Sheffield DocFest, the UK’s leading documentary festival and one of the world’s most influential markets for documentary projects, is thrilled to announce its slate for the 20th edition of the MeetMarket.
Taking place Thursday 19 & Friday 20 June 2025, MeetMarket is part of an expansive marketplace programme of talent development, pitches, roundtables and conferences designed to connect new projects with industry partners that runs across the festival.
The selection includes 49 documentary projects, in development, production, and rough cut stage, to be pitched in one-to-one meetings to UK and International industry representatives and experts.
Click here for full details of this year's MeetMarket project.
Record Submission for 2025
Drawn from a record number of 610 submissions, the 49 projects in the 2025 selection encompass 46 countries of production and co-production. New works will be presented from renowned directors such as Mila Turajlic, Carola Fuentes, Kathryn Ferguson and Lindsey Dryden, alongside emerging and young talents presenting their projects for the first time at an international event. This year’s slate includes 17 promising works produced or co-produced in the UK.
An Extended Marketplace
To coincide with the 20th anniversary of MeetMarket, there will be a range of activities including internationally-acclaimed showcases that will be open to all industry pass holders. Details of this will be shared at Industry programme launch on Wednesday 14 May.
World Premieres
This year we are delighted that seven projects that pitched at the MeetMarket in previous years will be returning to Sheffield to have their World Premiere in the film programme. Full details will be announced on Wednesday 7 May.
Patrizia Mancini, Head of Industry, Sheffield DocFest: “For 2025, and for the 20th edition of the MeetMarket, Sheffield DocFest continues to strive to include a broad range of voices and visions from around the globe and to support original stories across genres. With a record number of submissions received this year, the work of the committees has been particularly difficult but a common thread linked many stories that the filmmakers shared with us: the urgency and the importance of a sense of community, the co-creation and collaboration to tell stories that matter, to educate and engage the audiences in these troubled times. From environment to freedom of the press, from indigenous voices to women and LGBTQIA+ rights, the projects reflect courage, resilience and the civic role non-fiction storytelling has in our society”.
The 2025 selection team consisted of 18 UK and international industry professionals. Their experience includes production, sales, funding, distribution, development, festivals, exhibition and more. The 2025 selectors were: Ana Fernandez Saiz, Arianna Castoldi, Dumitrita Pacicovschi, Elhum Shakerifar, Lara Sousa, Keisha Knight, Lucy Mukerjee, Luis González Zaffaroni, Luke Brawley, Nilotpal Majumdar, Patrizia Mancini, Raul Niño Zambrano, Rodolfo Castillo-Morales, Samuel Tebandeke, Soleil Gharbieh, Sophie Duncan, Théo Lionel, and Yulan Chang.
The 32nd edition of Sheffield DocFest will celebrate the art of documentary and bring creatives from across the world together in Sheffield between 18-23 June 2025.
The full public programme will be announced on Wednesday 7 May 2025.
The full industry programme of industry sessions, pitches and events on 14 May 2025.
Industry festival passes are on sale now here for members of the film, digital art and related communities, and you can apply for press accreditation via this link here.
Full list of MeetMarket Projects
MeetMarket Rough Cut Projects
This year’s selection includes 4 projects which will be presented as part of our Rough Cut screenings.
80 Angry Journalists
Production countries: Hungary, Germany
Co-Production countries: Czech Republic, Norway
Directors: András Földes, Anna Kis
Producers: Loránd Balázs Imre (filmDOUGH Productions), Vit Janecek (d1 film)
Dungeon Masterhood
Production country: United Kingdom
Co-Production country: Scotland
Director: Carina NicHaouchine
Producers: Steven Lake (Brass Mill Media), Rob Alexander (perfectmotion)
Humboldt USA
Production country: USA
Director: G. Anthony Svatek
Producer: Elijah Stevens (Space Time Films)
The Victors
Production country: Argentina
Director: Pablo Aparo
Producers: Mayra Bottero (Un buho, dos buhos), Giorgina Mesiano (Criatura Films)
Co-producer: Bunda Films
MeetMarket Projects
A Thousand Winds
Production country: Hong Kong
Director: Kwan Ling Ms Mok
Producer: Emilie Choi Sin Yi (Till We Meet Productions)
Anatomy of a Genocide
Production country: Norway
Co-production countries: Croatia, Sweden
Director: Torstein Grude
Producers: Torstein Grude (Jordskjelv AS), Torstein Parelius (Jordskjelv AS)
Co-producers: Siniša Juričić (Nukleus Film), Ole Rishøj Jensen (Auto Images)
The Archipelago
Production country: United Kingdom
Co-production country: Iceland
Director: Jessica Bishopp
Producers: Gannesh Rajah (Nowhere Films), Jessica Bishopp (Nowhere Films)
Becoming Riskya
Production country: Indonesia
Director: Riskya Duavania
Producer: Riani Singgih (Seven10 Media)
Breaking the Silence
Production country: USA
Director: Ivan MacDonald
Producer: Liz Unger (Hold The Map Productions)
Call Me When the Wind Blows
Production country: Switzerland
