Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival
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Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival (Czech: Mezinárodní festival dokumentárních filmů Ji.hlava), also known as MFDF Ji.hlava or Ji.hlava IDFF, is a documentary film festival that takes place annually in the Czech city of Jihlava, typically in late October. The festival was established in 1997 by a group of high school students, led by Marek Hovorka, who has directed the festival since its inception. Since 2001, it has been organized by the Jihlava Association of Amateur Filmmakers, which rebranded as DOC.DREAM—the Association for the Support of Documentary Cinema—in 2015. Ji.hlava IDFF is a founding member of Doc Alliance, a coalition of seven European documentary film festivals.
During the 2022 event, over 86,000 visitors viewed films, with more than 36,000 attending screenings in cinemas and nearly 50,000 viewing films online. The festival featured 376 films in 2022, and over 1,000 film professionals participated in the Ji.hlava Industry Programme, which includes initiatives such as Emerging Producers.
The most recent edition of the event took place from 24 October to 2 November 2025.
Program
Competition sections
The festival features six competition sections:
- Opus Bonum – Best World Documentary Film
In addition to the main award, jurors of Opus Bonum also recognize achievements in best cinematography, editing, sound design, and outstanding formats, including categories for best film essay, best debut, and best film from Central and Eastern Europe (Between the Seas Award).
- Czech Joy – Best Czech Documentary Film
- Fascinations – Best World Experimental Documentary Film
- Fascinations: Exprmntl.cz – Best Czech Experimental Documentary Film
- Short Joy – Best Short Documentary Film
- Testimonies – This section focuses on documentaries addressing politics, nature, and knowledge, and includes films with historical and political themes or ecological and environmental topics.
The festival annually nominates one film for pre-selection to the European Film Academy award for Best Documentary Film of the Year. Winners of the Short Joy award may also be eligible for pre-selection to the Documentary Short Subject category at the Academy Awards.
| Year | Film title | Director | Country of origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 731: Two Versions of Hell | James T. Hong | China, United States, Taiwan |
| 2008 | Iraqi Short Films | Mauro Andrizzi | Argentina |
| 2009 | Bassidji | Tamadon Mehran | Iran, Switzerland, France |
| 2010 | 48 | Susana de Sousa Dias | Portugal |
| 2011 | Lost Land | Pierre-Yves Vanderweerd | Belgium |
| 2012 | Kuichisan | Maiko Endo | Japan, United States |
| 2013 | The Uprising | Peter Snowdon | Belgium, United Kingdom |
| 2014 | I Am the People | Anna Roussillon | France |
| 2015 | Dead Slow Ahead | Mauro Herce | Spain, France |
| 2016 | Spectres Are Haunting Europe | Maria Kourkouta, Niki Giannari | France, Greece |
| 2017 | The Wall | Dmitry Bogolubov | Russia |
| 2018 | Vacancy | Alexandra Kandy Longuet | Belgium |
| 2019 | Fonja | Lina Zacher and collective | Madagascar, Germany |
| 2020 | White on White | Viera Čákanyová | Slovakia, Czech Republic |
| 2021 | Lines | Barbora Sliepková | Slovakia |
| 2022 | 07:15 – Blackbird | Judith Auffray | France |
| 2023 | Ship | Elvis Lenić | Croatia |
| 2024 | Ms.President | Marek Šulík | Slovakia, Czech Republic |
| Year | Film title | Director | Country of origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 66 Seasons | Peter Kerekes | Slovakia |
| 2003 | Sentiment | Tomáš Hejtmánek | Czech Republic |
| 2004 | The Ring | Angus Reid | Slovenia |
| 2005 | Snail Fortress | Deszo Zsigmond | Hungary |
| 2006 | All Day Together | Marcin Koszałka | Poland |
| 2007 | Artel | Simon Semtov, Sergei Loznitsa | Russia |
| 2008 | The Flower Bridge | Thomas Ciulei | Romania, Germany |
| 2009 | Border | Jaroslav Vojtek | Slovakia |
| 2010 | Autobiography of Nicolae Ceausescu | Andrei Ujică | Romania |
| 2011 | Bakhmaro | Salomé Jashi | Georgia, Germany |
| 2012 | Mirage | Srđan Keča | United Kingdom, Serbia |
| 2013 | Winter / Miracle | Gustavo Beck, Zeljka Sukova | Croatia, Denmark, Brazil |
| 2014 | We Come as Friends | Hubert Sauper | France, Austria |
| 2015 | Under the Sun | Vitaly Mansky | Czech Republic, Russia, Germany, North Korea |
| 2016 | The Dazzling Light of Sunset | Salomé Jashi | Georgia, Germany |
| 2017 | Opera About Poland | Piotr Stasik | Poland |
| 2018 | Timebox | Nora Agapi | Romania |
| 2019 | TEKSTY | Michał Marczak | Poland |
| 2020 | The Last of the Righteous | Khaled Jarrar | Palestine |
| 2021 | Sons of the Forest | Agustina San Martín | Argentina, Chile, United States |
| 2022 | Stepne | Julius Taminiau | The Netherlands |
| Year | Film title | Director | Country of origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Only if the Baby Cries... | Shadab Farooq | India |
Special sections
The festival also includes special sections dedicated to thematic selections and various styles of documentary filmmaking, such as:
- Spotlight – Features notable filmmakers or documentary movements.
- Retrospective – Showcases significant films from previous years or influential directors.
- Masterclasses – Educational sessions led by industry professionals.
- Theatrical Showings – Public screenings of selected films outside of the competition.
- New Visions Forum – A financing, co-production, and networking event with a focus on exploring critical societal, environmental, and historical issues.
External links
- [dead link]