Thirty-seven films are competing across five prestigious categories at this year's Sheffield DocFest.
Eight films have been selected for the Academy Award™-accredited Grand Jury Award for the International Competition, while a further eight are shortlisted for the International First Feature Competition. Ten films are in the running for the Grand Jury Award for the International Short Film Competition, which holds accreditation from BAFTA, the Academy Awards™ and BIFA. The remaining competitions feature five films shortlisted for the Tim Hetherington Award and six selected for the Youth Jury Award.
International Competition
This year’s International Competition presents a compelling lineup of 6 World Premieres, 1 International Premiere, and 1 European Premiere. From the landscapes of Nigeria (MKO), Spain (Filthy), Ukraine (Time Machine Maidan), and Mongolia (Colors of White Rock), the selection takes audiences on a global journey. The programme addresses vital questions, examining the importance of archives (The Archivist, Lesbian Lines), investigating the weight of an apology (The Apologist), and delving into the unsettling experiences of two boys within a revered Hindu school (Disciples).
International First Feature Competition
The International First Feature Competition shines a spotlight on the boldest new voices in documentary, presenting a diverse lineup (seven World Premieres and one International Premiere) of debut works from Norway (Hope is a Word), France (Magma), and Puerto Rico (Matininó). This year’s selection traverses compelling social and political landscapes, examining shifting gender norms in The Way You See Me and The Wolf, while offering urgent, ground-level perspectives on activism in the USA (A City in the Forest) and Colombia (The Wind's Thirst). The competition programme is rounded out by WOLF, an intimate and vibrant portrait of the acclaimed singer-songwriter Patrick Wolf.
International Short Film Competition
Featuring nine World Premieres and one International Premiere, this year’s Short Film Competition is a definitive showcase of boundary-pushing storytelling. The lineup highlights acclaimed directors alongside unique global perspectives. This includes new works from Waad al-Kateab (Maybe Tomorrow), Teboho Edkins (an open field), and Sam Howard (Relic). Also featured are distinctive stories from around the world, such as Guatemala’s Pelo Lindo, Switzerland’s The Right to Forget, and China’s 3 Lost in Towers. These films adopt compelling cinematic approaches to varied themes: from the activism embedded in all that appears solid is built on blood and Wild East, to the intricate inner lives of middle-schoolers in Stalin Boys, and a moving meditation on life, death, and the human body in Anatomy of a Portrait.
Tim Hetherington Award
The Tim Hetherington Award reflects the legacy of the late photojournalist and filmmaker and celebrates outstanding humanitarian storytelling. The selection spans the globe, taking audiences from demonstrations in Cuba in The Long Cuban Night to reporting from the frontlines of Syria in Birds of War. The programme also includes an analysis of iconic photography in Saigon Story: Two Shootings in the Forest Kingdom; direct accounts from doctors in Gaza in Life Support; and a historic revisit of Toni Cade Bambara’s powerful activist work in TCB - The Toni Cade Bambara School of Organizing.
Youth Jury Award
Selected by the Youth Jury, a group of passionate film enthusiasts aged 18–23, the six nominees for this year's Youth Jury Award comprise a diverse collection that take audiences on a global journey, from Nigeria (Crocodile) and Iran (Past Future Continuous) to the British coastline (All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea). The selection also engages with urgent contemporary issues, ranging from the politics of public memorials in Landscapes of Memory and the ethics of artificial intelligence in Replica, to the vital work of interpreters making live music accessible to Deaf audiences in The Way We Move.
Winners will be announced at a ceremony at The Crucible Playhouse on Sunday 14 June.
Sheffield DocFest is made possible with the huge support of partners, funders and sponsors, including Principal Funders the BFI Audience Projects Fund, awarding National Lottery funding, Sheffield City Council and Arts Council England.
