Sheffield DocFest unveils 49 projects for 20th MeetMarket

Sheffield DocFest announced April 30 its slate for the 20th edition of the MeetMarket. 

Taking place Thursday 19 & Friday 20 June 2025, MeetMarket is part of a 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 at rough cut stage, to be pitched in one-to-one meetings to UK and International industry representatives and experts.

The 49 projects derive from 46 production and co-production countries and were selected from a record 610 submissions. “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,” DocFest writes.

This year 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 comments: “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 32nd edition of Sheffield DocFest will run 18-23 June 2025. The full public programme will be announced on Wednesday 7 May 2025. The full Industry programme of sessions, pitches and events will be announced on 14 May 2025.

MeetMarket Rough-Cut Projects

• 80 Angry Journalists Production countries: Hungary, Germany. Co-Production countries: Czech Republic, Norway. Directors: András Földes, Anna Kis. Producer: Loránd Balázs Imre (filmDOUGH Productions). Co-producer: 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)
• The 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 – Full details only for selected Industry representatives at the MeetMarketDirectors: 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)

Click here for full details of this year’s MeetMarket projects.