News

Our 2023 Festival Report is here! In the report, we take a look back at our 30th anniversary edition and reflect on some of the achievements of the festival. Read the full report here.

Take a look at some of our titles from across the festival that are available to watch online, on TV and in cinemas now, and look ahead to some of the upcoming releases scheduled for the rest of the year. Catch up on your favourites, or tune into the films you missed during the festival!

**Applications are now closed**We are seeking expressions of interest from those living and working in the UK with a minimum three years experience in areas such as film and TV production, film markets/forums, film financing, film fund, film sales, film or TV commissioning to preselect projects submitted for our 2024 MeetMarket.

We are so thrilled to announce the 2023 Audience Award is presented to Your Fat Friend directed and produced by Jeanie Finlay (USA, 2023)!

As our 30th Edition comes to a close, we're thrilled to announce this year’s winners presented during the Awards Ceremony, supported by Adobe, at Sheffield’s Crucible Playhouse on Sunday 18 June 2023. 

We are pleased to announce that Dmitry Muratov will attend the Sheffield DocFest 2023 screening of The Price of Truth, which is followed by an in-person conversation with director Patrick Forbes. The event takes place at Sheffield Crucible Theatre and is supported by Channel 4.

Over the past 30 editions of Sheffield DocFest, we have had the great joy of creating a space for documentary makers and lovers to come together and celebrate the work being done by the industry. Here are some good, heartfelt, and funny times members of the DocFest team, both past and present, have had since we began way back in 1994. We’d love to hear yours!

Murtha died suddenly in 2013, having never received recognition for her photography. But today, she is recognised as one of the most significant artists of her generation. In an article written by Tom Seymour and originally published on The Art Newspaper, Paul Sng, photographer David Hurn, and Simon Bainbridge, the head of content for Magnum Photo Agency shed light on how Murtha’s career began. Read on to learn more.

We are excited to announce the filmmakers selected to participate in the Filmmaker Challenge; the four pitches - Channel 4 First Cut Pitch, BBC Storyville Development Pitch, The Whickers Pitch and The Podcast Pitch; along with our 2023 jury members. Join us at our 30th edition of the festival  to ‘Spark Curiosity’ with documentary - and each other - in Sheffield, 14-19 June 2023.

We are pleased to reveal our full Industry Programme for the 30th edition of Sheffield DocFest which completes our full festival line up. This year we are ‘Sparking Curiosity’ with documentary - and each other - in Sheffield, 14-19 June 2023.

We are proud to reveal our full Film programme, Alternate Realities exhibitions, and public Talks for the 30th edition of Sheffield DocFest where we are ‘Sparking Curiosity’ with documentary - and each other - in Sheffield, 14-19 June 2023.

We are thrilled to announce the Opening Night Film, our Guest of Honour, and one of headline talks ahead of our full Programme Launch on Wednesday 10 May.

Explore the 48 international documentary projects selected to pitch at the 18th edition of our flagship pitching forum, the MeetMarket. The event will take place on Thursday 15 and Friday 16 of June 2023.

Applications are now closed for the Banijay UK's Acceleration Bursary for Up-and-Coming Talent, which aims to support 35 emerging creatives across the UK television industry to attend the 30th edition of Sheffield DocFest.

We're excited for you to meet the 15 creatives who will be taking part in our Future Producer School this year which will be running from April - June.

Welcoming Beccy Ashdown as Talks & Sessions Senior Producer; Lisa Brook as Festival Marketing & Communications Lead; Verity Nalley as Alternate Realities Consultant; and meet our Alternate Realities Advisory Committee, who will be reviewing and selecting projects for our 2023 Alternate Realities Exhibition.

Following an open call for applications, we are delighted to welcome three newly appointed members to our Board of Trustees: Stephen Bowen, Lucy McDowell and Zoe Mumba. They will bring a wide-range of expertise to the organisation, across film, funding and development, human rights and law, public relations and technology.

Interested in volunteering? Want to see how an international film and arts festival works? Join our DocCrew Volunteer Programme. With roles available across all areas of the festival, there's something for everyone. Find out more and get involved.

Want to get your new documentary in front of Channel 4? Five new directors will have the chance to pitch their 60' film at the First Cut Pitch at our festival this June and one winner will walk away with a commission. Apply by Sunday 2 April 2023.

In collaboration with Sheffield Hallam University, we are delighted to introduce this year's cohort of Future Film Programmers who have curated a selection of impactful documentaries centred on a theme of social change. Join us for a free screening of two works from the selection on Wednesday 8 March at Showroom Cinema, Sheffield.

We're thrilled to introduce our Film Programme Team, and team of Programme Consultants and Advisers, who will who will be selecting films for this year’s edition, set to take place 14-19 June 2023.

**Applications now closed**
Future Producer School, created by Sheffield DocFest and Bungalow Town Productions, has returned! Future Producer School aims to develop industry partnerships and provide industry knowledge and experience to up-and-coming producers that have the ambition to become international feature documentary producers.

Applications for our Youth Jury programme are open. Now in its 16th year, the programme offers five young film enthusiasts the opportunity to meet film industry experts, select films for the Festival, and choose the winner of the Youth Jury Award announced at the Sheffield DocFest Awards Ceremony!

Announcing our new Managing Director, Annabel Grundy who will join the Festival in December 2022 in a new joint leadership position, working collaboratively alongside Acting Creative Director, Raul Niño Zambrano.