IDFA 2025 Amsterdam: Full Program, Must-See Documentaries & Creative Highlights
Still from “My Word Against Mine” by Maasja Ooms - Netherlands2025
From 13 to 23 Nov 2025
Every November, Amsterdam becomes the global capital of documentary film. Since its start in 1988, the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) has evolved into the world’s leading festival for creative documentaries, bringing together filmmakers, artists, and audiences from every corner of the planet. With approximately 250 selected titles featured across multiple programmes, from award-winning premieres to immersive new media and experimental storytelling.
This year’s film curation and recommendations come in collaboration with João Henrique Kurtz, our friend and producer at Azores Filmes, whose passion for meaningful storytelling brings a unique lens to our IDFA selection.
In this post, we highlight some of the documentaries to help you plan your festival experience.
Curated Lineup of Must-See Documentaries at IDFA 2025
2000 Meters to Andriivka
Directed by Mstyslav Chernov - Ukraine – 2025
A narrow strip of land between two minefields leads to Andriivka, a Ukrainian village once occupied by Russian forces. In 2023, a platoon sets out to reclaim it, followed closely by journalist and filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov (20 Days in Mariup
ol).
The two-kilometer road becomes a three-month ordeal through a devastated landscape of burnt trees, falling bombs, and silence after battle. Through helmet and drone footage, Chernov reflects on memory, loss, and the dislocation that war leaves behind.
Set on a bridge between Paraguay and Argentina, The Prince of Nanawa follows Ángel, a sharp-eyed nine-year-old growing upamid border trade, flooding, and constant change. What begins as a film about language turns into a years-long portrait of resilience, family, and coming of age in a forgotten place. Clarisa Navas captures everyday life with tenderness and realism, revealing beauty within chaos.
Directed by Aboozar Amini – Netherlands / Belgium – 2025
Aboozar Amini follows 23-year-old Samim, a Taliban soldier in Kabul, capturing the tension between ideology and daily life. While on duty at a checkpoint, Samim negotiates small conflicts and navigates personal struggles, revealing the human side of extremism. The film also introduces his 14-year-old brother, Rafi, showing the early roots of indoctrination alongside the innocence of childhood. Through intimate camerawork and structured storytelling, Kabul, Between Prayers blurs the line between extremist identity and everyday humanity.
Directed by Alaa Aaliabdallah – United Kingdom / Palestine – 2025
Palestinian comedian Alaa Shehada forms a stand-up troupe with men and women from across Palestine, from the Golan Heights to Haifa. The group navigates walls, checkpoints, and cultural differences while bringing humor to cities across Palestine and Israel. Their performances explore the limits of comedy under extreme circumstances, culminating in a planned London festival show that coincides with the violence of 7 October 2023. The film captures their creativity, resilience, and the human cost of conflict through laughter and camaraderie.
Directed by Jane Pollard, Iain Forsyth – United Kingdom – 2025
Broken English explores how cultural iconsare remembered through the fictional Ministry of Not Forgetting, tasked with restoring singer Marianne Faithfull’s artistic legacy. Featuring Tilda Swinton (Discover more about Tilda Swintonhere) and George MacKay as ministry officials, the film examines Faithfull’s life, artistry, and the mythology overshadowing her career. Through a deeply intimate portrait shaped by fame, tragedy, and collaboration with musical legends like Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, the documentary celebrates Faithfull’s uncompromising spirit and enduring influence.
We Are Pat revisits the non-binary character Pat from Saturday Night Live in the 1990s, whose ambiguous gender sparked both laughter and discomfort. Filmmaker Rowan Haber collaborates with trans and non-binary comedians to explore Pat’s legacy, asking how the sketches might resonate today. Featuring candid reflections and conversations with Pat’s creator Julia Sweeney, the film examines how media that once ridiculed can now empower, blending humor, critique, and cultural reflection.
From visionary storytelling to bold experiments, IDFA’s curated programs showcase the best of contemporary documentary filmmaking. Below, we highlight standout films from:
Best of Fests - award-winning documentaries from global festivals
Signed - author-driven works with unique artistic signatures
Envision Competition - innovative films pushing boundaries
Dead Angle: Institutions - explorations of power and systems
Frontlight - urgent, socially engaged stories
For a full overview of all IDFA 2025 competitions and sections, read our dedicated blog post on IDFA 2025 programs.
Sirens Call - Best of Fests
Directed by Miri Ian Gossing, Lina Sieckmann – Germany / Netherlands – 2025
Sirens Call blends documentary, road movie, and sci-fi to follow Gina Rønning, a psychologist and self-identified siren, navigating the American merfolk subculture. Between imaginative mermaid sequences and interviews, Gina explores identity, community, and activism, including LGBTQI+ rights and Black Lives Matter. The film’s fluid, 16mm cinematography immerses viewers in a hybrid world where fantasy and reality merge, revealing personal and collective journeys of acceptance, belonging, and resistance.
