Sheffield DocFest has announced the dates for its 30th edition in 2023. Next year’s festival will run from Wednesday 14 June to Monday 19 June 2023. MeetMarket will take place on Thursday 15 June and Friday 16 June, which will allow industry professionals the opportunity to experience the opening of the festival.
Lightning Industry Passes for the 30th edition are now on sale, priced at £180 (+VAT) before a price change on 30 September. Industry Passes allow access to the full festival programme of films, exhibitions, talks, panels, industry sessions and live pitches, networking events and parties, plus access to DocPlayer, the industry video on demand platform.
“We cannot wait to champion and present the breadth of documentary form – film, television, immersive and art – in the vibrant city of Sheffield once next June,” say organisers.
As reported this week, Sheffield DocFest Partnerships and Operations Director Sylvia Bednarz is stepping down to following her appointment as MD of the Grierson Trust, taking over from Jane Callaghan who is retiring later this year.
Bednarz joined Sheffield DocFest in 2013 as Director of Partnerships & Development, leading on securing grants and sponsorship funding annually from over 60 UK and international partners including the BFI, Arts Council, BBC, Channel 4, ITV, UKTV, The Guardian, ESPN, Netflix, Amazon Studios, British Council, National Geographic, Canon, BAFTA, as well as several film institutes and embassies.
“The Board of Trustees would like to extend our warmest wishes to Sylvia Bednarz for her future success as she steps down after nine years of dedicated service at Sheffield Docfest. We are very grateful to her for her boundless energy and the significant contribution she has made to the organisation over the years,” writes Alex Cooke, Chair of the Board of Trustees.
In 2022 Sheffield DocFest took place in person 23-28 June with film screenings (135 films, 95 features and 40 shorts), Alternate Realities screenings (29) and exhibitions, Marketplace & Talent activity, and Talks & Sessions.
The Best Film in International Competition was announced as Sansón and Me directed by Rodrigo Reyes (Mexico/USA). The Best Film prize in International First Feature Competition was awarded to Master of Light by Rosa Ruth Boesten (USA/Netherlands).
On the industry side, the project Our Hoolocks by co-directors Chinmoy Sonowal & Ragini Nath (Liminal Picture Production – India) picked up the Whickers Pitch, Film & TV Funding Award 2022 (£100,000).
Channel 4 First Cut Pitch saw five short-listed directors present and discuss a 3-minute micro-documentary on the themed brief of Last Laugh. This was won by Ben Cheetham, securing a commission for a 60-minute film and one month of fully-paid development and mentorship with an independent producer (£5,000 development fund) to further develop the idea, plus one week’s NFTS training paid for by Channel 4.
