The 2026 Sheffield DocFest announced the award winners with Filthy (Sucia – Per què no vas fer res?) directed by Bàrbara Mestanza and Marc Pujolar winning the Academy Award-accredited Grand Jury Award for the International Competition.
The Grand Jury Award for the International First Feature Competition was awarded to Magma, directed by Mia Bendrimia, and the Tim Hetherington Award went to The Long Cuban Night, directed by Sergio Fernandez Borras.
Raul Niño Zambrano, Creative Director of Sheffield DocFest said, “After six inspiring days of talks, film screenings, performances, industry pitches, and vital discussions, this edition of Sheffield DocFest has come to an end. But more than the packed schedule, what truly matters is what we’ve witnessed: Sheffield DocFest continues to be a nurturing space for encounters, for building networks, for dialogue and above all, for friendship. All the films we’ve shared this week have found new audiences and we simply hope that the platform we’ve humbly provided helps those stories go even further.”
Mimi Poskitt, Managing Director of Sheffield DocFest said, “From World Premieres to live podcasts, live music to national treasures – and even some sword dancing and a city map of Sheffield constructed in Minecraft: the sheer range of this year’s festival has been a delight. “
2026 Sheffield DocFest Award Winners
International Competition (Grand Jury Award)
The Grand Jury Award for the International Competition was awarded to ‘Filthy (Sucia – Per què no vas fer res?)’ directed by Bàrbara Mestanza and Marc Pujolar.
This Award is Academy Award® accredited and honours films that display artistic vision and courageous storytelling.
The jury said: “Through courageous storytelling and remarkable creative vision, this film transforms personal trauma into a collective reckoning. While rooted in the singularity of the filmmaker’s personal story, the film opens outward, asking larger questions about guilt, shame, power, performance, and the systems that shape our complicity in violence. Its disciplined and compelling editing weaves together years of artistic creation and legal pursuit, creating a gripping journey that challenges audiences to look inward and examine their own narratives. For its bold artistry, precision of its inquiry, and extraordinary commitment over time, the jury awards Filthy, directed by Barbara Mestanza and Marc Pujolar.”
Special Mention: ‘Time Machine Maidan (Машина Часу Майдан)’ directed by Roman Liubyi, and Volodymyr Tykhyy
The jury said: “Through its inventive and immersive approach, this film brings the recent past vividly to life, illuminating the enduring courage and resilience of ordinary people. Both a testament and a warning, it shows us that history’s most consequential turning points are made of individual acts of commitment and sacrifice that must be recognized and confronted in the present moment. In doing so, the film invites us to reckon with our own responsibility in the ongoing struggle for freedom. For its extraordinary vision, masterful use of collective archival footage, and profound exploration of resistance at a defining historical moment, the jury is honored to award a Special Mention to Time Machine Maidan, directed by Roman Liubyi and Volodymyr Tykhyy.”
International First Feature Competition
The Grand Jury Award for the International First Feature Competition was awarded to Magma directed by Mia Bendrimia.
This competition honours the future of non-fiction film and celebrates promising new talent and is supported by Netflix.
The jury said: “This film is a bold personal-political documentary exploring generational trauma resulting from the wounds of colonialism. We were unanimous in our decision to award this film for its intimate access and a creative and courageous act of storytelling from the filmmaker. The Grand Jury Award for the International First Feature Competition goes to Magma.”
Special Mention: ‘A City in the Forest’ directed by Lev Omelchenko and Nolan Huber.
International Short Film Competition
The Grand Jury Award for the International Short Film Competition was awarded to ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ directed by Waad Al-Kateab and Wafa Mustafa.
This Academy Award®, BAFTA and BIFA accredited award honours the best creative approaches in documentaries under 40 minutes.
The jury said: “Being present with Mustafa during this urgent time of resistance through the grounded lens she co-directed offers a vital and emotive watch that expands beyond her intimate family case, representing this large-scale crisis and its social impact.
Special Mention: ‘The Anatomy of a Portrait’ directed by Juan Felipe León.
The jury said: “We thought this film was beautifully provoking in its artful image making, exploring its themes of age, death and art with sensitivity and poetry. Captivating and cinematic in equal measure, this was a rich, visually impressive and thoughtful piece. The Special Mention goes to The Anatomy of a Portrait.”
Tim Hetherington Award
The Tim Hetherington Award was presented to ‘The Long Cuban Night’ directed by Sergio Fernandez Borras.
The award recognises a film and filmmaker that best reflects the legacy of photojournalist and filmmaker Tim Hetherington and is presented in association with Dogwoof.
The Jury said: “The jury found all 5 films shortlisted for the Tim Hetherington Award deeply moving and powerful and it proved a challenging process to decide between them. In thinking about which film should receive the award, perhaps the most important criteria was a film that we felt spoke to the spirit of Tim Hetherington’s work and legacy.
