-editing and speaks French, Italian, and Spanish at a pretty decent level. At IDA, she is the Events and Communications Manager, runs the IDA Documentary Awards Competition, and is a proud Steward of IDA’s shop union, Documentary Workers United. Gabriella was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2013, and strives to be loudly chronically ill in the hopes of shedding more light on the lives of those with invisible illnesses.