Sheffield DocFest 2025 Program Features AI Ethics, Climate Storytelling, and Major Industry Pitches

Sheffield DocFest 2025, taking place from June 18 to 23, will celebrate its 32nd year as an international documentary festival featuring 35 sessions, four live pitch events, and various marketplace activities. Highlights include a BBC Factual panel discussing streaming adaptations, insights from Alanis Obomsawin on Indigenous authorship, and a session focused on AI in archival storytelling. Liz Bonnin will facilitate a conversation on climate narratives, while Waad Al-Kateab will provide mentorship to up-and-coming filmmakers. Notable pitching opportunities include the Channel 4 First Cut Pitch and The Whickers Film & TV Pitch, which offers a £100,000 prize. The expanded Marketplace will partner with Chicken & Egg Films and the Palestine Film Institute, addressing issues like misinformation and press freedom, with support from Amnesty International and the National Videogame Museum.