Co-production countries: Japan, Paraguay
Director: Arami Ullon
Producer: Aline Schmid (Beauvoir Films)
Chasing Fish
Production countries: Iceland, USA
Director: Rosa Amanda Tuirán
Producers: Juan Devis (93 MEDIA), Árni Thor Jónsson (Republik Film Productions)
Chilean Untitled Documentary
Production country: Chile
Co-production country: Canada
Director: Carola Fuentes
Producer: Rafael Valdeavellano (La Ventana Cine)
Co-producers: Ina Fichman, Simon Kilmurry, Mandy Chang
The Chimney Sweeper
Production country: Japan
Co-production country: France
Director: Shingo Ota
Producer: Kyoko Takenaka (Hydroblast.Inc)
Confidential Project
Confidential
Directors: A collective of filmmakers from Afghanistan
Dekonstrukt
Production country: Poland
Directors: Mateusz Góra, Kamil Wilk
Producers: Piotr Śmiechowski (Telemark), Anna Kępińska
Finding Tarantino
Production country: United Kingdom
Director: Liam Saint-Pierre
Producer: Nan Davies (One Wave Films)
Fixers
Production country: USA
Director: Ora DeKornfeld
Producers: Emma D. Miller, Noah Amir Arjomand
Flotsam
Production country: United Kingdom
Director: Isa Shashikala Rao
Producers: Nadira Murray (Sylph Productions), John Archer (Hopscotch Films)
The Forest Glade
Production country: Ukraine
Co-production countries: France, Germany
Director: Oksana Savoskina
Producers: Loránd Balázs Imre (filmDOUGH Productions), Stephane Jourdain (La Huit)
Gaza Sunbirds
Production countries: Belgium, Spain, United Kingdom
Director: Flavia Cappellini
Producers: Kristian Van der Heyden (Harald House), Ana Gonzalez (Eye Rise Films), Alex King (Huck), Andrea Kurland (Huck)
Heirs of No Regret
Production countries: Italy, Kenya
Co-production country: Netherlands
Director: Saitabao Kayare
Producers: Luigi Conte, Mimu Liku, Zippy Kimundu
Here to Stay
Production countries: United Kingdom, Turkey
Director: Sheida Kiran
Producers: Lucy Draper, Sheida Kiran
How Sweet Does the Honey Taste?
Production country: India
Co-production country: France
Director: Akshat Nauriyal
Producers: Jérémie Palanque (Woooz Pictures), Akshat Nauriyal (Now Delhi)
If I Don't Steal It...
Production country: Palestine
Co-production countries: Jordan, United Kingdom
Director: Muna Alkurd
Producers: Mike Lerner (Roast Beef Productions), Rula Nasser (The Imaginarium Films)
In the Presence of Absence
Production country: USA
Directors: Mona El-Naggar, Cora Engelbrecht
Producers: Neil Collier (Fireside Studios), Leila Abu-saada (Fireside Studios)
Justice in the Land of Fog
Production countries: Spain, Colombia
Director: Laura Dauden
Producers: Laura Dauden (Forward Films), Miguel Angel Herrera (Forward Films), Valentina Romero (UnoUno Films)
Labour & Love
Production country: United Kingdom
Director: Lotje Sodderland
Producer: Helen Spooner
The Listeners
Production countries: United Kingdom, USA, France
Director: Lindsey Dryden
Producers: Lindsey Dryden (Little by Little Films), Rob Alexander (Little by Little Films), Nora Wilkinson (Little by Little Films)
Co-producer: Samantha Steele (Hush River)
Ma, Let’s Fly Together
Production country: United Kingdom
Co-production country: China
Director: Yash Zhang
Producers: Yash Zhang (Talking Trees Production), Camilla Hall (Lady&Bird Films)
The Martial Artist
Production countries: Australia, Taiwan
Director: Paul Chu
Producer: Charlie Chen
Matrescence
Production countries: United Kingdom, USA
Director: Kathryn Ferguson
Producers: Rosie Crerar (barry crerar ltd), Eleanor Emptage (Tara Films)
Mid Wif
Production countries: United Kingdom, USA
Director: Mia Harvey
Producers: Mia Harvey, Natasha Dack Ojumu
Mocha 2
Production country: Argentina
Director: Rayan Hindi
Producer: Rocio Pichirili (Groncho)
The Motorcycles Smuggler
Production countries: Cameroon, France
Co-production country: Nigeria
Director: Arice Siapi
Producers: Martinel Nemalieu (Timeline), Eléonore Boissinot (Dryades Films), Claire Babany (Dryades Films)
Co-producer: Okechukwu Omeire (8281 Pictures)
My Camera, My Gun
Production countries: Portugal, United Kingdom
Co-production country: Japan
Director: Toru Kabuto
Producers: Golriz Kolahi (Moonroad Media & Films), Antonio Ribeiro (Moonroad Media & Films)
Not So Far Away Places
Production country: France
Directors: Renato Borrayo Serrano, Julia Vishnevets
Producers: Milana Christich (Ana Films), Vladislav Ketkovich (Ana Films)
Co-producer: Albin Bourgeois (WePlus)
On the Way
Production countries: United Kingdom, Argentina
Directors: Tom Garmeson, Valentin Caride
Producers: Tom Garmeson, Valentin Caride
Portrait of A
Production country: Jordan
Director: Rand Beiruty
Producer: Rand Beiruty (Shaghab Films)
Power, Elaine (working title)
Production countries: France, Serbia
Co-production country: USA
Director: Mila Turajlic
Producers: Carine Chichkowsky (Survivance), Mila Turajlic (Poppy Pictures)
Co-producer: Robin Hessman
The Safest Place
Production country: Chile
Directors: Milena Castro, Magdalena Hurtado
Producers: Ignacia Merino (Dos Be Producciones), Isabel Reyes (Dos Be Producciones)
The Shadow of Yolüja
Production country: Colombia
Co-production country: France
Directors: Hanz Rippe, Fernanda Pineda
Producers: Fernanda Pineda (Páramo Films), Hanz Rippe (Páramo Films)
Co-producer: Florent Coulon
Shape of Silence
Production country: Canada
Director: Varun Trikha
Producer: Varun Trikha (Sitara Productions Inc.)
