Iranian Docs Dominate IDFA Awards, Festival Head Talks Political Films

Two Iranian films have been crowned the main winners of the 38th edition of IDFA, with Mehrdad Oskouei’s “A Fox Under a Pink Moon” taking Best Film in the International Competition and Morteza Ahmadvand and Firouzeh Khosrovani’s “Past Future Continuous” winning Best Film in the Envision Competition. Other winners include Maasja Ooms’s “My Word Against Mine” and Dawood Hilmandi’s “Paikar,” which have won Best Dutch Film and Best First Feature, respectively. 

It’s been a year of changes at IDFA, with the long-time head of the IDFA Bertha Fund, Isabel Arrate Fernandez, moving into the position of IDFA’s artistic director. Hours before the awards ceremony, the veteran exec is still sprightly trodding the labyrinthine corridors of the festival home of the International Theatre Amsterdam. “I’m full of energy,” she tells Variety. People are surprised I’m still standing.”

Still, it has been a challenging mission to take on IDFA, the documentary world’s most important festival, during a time of growing political tensions that have catapulted documentary filmmaking to a constant state of emergency. This year’s festival selection was marked by several films broaching current sociopolitical crises like the war in Ukraine and Gaza, like Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk’s “Silent Flood” and Abdulrahman Sabbah’s “The Clown of Gaza,” as well as docs broaching a growing mistrust in mainstream media, like Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus’ “Cover-Up” and the issues surrounding the increasing popularity of artificial intelligence, like in Marc Isaacs’ “Synthetic Sincerity.” 

“What I’m seeing is that we have been able to create a space for meaningful dialogue and conversations that are not one-dimensional,” says Arrate Fernandez, when asked about how she navigates such sensitive political times. “At times like the ones you’re describing, the way forward is to create this space where conversations can take place, where people are challenged, even more considering the last two years and what IDFA as an organization has gone through. I hope to be able to continue to build on that.” 

And by “considering the last two years,” the festival director is referring to the challenges faced by the festival since the war in Gaza broke out. In 2023, the Dutch event faced major scrutiny after pro-Palestinian protestors took over the stage during its 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.

What happened in 2023 led to then IDFA artistic director Orwa Nyrabia — alongside Arrate Fernandez, former Sundance head Tabitha Jackson and executive director of the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, Rima Mismar — to organize a symposium to discuss how festivals and cultural institutions can accommodate protests and debates. The results of the symposium have just been published by IDFA. 

“I think it’s very important in all communication and for me generally in this role to take into account others, to feel and show empathy,” she adds of how she handles the nuances of the current landscape. “Which doesn’t necessarily mean that it will change my position, but, by taking that into consideration, it also makes you have a certain care for how you say things and when you say things. I think it’s important to be honest, to be transparent, to have conversations that are difficult and to name things for what they are.”

Circling back to the awards, Arrate Fernandez notes that, despite both major winners being Iranian and the country’s strong presence at the festival this year, all juries “make independent decisions.” “The films are very different in how they explore cinematic language and the stories they tell, so, if we take away the nationality or country of production, we can also see two impressive works.”

The International Competition jury praised the protagonist of “A Fox Under a Pink Moon” for “her radiant energy.” “This empowering collaboration between an established filmmaker and a young new artist enables her to reclaim identity amid exile and domestic violence, to bloom despite repression, and to find solace through creation. A self-portrait that witnesses the growth of an Afghan artist whose work will continue to resonate,” the jury added.

As for the Envision Competition winner, “Past Future Continuous,” the jury said it was an unanimous decision for a film where “the form elevates the subject to another level.” “The authors invented and set up a reality where cinematic experience offers emotional truth,” continued the statement. The film presents itself as an unusual and poignant cinematic experiment that holds together various lines of reflection: diaspora, exile, historical repetition, and personal memory.”

Complete list of IDFA winners below: