Sheffield DocFest is adding to its program just a few days before the start of the 33rd edition of the UK’s leading nonfiction film festival.
Announced Friday: Oscar winner Asif Kapadia (Amy, Senna) will take part in what DocFest is calling a landmark conversation about the Up series, which began in the 1960s by chronicling 10 boys and 4 girls growing up in England. Successive iterations followed the kids as they grew into adults, into middle age and now as they approach their golden years. Kapadia will be joined on stage by Jo Clinton Davis (Controller of Factual, ITV) and Mike Blair (Creative Director, Multistory Media) the creators of 70 UP, the last film in the series. Related Stories News Neon Boss Tom Quinn Hails Success Of 'Backrooms,' Saying It Shows Young People Are "Willing To Walk Away From Phones" -- SXSW London News Palestine Film Institute Returns To Sheffield DocFest With Slate Of Features & Filmmaker Delegation
DocFest, which runs June 10-15, has also added several films to the lineup:
These are the jurors announced for the other four competition strands:
International First Feature Competition Jury
Jury members are: award-winning filmmaker Paul Sng, Darren Lawford (producer and former trustee of Sheffield DocFest), and Malikkha Rollins (producer and Director of Industry and Education for DOC NYC)
Shining a spotlight on the boldest new voices in documentary, the International First Feature competition honors the future of non-fiction film, celebrating promising talent. This year’s category features eight debut works, seven of which are World Premieres and one which is an International Premiere. The International First Feature Competition is supported by Netflix.
International Short Film Competition Jury
Jury members for 2026 are: double BAFTA award-winning director Olaide Sadiq (Grenfell: Uncovered, winner of Sheffield DocFest Audience Award 2025) , Joe Hunting (Creative Director at Painting Clouds), and filmmaker Laura Warner (The Cranes Call, A Last Big Story)
The category features nine World Premieres and one International Premiere, highlighting acclaimed directors alongside unique global perspectives in a definitive showcase of boundary-pushing storytelling. The ten films in this year’s competition are up for the Academy Award, BAFTA and BIFA accredited Grand Jury Award which honors the best creative approach to documentary under 40 minutes.
Jurors are: Brenda Danker (Malaysia Freedom Film Network co-founder), Sam Holland (ex-director of Migration Matters festival in Sheffield) and Andrii Kotliar (Ukrainian producer/filmmaker part of the #babylon 13 collective).
Six documentaries will be considered for the Award this year which recognizes a film and filmmaker that best reflects the legacy of photojournalist and filmmaker Tim Hetherington and celebrates outstanding humanitarian storytelling. The award is presented in association with Dogwoof.
Source: deadline.com