Sheffield DocFest is the UK’s leading documentary festival and one of the world’s most influential markets for documentary projects. We champion and present the breadth of documentary form – film, television, immersive and art – in the vibrant city of Sheffield each June. We offer makers and audiences a place for inspiration, debate, development, learning and challenge. Our programming represents our core values – creativity, empathy, freedom, inclusivity and internationalism.
Review each of the activities of the Market.
Mercado de Sheffield DocFest
The FEST - Pitching Forum is part of the FEST New Directors | New Films Festival, taking place from June 21-29, 2025, in Espinho, Portugal. It invites film, short film, and series projects at any stage of development, from concept to post-production. Selected projects receive training and feedback, with pitching opportunities for international funding and co-productions. The forum includes two phases: workshops from June 24-26 to prepare participants for pitching and final pitch sessions on June 27-28. Projects compete for various prizes and have access to industry professionals. The deadline for submission is April 7, 2025.
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FEST — Pitching Forum
IDFAcademy is an intensive four-day program held within the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), aimed at directors and producers working on their first or second feature-length documentary. It targets filmmakers who have demonstrated national talent and seek to expand internationally. The program includes talks with renowned filmmakers, panel discussions, case studies, and networking events focused on global documentary market trends and challenges.
Applicants must submit a form including their biography, filmography, motivation, and learning goals. Optional materials include ongoing projects and audiovisual samples. IDFAcademy is not a traditional project development lab but a professional training and networking platform.
The application deadline is August 1, 2025, and the program runs from November 13 to 16, 2025, in Amsterdam. About 100 participants from around the world will be selected.
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IDFAcademy
The Industry Screenings at the Curtas Vila do Conde IFF are private sessions showcasing new short films that seek a world or international premiere. These sessions are exclusively dedicated to film industry professionals, offering a unique opportunity to view unseen films and generate interest and establish connections with programmers, distributors, and other professionals in the industry.
The event is aimed at a select audience, including programmers and artistic directors of festivals, who are responsible for selecting films for other international festivals, sales agents, who seek new titles to market globally, distributors, who are looking for cinematic content for different markets and platforms, and television channels, which are often looking for new works to broadcast. Other professionals, such as producers and filmmakers, can also participate to explore networking opportunities.
The program for the Industry Screenings is created in collaboration with the Agency for Short Film, an organization specializing in the curation and promotion of short films, ensuring the selection of high-quality and internationally relevant films.
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INDUSTRY SCREENINGS - Curtas Vila do Conde IFF
Ibermedia promotes the development of feature film projects aimed at the market, particularly the Ibero-American market. To be eligible for this aid, the participation of independent companies from at least two member countries of the fund is necessary, except in the cases of companies from El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua (where projects developed by one or more national production companies may also participate).
Review rules of each category (Animation, fiction, Documentary)
IBERMEDIA PROGRAM - CO-DEVELOPMENT OF FEATURE FILMS
