Watch Shortlisted Films for the 42nd Annual IDA Documentary Awards
The shortlists for Best Feature Documentary & Best Short Documentary for the 42nd Annual IDA Documentary Awards, to be held on December 4 in Los Angeles, have been announced! This year, IDA received 650 entries across all categories from 95 countries, an increase over last year in both the total number of entries and the countries represented.
IDA members now have access to view shortlisted films on IDA Virtual Cinema. Not a member? Join or renew today!
Five nominees from the feature and short documentary categories will be selected from the shortlists. Starting with the announcement of nominees on November 17, 2026, thousands of IDA members from 100 countries will view and vote for the Best Short and Best Feature category winners until November 27, 2026.
The 42nd IDA Documentary Awards Ceremony will be held on December 4, 2026, at The Ebell in Los Angeles.
For assistance with the virtual platform or how to screen the films, please email awards@documentary.org.
Key Dates
- IDA Member Viewing (Shortlist ONLY): November 3 - November 17, 2026
- Nominee Announcement: November 17, 2026
- IDA Member Viewing (Nominees ONLY): November 17 - November 27, 2026
- IDA Member Voting Period**: November 17 - November 29, 2026
- IDA Member Viewing (Shortlist and Select films): November 30 - December 31, 2026
- IDA Virtual Viewing Platform closes: December 31, 2026
- Awards Ceremony: December 4, 2026, The Ebell, Los Angeles
Membership Perks
- Exclusive access to the IDA Virtual Platform to screen shortlisted and nominated films
- Voting privileges for the Best Feature and Best Short categories
- Discounted tickets to the 42nd IDA Documentary Awards ceremony