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International Documentary Association announces Getting Real ’26 lineup for Los Angeles conference and global livestream
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Culture/The Apex Times/Jun 24, 7:05 PM EDT

International Documentary Association announces Getting Real ’26 lineup for Los Angeles conference and global livestream

The biennial documentary filmmaking gathering will run July 20-23 in person in Los Angeles, with programming also available online, and will open with keynote remarks from Mandy Chang.

2 min readEditor-approved Apex article

The International Documentary Association announced the full program lineup for Getting Real ’26, its biennial conference focused on “the art and industry of documentary filmmaking.” The event is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles in person from July 20 through July 23, with additional programming available globally online.

The announcement, published June 24 by Deadline, frames Getting Real ’26 as a gathering that combines creative practice with industry discussion, reflecting IDA’s stated focus on both documentary craft and the business environment in which documentaries are financed, produced, and distributed.

Getting Real ’26 will feature keynote addresses by Mandy Chang, identified in the announcement as CEO of the UK Documentary Film Council. The keynote is set to serve as an opening platform for the conference’s broader sessions covering documentary production and industry developments.

Deadline’s report also highlights at least one session theme described as centering on “conversations usually too risky or raw to have anywhere else,” a formulation used in the conference title coverage and linked to the program’s approach to candid discussion.

Beyond keynote remarks, Getting Real ’26 is described as a conference with a “full lineup,” indicating multiple panels or sessions across the four-day schedule. The announcement describes the event as happening both in person and via global online access, designed to extend attendance beyond those physically in Los Angeles.

The International Documentary Association has previously positioned Getting Real as a forum where documentarians, producers, and industry stakeholders can share professional knowledge and learn from one another. In announcing the program, IDA continued that emphasis on the intersection of documentary storytelling and the practical realities of making and releasing nonfiction films.

With the conference date set for mid-July, IDA’s announcement effectively starts the next phase of audience planning, including travel for in-person attendees and scheduling for those joining online. The July 20-23 window also places Getting Real ’26 in the middle of the summer festival and distribution calendar, when many documentary teams are actively seeking buyers, partners, and attention for upcoming releases.

Deadline’s coverage presents the lineup as exclusive in scope for the biennial gathering, with the full set of speakers and sessions tied to the conference’s July schedule. Additional details of the agenda and session times would be expected to be released through IDA’s event materials ahead of the opening day.

Why It Matters

  • The July 20-23 dates create a defined window for documentary industry networking, production discussions, and audience engagement ahead of late-summer releases.
  • Because programming is available both in person and online, the conference can reach documentary professionals who cannot travel to Los Angeles.
  • A keynote led by a UK industry figure indicates cross-Atlantic attention to nonfiction filmmaking and the policy and market environment shaping production.
  • The emphasis on industry as well as creative practice reflects how documentary careers and projects depend on both storytelling decisions and financing, distribution, and professional standards.
  • IDAs lineup announcement sets expectations for organizers, attendees, and institutions planning participation around a coordinated, multi-session schedule.

Sources

Key Facts

  • The International Documentary Association announced the full lineup for Getting Real ’26, its biennial documentary filmmaking conference.
  • Getting Real ’26 is scheduled for July 20-23, 2026.
  • The event will include in-person programming in Los Angeles and also globally online participation.
  • The conference will feature keynote addresses by Mandy Chang, CEO of the UK Documentary Film Council.
  • The program is described as centering on both “the art and industry of documentary filmmaking.”
  • At least one highlighted program theme uses the phrase “conversations usually too risky or raw to have anywhere else.”