The International Documentary Association (IDA) is a non-profit association founded in 1982 by American psychotherapist and filmmaker Linda Buzzell. Buzzell initially publicized the organization as a means to “promote nonfiction film and video, to encourage and celebrate the documentary arts and sciences, and to support the efforts of nonfiction film and video makers all over the world.” She went on to serve as both President and Executive Director of the IDA for four years while her husband, Larry Buzzell, handled finances.

In 1985, IDA held its first annual IDA Awards honoring those films and filmmakers who best represent the medium of documentary film. The ceremony has become the most prestigious event dedicated to the genre, and includes the categories of Best Feature, Best Short, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Writing, and an annual IDA Career Achievement Award. In addition to the annual awards, IDA performs a myriad of services for documentary filmmakers, including the publishing of a monthly calendar of events, publishing the IDA’s quarterly journal “International Journal,” special member screenings, and advocacy for issues of particular interest and importance to documentarians including government regulations and distribution issues. The organization also works to keep independent documentarians abreast of opportunities for project sponsorship and funding. These cultural and educational outreach practices are now a part of IDA’s main mission, but were formerly the goals of a separate institution run by IDA, known as the International Documentary Foundation (IDF).

In addition to these programs and advocacy practices, the IDA offers their Conversation Series with prominent documentary filmmakers as well as DocuDay, an annual back-to-back screening of Oscar-nominated feature and short documentaries preceding the IDA’s Oscar party. The association is currently supported by an international membership made up of producers, directors, writers, editors, camera operators, musicians, researchers, technicians, journalists, broadcast and cable programmers, academics, distributors, and members of the general public.
The International Documentary Association is based in Los Angeles, California.