Unifrance with French documentaries at Sheffield Doc Fest

26 JUNE 2025

Unifrance was present at the 32nd Sheffield Doc/Fest, held from June 18 to 23 in Sheffield, United Kingdom.A major international documentary event, this year's festival featured 51 world premieres, 16 international, 8 European and 39 British, representing 68 countries, including France with no fewer than 15 French productions and co-productions in the selection.

A genuine crossroads for documentaries, the festival offers screenings, professional meetings, panels, markets, and masterclasses in a friendly, dynamic atmosphere.

In this context, Unifrance organized a networking breakfast entitled “Love at First Pitch,” which enabled several French documentary projects in development to be presented to international decision-makers and partners. This initiative is part of Unifrance's mission to support the visibility and circulation of French documentaries worldwide.

Daniela Elstner, Executive Director of Unifrance, also participated in the panel "Building Bridges, Backing Stories," alongside Simone Baumann (German Films) and Denitsa Yordanova (UK Global Screen Fund), to discuss strategies for supporting the co-production, distribution, and international promotion of documentaries. This high point highlighted the key role played by European institutions in supporting talent and structuring the sector internationally.

The French presence was also noted at the awards ceremony:

Grand Jury Award – International Competition: Welded Together by Anastasiya Miroshnichenko, co-produced by the French company Little Big Story, with The Netherlands and Belgium. The jury praised this "portrait of resilience and strength" and its "honest and delicate portrayal of a young woman desperately trying to hold her family 'welded together'" in the harsh realities of Belarussian society.
Tim Hetherington Award: Sudan, Remember Us by Hind Meddeb (France/Tunisia/Qatar), a powerful documentary tracing the hopes and tragedies of the Sudanese uprising in 2019.
The Al Jazeera Documentary Channel Co-Production Award went to the French project Power, Elaine, directed by Mila Turajlic and produced by the Survivance (Carine Chichkowsky) production company, presented at MeetMarket.

These distinctions testify to the excellence and commitment of French documentary on the international scene, and confirm the relevance of the actions taken to strengthen its reach.