Directed by Raoul Peck – France / United States – 2025
Raoul Peck examines George Orwell’s life and prophetic vision, tracing the origins of 1984 and Animal Farm through diaries, letters, and archival material. Voiced by Damian Lewis, Orwell reflects on class, war, and his creative process, while the film juxtaposes historical and contemporary events, from World War II to modern authoritarianism and disinformation. The documentary explores the enduring relevance of Orwell’s warnings and the thin line between dystopia and present-day reality.
This photographic documentary explores the intimate lives of four trans women in Lebanon, spanning from pioneering state-funded gender-affirming surgery in 1997 to the disappearance of safe spaces today. Using personal archives, home video, and director Mohamad Abdouni’s reflections, the film creates a layered portrait of friendship, resilience, and community. Treat Me Like Your Mother honors the trans community’s history and the enduring strength of connection, motherhood, and identity amid societal challenges.
Directed by Gianluca Matarrese – France, Italy, Switzerland – 2025
GEN_ follows Dr. Maurizio Bini, head of the fertility and gender department at Milan’s Niguarda hospital, as he guides aspiring parents through IVF and supports patients reconciling with their gender identities. This fly-on-the-wall documentary captures the delicate balance of medical ethics, personal empathy, and social pressures, exploring the human side of healthcare in a politically charged, commercialized environment. Through intimate consultations and behind-the-scenes interactions, the film highlights compassion, responsibility, and the personal stakes of public medicine.
No Sunshine in Here delves into the lives of Brazil’s domestic workers, mostly black women, navigating long hours, minimal pay, and small living quarters while caring for others. Through personal memoirs, interviews, and historical context, filmmaker Karol Maia sheds light on systemic racism, labor exploitation, and the resilience of these women. Maia also reflects on her own journey, showing how collective action and the fight for labor rights enabled her to transcend poverty.
Fascinated by an old photo of two young, indigenous people of the Amazon, Tatiana Fuentes Sadowski delved into the history of the rubber trade in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
International Competition - features globally appealing films premiering for the first time at IDFA
Directed by João Moreira Salles – Portugal, Brazil – 2025
João Moreira Salles constructs a visual poem about belonging and dislocation, filmed across deserts, oceans, and train stations where stories begin and end without closure.
At 92, Alain Cavalier returns with a quietly radical self-portrait. Mixing humor and haunting stillness, A Scary Movie questions the boundaries between the imagined and the lived, between fear and fascination.
Luminous - premiere films that explore diverse styles
Directed by Deni Oumar Pitsaev – France, Belgium – 2025
Between silence and laughter, Deni Oumar Pitsaev searches for belonging, confronting the weight of heritage, masculinity, and freedom. A deeply human journey where each pause speaks louder than words.
Directed by Maasja Ooms - Netherlands - 2025 This film follows five people who hear voices, exploring their inner worlds through groundbreaking therapy sessions. It offers a profound portrait of the human mind and the delicate dialogue between trauma, identity, and understanding.
Luminous - premiere films that explore diverse styles
A poetic hybrid of fiction and documentary, this film follows a young girl exploring a world without adults—from prehistory to the future. Through language, play, and philosophy, it reflects on the world we’re leaving for the next generation.
Paperland: The Bureacrat Observed + Fellow Citizen
Restored Classics – 2025 Special Screening
Two rare gems, side by side , Terry Jones’s biting satire on bureaucracy meets Abbas Kiarostami’s poetic observation of everyday absurdity. Together, they expose how paperwork and power shape human fate, decades apart yet eerily timeless. This double screening celebrates the art of observation, reminding us that even the mundane hides deep comedy and quiet rebellion.
20 Nov 2025
13:00–14:54
Pathé City 2
IDFA 2025 Tickets & Programs
With hundreds of films, discussions, and special events, IDFA 2025 offers an expansive and diverse program that can be both exciting and complex to navigate. Understanding the structure of the festival’s programs and ticketing options is essential for anyone looking to fully engage with its offerings.
Here’s what you need to know:
Tickets & Passes
Discount passes available for 5, 10, or 20 screenings.
Valid for regular screenings, including IDFA Hits.
Not valid for full-day programs like Best of IDFA or De Volkskrantdag.
Special Day Programs
VPRO Previewdag (14 Nov): Must-see films curated by VPRO.
De Volkskrantdag (15 Nov): Personal picks from Bor Beekman and Aimée Kiene.
De Groene Amsterdammerdag (22 Nov): Documentaries on politics, society, and culture.
IDFA Specials & Highlights
IDFA Hits in Carré (14–16 Nov): Notable films + filmmaker discussions.
Best of IDFA (21–23 Nov): Audience favorites and award-winning films.
Talks & Panels: Including Guest of Honor Talk with Susana de Sousa Dias and Follow the Money discussions.
IDFA transforms the world by opening doors for artists from all over the planet to tell stories that resonate through time. We’re building an accessible and intuitive way to discoverexperiences like the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, helping more people connect with art, culture, and the joy of life out there.
If you want more curated lists like this, reach out to us on social media and explore our website to discover a world of amazing things to do in your free time.
