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Here's What Really Happened

No tweeting. No press. No industry. Filmmakers-only conversations revealing personal insights into the art and business of documentary filmmaking.


“Here’s What Really Happened” are signature sessions from IDA's biennial Getting Real Conference that began as a filmmaker-led solution to combat the lack of transparency that continues to plague the community. These intimate conversations allow filmmakers to speak openly about what actually happened in the production, sales and distribution life of a film. The rules are, everything said in the room, stays in the room. Our goal is to create a safe space for discussion that allows filmmakers to have frank, meaningful discussions without the influence of industry in the room. We believe that one of the greatest resources for a filmmaker is another filmmaker.

In building a more knowledgeable and transparent community together, IDA tours “Here’s What Really Happened” sessions to various festivals and conferences around the world. These private conversations have focused on security/surveillance, sales agents, festival strategies, fact-finding, ethics, work/family life balance, truth-seeking in production, and other themes.

Learn what really happened behind-the-scenes in an upcoming session. It’s personal, it’s intimate, let’s get into it.


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IDA+XRM Media Incubator logo with photos of Nadia Hallgren, Skye Fitzgerald and Smriti Mundhra
About the Event To introduce the IDA+XRM Media Incubator, Director of IDA Funds Poh Si Teng led a discussion on crafting bold character-driven vérité documentary shorts. The program’s mentors Nadia Hallgren ( After Maria), Skye Fitzgerald ( Hunger Ward) and Smriti Mundhra ( St. Louis Superman) share
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Question marks scattered on a dark red background. Text: Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund
Join us on IDA's Facebook Tuesday at 10am PT for a live online conversation with our grants team regarding the 2021 Pare Lorentz Open Call.
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Color grading controller machine with monitor in the back
Hear from a member of the working group, a mentor/mentee editing team, and industry producers who are working towards change in the edit room.
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An U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer is questioning an adult woman inside her home about her documents.
Go behind the scenes in a digital conversation with Co-Directors/Executive Producers Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiau, moderated by IndieWire's Kristen Lopez.
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A group of medium- and dark-skinned dancers are walking through an alley on a hill in their performance outfits
Meet series Subjects Kayla Gore, Arianna Font Martin and Chief Shirell Parfait-Dardar in a digital conversation!
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All text: From the Academy Award Winning Filmmaker of AMY, 1971 in much larger text, collage of 70s musicians are inside 1971
Get an exclusive screener and hear from the team in a digital conversation feat. Executive Producer/Series Director Asif Kapadia, Executive Producer James Gay-Rees, Executive Producer/Editor Chris King and Director James Rogan; moderated by film critic Lisa Kennedy.
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Two adult is out of focused in the foreground facing an adult female therapist
Get an exclusive screener to then join us for a digital conversation feat. Director Kim Robers, Executive Directors Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg, Eli Despres, and Dr. Orna Guralnik.
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Two doctors in blue scrubs and glasses in an operation.
Join us for a digital conversation with Lenox Hill Dr. John Boockvar and Dr. Mirtha Macri as well as Executive Producers/Directors Ruthie Shatz and Adi Barash, moderated by Steve Greene, Associate TV Editor at IndieWire.