IDFAcademy is IDFA’s training program during the festival. Each year, it offers a group of approximately 80 talented documentary filmmakers and producers the opportunity to gain up-to-date knowledge about the international documentary industry (financing, production, distribution). This takes place over the course of four days during the festival. The festival trains talented documentary filmmakers and producers from home and abroad and gives them the chance to show their work at an international platform. IDFAcademy training program stems from the observation that there was no such program in the documentary field for young talented filmmakers and producers who process the necessary artistic skills and knowledge of developments in documentary filmmaking where they can get to know the documentary industry in a short timespan (4 days).The fact that IDFAcademy is embedded in the festival has the advantage that participants can get acquainted with a large festival and the markets thereby effectively being handed the various aspects of the international documentary industry. In addition to gathering up-to-date market knowledge, another important goal is to build an international network of peers and relevant players such as broadcasters, distributors, funds, festivals and markets, many of which are in attendance at IDFA.The prevailing practices in financing, production and distribution, but also the latest trends and developments are addressed during these 4 days. IDFAcademy is unique because it allows the participants to put their gained knowledge of the industry directly into practice with their own documentaries or projects. This last part is mostly possible because during IDFA all the key players are present and willing to spare their time for meetings with the participants.