Taken by the White Man
Production country: Portugal
Director: Ana Sofia Fonseca
Producers: Ana Sofia Fonseca (Carrossel Produções), Daniella Rice (Carrossel Produções)
Ultimate Thunder
Production country: United Kingdom
Director: Ben G. Brown
Producer: Stuart Ramsay
Under the Heavens
Production country: Lithuania
Co-production countries: Germany, Norway, Denmark
Director: Mindaugas Survila
Producer: Giedrė Žickytė (Moonmakers)
Co-producers: Alex Tondowski (Tondowski Films), Anita Rehoff Larsen (Sant & Usant), Tone Grøttjord-Glenne (Sant & Usant), Patricia Drati (Good Company Pictures)
Until the Buzzing Stops
Production countries: United Kingdom, Lebanon
Director: Abd Al-kader Habak
Producer: Janay Boulos (Habak Films)
Wave
Production country: Georgia
Co-production countries: Romania, Norway
Director: Mariam Chachia
Producers: Mariam Chachia (Kino Elva), Monica Lazurean-Gorgan (Manifest), Kristine Ann Skaret (Stray Dogs Norway)
What You Remember
Production countries: North Macedonia, France, United Kingdom
Director: Pauline Blanchet
Producers: Ljubomir Stefanov (Apolo Media), Pauline Blanchet (Aral Sea Productions), Cyril Cadars (Vestapol Films), Laura Briand (ALTASTELLA STUDIO)
For full details of this year’s MeetMarket projects, visit this link.
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About Sheffield DocFest:
Sheffield DocFest is the UK’s leading documentary festival and one of the world’s most influential markets for documentary projects. We champion and present the breadth of documentary form – film, television, immersive and art – in the vibrant city of Sheffield each June. We offer makers and audiences a place for inspiration, debate, development, learning and challenge. Our programming represents our core values – creativity, empathy, freedom, inclusivity and internationalism.
Sheffield DocFest is run by International Documentary Festival Sheffield, an independent registered charity (no.1184849), whose purpose is to advance the art of film, education and training in documentary filmmaking.
The 32nd edition of the festival will take place between 18-23 June 2025 in Sheffield, UK. For key dates including film entry deadlines, programme launch and marketplace activity visit https://www.sheffdocfest.com/key-dates
About the BFI National Lottery Audience Projects Fund
The BFI Audience Projects Fund will invest £15m of National Lottery funding over three years to support ambitious, audience-facing activity of national scale that celebrates and showcases independent UK and international film and XR work. It will support projects that seek to expand access and encourage greater enjoyment of cinema by connecting audiences that are representative of the UK population with great films - in venues, at events and online.
bfi.org.uk/audience-projects-fund
About the BFI
The BFI is a cultural charity, a National Lottery distributor, and the UK's lead organisation for film and the moving image.
Our mission is:
· To support creativity and actively seek out the next generation of UK storytellers
· To grow and care for the BFI National Archive, the world's largest film and television archive
· To offer the widest range of UK and international moving image culture through our programmes and festivals - delivered online and in venue
· To use our knowledge to educate and deepen public appreciation and understanding
· To work with Government and industry to ensure the continued growth of the UK's screen industries
Founded in 1933, the BFI is a registered charity governed by Royal Charter.
The BFI Board of Governors is chaired by Jay Hunt OBE.
Sheffield DocFest is made possible thanks to the support of our partners, funders and sponsors, including Principal Funders BFI, Sheffield City Council and Arts Council England.
