IDFA is the world's largest documentary film festival held annually since 1988 in a range of cinemas and gallery spaces across the city. Its objective is to promote creative documentaries, presenting them to as wide an audience as possible. In addition to over 200 films screened, there is a real focus on VR, interactive and immersive documentaries, alongside debates, forums and workshops.

IDFA focuses on the power of documentary film as a high-quality, artistic form of information and reflection, showcasing films that help us understand the world and determine our own place in it. The students relished the opportunity to see films that have been selected to make us think, see, and experience, so we are willing to stand up for others and build better societies with more democracy, openness, and humanity.

As part of the trip, each student attended a minimum of two documentary screenings, participated in Immersive work at DocLab, and saw the Fiona Tan installation exhibition by Eye FilmMuseum.  Students also visited the Van Gogh Museum, MOCO Modern Art Museum, Anne Frank House alongside cycling to the Ice Bar, Heineken Museum and some even found time for a boat trip.

Freya Billington, Head of boomsatsuma Film School, believes Film Festival trips are a great way of expanding student awareness of the world they hope to work within, she comments:

"Myself and boomsatsuma Head of Production David Neal were amazed by how eloquent and informed the students were on coming out of screenings and insightful in discussing the sometimes extremely challenging work they had seen. This extends a mind-set we have developed throughout the course, through weekly screenings followed by discussion. Whilst the course is extremely practical, it is very important that students discuss work and develop contextual understanding of film and television, as they progress into the working world."