The Sheffield DocFest 2024 will shine the spotlight on a collective of Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers, the Ukraine War Archive project, and more, as organizers on Friday unveiled that the theme for the 31st edition of the English festival will be “Reflections on Realities.”
The event, taking place June 12-17, will offer a special program of films and conversations under the title “Days of Reflection” on the themes of co-resistance, freedom of the press, ancestral lands, and archiving the present, which will feature premieres of No Other Land, State of Silence, Yintah, and Witnesses: Captivity That Kills.
“Sheffield DocFest firmly believes in the transformative power of documentaries to spark curiosity, engage audiences, and foster meaningful discussions,” organizers said. “Recognizing the interconnected challenges of rising polarization, freedom of the press, attacks on independent journalism, and the many violent conflicts around the world, we have thought deeply about our position and responsibility as a charity committed to advancing the art of documentary.”
Added the organizers: “As an organization, we denounce all forms of violence and discrimination worldwide. In light of the attacks in Israel on Oct. 7th, and the war in Palestine, and the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, we support the call for a ceasefire and the release of all hostages. We condemn this war and all the wars affecting millions worldwide, and thank the courageous filmmakers from the Middle East, Ukraine, and Sudan who bring their stories to us this year.”
They also emphasized that they would “challenge and address any discriminatory or harmful behavior at any of our events.”
Below is a closer look at the Sheffield DocFest themes and films addressing them.
Co-Resistance
“From Uruguayan sex workers advocating for policy change, to Indian farmers and their families protesting unjust laws, this conversation delves into the transformative power of collective action in fostering understanding and genuine dialog,” Sheffield DocFest organizers said. “At the heart of this panel is No Other Land, which documents the alliance between a Palestinian activist and an Israeli journalist. The Palestinian-Israeli collective of filmmakers and activists behind the film will share insights on how co-creation can ensure dialog over polemic and emphasize the importance of solidarity and mutual support in pursuing shared goals.” The directors and writers of the doc are Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Rachel Szor, and Yuval Abraham.
Freedom of the Press
“Around the globe, journalists face targeting by governments and corporations, hindering their ability to perform their vital roles,” fest organizers highlighted. The film State of Silence, directed by Santiago Maza, follows journalists who discuss the threats they face for reporting from the frontlines of Sinaloa, Tapachula, Morelos, and other cities in Mexico. “The realities of the Mexican journalists, as well as those featured in other films in the selection, will be at the center of the ensuing conversation around the delicate state of journalism worldwide,” Sheffield DocFest emphasized.
Ancestral Lands
The 2024 program features works from filmmakers from Indigenous communities in Colombia, Canada, and Greenland who are using documentary as “a means to express, critique, and document their current and past realities,” organizers highlighted. “Moreover, land rights have evolved into a pivotal issue of social and economic importance, evident in films that delve into social identity, alongside present and post-conflict situations.” Yintah, directed by Jennifer Wickham, Brenda Michell, and Michael Toledano, for example, charts “the plight of the Wet’suwet’en people” fighting for their land and territory in Canada.
Archiving the Present
This panel will explore the work of war archives in shaping the understanding of history, keeping eyewitness testimonies, the ethical considerations of archival storage, and the potential of AI. “Central to this conversation will be Witnesses. Captivity That Kills, a film created by the team of the Ukraine War Archive project that presents unique testimonies about the Russian war collected in 2022-2023,” according to the organizers of Sheffield DocFest. The directors of the doc are Maryna Roshchyna and Tetiana Symon.
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