Orwa Nyrabia reflects on his 7.5 years as artistic director of IDFA, which he concludes with the 37th edition of the festival. Under his leadership, IDFA has faced challenges such as the corona pandemic, social polarization and the establishment of the Documentary Pavilion in the Vondelpark. Nyrabia, who took on the role after founder Ally Derks and interim director Barbara Visser, emphasizes the importance of IDFA in offering a multitude of perspectives and challenging simplistic views. He is proud of the quality and diversity of the submissions and the solidarity among filmmakers, as exemplified by the Spotlight program on Cuba. Despite political controversies and financial challenges, Nyrabia sees IDFA as an essential platform for documentary films and their role in public debate.

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