IDFA Artistic Director Orwa Nyrabia on ‘Recalibration’ Following Tense 2023 Edition and Rejecting Neutrality: ‘We Cannot Rely on an Ostrich Kind of Policy’

variety.com:

Rafa Sales Ross Guest Contributor It’s been a long year at IDFA, Amsterdam’s renowned documentary film festival. Last year, the festival faced major scrutiny after pro-Palestinian protestors took over the stage during the event’s opening ceremony with a slogan seen as a chant of liberation to Palestinians, but viewed as an expression of hostility by those who support Israel.

A head dive into murky waters ensued, with filmmakers withdrawing from the festival as the team tried to navigate a complicated political climate just five weeks after the events of Oct.

7. This year’s edition, which runs from Nov. 14-24, comes after an “elaborate process of discussions, thinking and introspection,” says the festival’s artistic director Orwa Nyrabia, who recently revealed he will step down at the end of June. “Today, a lot of the spirit of defending the way we do things comes across a little bit like George W.

Bush saying we need to defend our way of life. I think film festivals need to be better than that.” “When it comes to a category of this size of festivals, IDFA was the first last year to happen after Oct.