IDFA Stalwart Isabel Arrate Fernandez won Orwa Nyrabia, whose seven-year term ended on July 1, and was appointed the festival’s next artistic director.
Arrate Fernandez has more than 20 years of experience at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) since 2020.
She recently stopped from a lengthy stint as the executive director of the IDFA Bertha Fund (supporting documentaries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and Oceania) and was also head of IDFA’s Filmmaker Support Division.
The 38th edition of the festival will take place from November 13th to 23rd.
In her new position, Arrate Fernandez will oversee the festival program, which includes its industry, talent and educational elements, as well as IDFA’s new annual home program at Vondelpark Pavilion.
She reportedly conducted several interviews for the post, and many other candidates also applied.
Arrate Fernandez is expected to work with IDFA’s longtime managing director, Cees Van’t Hullenaar.
Marry de Gaay Fortman, chairman of IDFA’s Board of Supervisors, commented:
Arrate Fernandez is the third woman leading IDFA. The festival was co-founded in 1988 by Ally Derks, who stayed as artistic director until 2016. Artist and filmmaker Barbara Visser was taken over in 2018 by Orwa Nyrabia, the only MALN.
“Power House”
The early response from documentary experts to her appointment was positive.
“Isabel Arrate Fernandez, who follows up on Orwa Nyrabia, is not only perfect for the continuity of these unsettling times, but also inspires us,” says Swiss Sales Agent founder and CEO, distributor, producer and FunderFirst Handfilm. “She is a real sense of documentaries and the world’s powerhouse in which they are made. Arreto Fernandez sees new things that can be improved and keeps what has already worked out. Her appointment is great news.”
Martijn Te Pas, Nordic-based documentary consultant and former senior IDFA programmer, added: “It’s good for both IDFA and Isabel. Isabel has been instrumental in supporting the organization. Before Oluwa came, it was in a transitional state, and IDFA was very smart, diplomatic, and at the same time had natural authority.
“She has a great network,” he continued. “The IDFA Bertha Fund is very important and she’s made it a big part. She’s a quiet force. She’s the leader she wants everywhere these days.”
(TagStoTRASSLATE) IDFA (T) Staff movement
