Sheffield DocFest is the public’s chance to see highly anticipated World, International, European and UK premieres of the latest documentaries before they reach cinemas, public broadcasters and streaming services.
Celebrating the best in non-fiction storytelling
Sheffield DocFest celebrates non-fiction storytelling across multiple platforms, including documentary features, short films, docuseries, live podcast events, immersive experiences, extended reality exhibitions, and talks and masterclasses.
This year, audiences can enjoy screenings of 80 feature films and 24 short films, including first-look premieres from major players such as BBC, Channel 4, HBO, Netflix, SKY, Universal, Prime Video, Mindhouse, Passion Pictures, Tigerlily, and World of Wonder.
The selection has been curated from over 2,900 submissions, showcasing 45 World Premieres, 17 International Premieres, 5 European Premieres, and 35 UK Premieres from 64 countries.
Events will be held in iconic venues and unique spaces throughout Sheffield
There will be screenings at The Showroom, The Light, and Curzon cinemas, talks at The Lyceum, The Montgomery, The Crucible Playhouse, and Crucible Adelphi, and the Alternate Realities program at Yorkshire Artspace: Persistence Works.
This year’s DocFest program focuses on unifying themes.
Themes such as Journalism & Freedom of the Press, Activism & Storytelling, Artificial Intelligence, Indigenous Voices, Games & Play, Climate Crisis & Environmental Justice, Queer Narratives, Archival Work & Historical Memory, and Content for Young Audiences.
DocFest Queer Narratives
Lesbian Lines – World Premiere
Explores a network of underground telephone helplines established by a small community of Irish lesbians in 1979.
Give Me The Ball! – European Premiere
An intimate portrait of tennis legend Billie Jean King, revealing the sacrifices, struggles and determination behind her transformation of women’s sport.
The Way You See Me – World Premiere
An intimate story about the construction of identity and the consequences of defying gender norms within Mexico’s conservative upper-middle- class society.
The Wolf – World Premiere
Yuan, a 60-year-old former village mayor in Shanghai, seeks freedom through heartbreak, marriage and LGBTQ+ repression in modern China.
The Ballad of Judas Priest
UK Premiere: From working-class roots in England’s industrial Black Country, a story of heavy metal’s most influential band, closeted queerness and a culture war.
Shorts: Safe Spaces
Three stories of queer resilience trace the search for safety in homes, music, and asylum centres, where identity, community, and survival collide.
Rose’s House – World Premiere
The story of Martine Rose, who in 1979 bought a rundown terraced house in Sheffield and transformed it into one of Britain’s first dedicated safe spaces for trans people.
RAP BABY – World Premiere
A south London rapper navigates the music industry while confronting what it means to be visible, gay and Black in a world still catching up.
Red Elephant – World Premiere
LGBTQ+ asylum seekers in Belgium face an impossible ask: prove their identity by reliving the worst things that have happened to them.
Public tickets are on sale now.
