From this year’s festival favorites to eagerly anticipated world premiere titles, the 2022 International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam includes new films from veterans but there are also plenty of rising stars to know.
This year marked the 35th edition of the world’s leading documentary festival, which will run from Nov 9th to 20th in The Netherlands’ capital and largest city Amsterdam, and will host 66 world premieres and 37 international premieres, with 93 films making their Dutch premieres at the festival.
With 277 films will be shown across 12 days, 13 films are competing in its main International Competition, vying for IDFA Award for Best Film, won last year by Mr. Landsbergis.
The Envision Competition which is described as a selection of unparalleled films, each of them stylistically arresting, as visionary filmmakers forge new cinematic languages, consists of 12 titles from France, Italy, Iran, United Kingdom, Serbia, China, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Russia, Costa Rica, Iraq, Chile, Egypt, Palestine, Qatar, and Brazil.
From Best of Fest section, which showcases films from this year’s festival favorites such as HotDocs, Berlinale, Sundance, CPH:DOX, and Venice, a total of 55 films making their Dutch premieres and 2 films; Naked Gardens by Ivete Lucas and Wildcat by Melissa Lesh and Trevor Beck Frost making their European premieres at the festival.
With the festival’s opening night around the corner, here are 7 films we’re suggesting you keep your eyes out for.
ALL YOU SEE – Nikki Padidar
Iranian-born Nikki Padidar will open this year’s ceremony with her debut documentary All You See on Wednesday evening November 9 which explores themes of exclusion and being an outsider through her own experiences in the Netherlands. But it Not only will the film be screened at the festival’s official opening at Koninklijk Theater Carré in Amsterdam, it will also be screened in 35 theatres across the Netherlands.
POLISH PRAYERS – Hana Nobis
Dealing with some religious issues, Nobis’ coming-of-age documentary follows young man Antek, who grows up in a deeply religious and radical right-wing family in contemporary Poland, finding his identity. The film will receive its world premiere in Luminous section which describes as a wide spectrum of stylistic approaches: from cinéma vérité to experimental; from artist-driven works to socio-politically engaged films playing at the festival.
THE LOST SOULS OF SYRIA – Stéphane Malterre & Garance Le Caisne
With a selection of a leading cohort of truth-seeking filmmakers who don’t compromise on stylistic integrity, hands down our favorite section of the festival, Frontlight offers some shocking global developments in the media industry, the economic systems that preside over lives around the world, and urgent political events currently unfolding around us. In The Lost Souls of Syria, Director Stéphane Malterre and his co-author and historical advisor Garance Le Caisne investigated to what extent international justice proves impotent in prosecuting the criminal Syrian state. The Party Film Sales holds its worldwide sales.
INNOCENCE – Guy Davidi
From Oscar-nominated director of 5 Broken Cameras, Innocence was the only documentary film in Orizzonti section when it premiered at Venice Film Festival in September. With 10 years in the making, Davidi captures what it means to become a soldier in Israel and how society in Israel puts pressure on young children until the moment they enroll to do their military service. The film will be making its Dutch premiere on Nov 11.
APOLONIA, APOLONIA – Lea Glob
With the most interesting (and provocative) poster at this year’s IDFA, Lea Glob’s Apolonia, Apolonia is just a must-see. No words.
ANHELL69 – Theo Montoya
One of the most awarded films at Venice Film Festival 2022, where it scooped two parallel awards and a special mention, Theo Montoya’s documentary Anhell69 has the most interesting story of all; he tells the story of his past in a violent and conservative city. He remembers the pre-production of his first film, a Class-B movie with ghosts, where the starring role, 21-year-old Camilo Najar died of an overdose a week later after he cast him. The film recently took home DokLeipzig main prize.
PARADISE – Alexander Abaturov
A fairy tale and natural disaster blend in this gorgeous-look doc by Alexander Abaturov. With visually appealing landscapes shrouded in orange smoke and black ash Siberian forest, this documentary is another evidence that climate is changing faster here in the polar regions than anywhere else. Along with Apolonia, Apolonia, Paradise will screen in International competition.
