We are very happy to share that Luca Deutinger has been selected as the recipient of the IDF Award by the Institute of Documentary Film. The award is given to one alum of the Verzió Documentary Film Critics Workshop and recognizes an outstanding participant while supporting their further engagement with the international documentary film community.
Luca Deutinger (1998, AT/NL) currently studies fine art at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam. With a background in film production, she now deals with films in different ways; as a writer, as a maker or simply as an observer. Her interest lay in films of any size and kind, with a focus on the everyday.
As part of the award, Luca will receive free accreditation to the East Doc Platform 2026, including observer access to the third session of the Ex Oriente Film workshop and the East Doc Forum. She will also have the opportunity to attend KineDok screenings and other Ex Oriente Film sessions throughout 2026 as an observer, as well as to publish texts – such as interviews or reports – on IDF’s website and social media channels.
The Verzió Documentary Film Critics Workshop takes place within the framework of the Verzió International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival and is designed for aspiring and early-career film critics interested in documentary cinema. Through an intensive writing-focused program, participants receive professional feedback, gain access to industry events, and build connections across the international documentary scene.
Luca’s award is especially meaningful for us, as it highlights the strength of the workshop and confirms the value of our ongoing partnership with the Verzió Film Festival, which we are proud to be continuing for the second year in a row. We see this as a strong sign of shared values and a common commitment to supporting new critical voices in documentary film.
We warmly congratulate Luca Deutinger on this well-deserved recognition and look forward to following her future work.