IDFA Derks studied Dutch literature, film and theater at Utrecht University. For her decades-long work in the industry, Derks was nicknamed ‘Madam IDFA’ and ‘the High Priestess of Documentaries.’ She shaped IDFA's program and profile for 30 years. Under Derks, the festival grew from a niche event with 80 documentary films and an audience of 3000 into a ten-day cinema event with an annual attendance of more than 270,000.{{cite web
Other projects During her decades-spanning career, Derks has been a member of many juries, including
Sundance,
Hotdocs, Silverdocs, and
Nordisk Panorama.{{cite web In 2017 she was offered a fellowship at the Robert Bosch Academy in
Berlin. Since 2017, she has worked in Berlin as curator of the documentary programme of BUFA. Derks remains active as a consultant. She was one of the advisors who helped to launch the
Diane Weyermann Fellowship at Points North Institute.{{cite web In 2023, she was invited to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.{{cite web == Awards and recognition ==