Special Mention: ‘Birds of War’ directed by Janay Boulos and Abd Alkader Habak.
Youth Jury Award
The Youth Jury Award was presented to ‘Crocodile’ directed by The Critics and Pietra Brettkelly by five of the UK’s most passionate young documentary lovers to celebrate non-fiction cinema.
Special Mention: ‘All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea’ directed by Jeanie Finlay.
Shine Global Children’s Resilience Award for Documentary
The Shine Global Children’s Resilience Award for Documentary was presented to Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes for ‘One In a Million.’
The Award recognises storytelling that expands understanding of children’s experiences around the world and the courage they show in confronting extraordinary challenges.
In addition, the short documentary ‘Stalin Boys’, directed by Bianca Giaever and Ora DeKornfeld, has been awarded the Children’s Resilience Award for Short Documentary.
Sheffield DocFest Football Documentary Award
The Sheffield DocFest Football Documentary Award was presented to David Tryhorn and Ben Nicholas for Cantona.
Pitch Session Winners
The Whickers Pitch, Film & TV Funding Award 2026
The Whickers Pitch, Film & TV Funding Award 2025 with a prize of £120,000 went to ‘Children of Honey’ directed by Jigar Ganatra and Emanuel Musa Marco and the development prize of £25,000 went to ‘Welcome to Our Bathhouse’ directed by Tommaso Barbetta.
The Whickers Podcast Pitch
The Whickers Podcast Pitch first prize (£15,000) went to ‘The many gendered mothers of my heart,’ presented by David Green, and the development prize (£5,000) went to ‘The Riverbank,’ presented by Jane Ray and Lieven Heeremans.
Channel 4 First Cut Pitch
Winner: Flora Stewart
Finalists: Callum McCulloch Nowlan, Tamara Lois Ansah, Kiran Sira and Mal Senanayake.
Climate Spring Digital-First Pitch
Winner: ‘Ruben Against The Machine,’ directed by Ruben Reuter and Rosie Baldwin.
The MeetMarket Awards
AIDC Award
Winner: Disruption directed by Sarvnik Kaur
Produced by: Monisha Thyagarajan and Sarvnik Kaur
Country of production: India
Country of co-production: France
DAE Talent Encouragement Award
Winner: Rebellion of Memory directed by Joël Jent
Produced by Sophia Rubischung and Claudia Chávez Lévano
Country of production: Switzerland
Country of co-production: Peru
Tokyo Docs Award
Winner: Taxi Driver directed by Sarah Chishti
Produced by Sarah Chishti
Country of Production: USA
East Doc Platform Award
The East Doc Award is presented by the Institute of Documentary Film. The winning project receives a work-in-progress consultation with the Institute’s specialists, offering focused feedback to help shape the film during production.
Winner: Slavik’s Journey to Forever directed by Vladyslav Vasylchenko
Produced by Bohdanna Semen / Babylon’13,
Country: Ukraine
MEDIMED Award
MEDIMED Doc Market presents an award to one of the standout projects featured at Sheffield DocFest’s MeetMarket. The selected project will be given the opportunity to pitch at MEDIMED’s central Pitching Forum on October 9–10 in Sitges, in front of a curated group of internationally renowned industry professionals. The film’s producer will be invited to attend the market, with accommodation, transportation, and accreditation fully covered.
Winner: Anywhere but here directed by Emilio di Stefano
Produced by Daniéla Frykstrand and Elin Kamlert
Country of Production: Sweden
Ji.hlava Award
The selected project will receive two industry accreditations for the 30th Ji.hlava IDFF and will be included in the Ji.hlava New Visions Market 2026.
Winner: SUDAN – The Invisible War
Bird Street Productions Award
The Changemaker Award by Bird Street Productions is presented to the documentary project that most profoundly embodies the spirit of their mission: to craft films that not only entertain but also provoke thought and inspire change. This project is distinguished by its unwavering commitment to illuminating unseen truths, challenging societal norms, and giving a powerful voice to the underrepresented. The award is given to an emerging filmmaker with a project in development or production. The award consists of a £10,000 cash prize.
Winner: ‘The Bologna Trial’ directed by Paolo Fiore Angelini
Produced by Thierry Detaille, Serena Gramizzi
Thierry Detaille, Serena Gramizzi
Country of Production: Belgium
Country of Co-production: Italy
The Farm Post-Production Award
Winner: ‘Upstream’ directed by Moira Fett, Natalie Berger
Produced by Martha Gregory, Sean Weiner
Country of Production: USA
#DocsConnect Conscious Filmmaking Award by Taskovski Training
Winner: ‘Before our Diaspora’ directed by Theo Panagopoulos
Produced by Nadja Lapcevic
Country of production United Kingdom
Country of co-production France
Taskovski PR & Publicity award
Winner: ‘Rebellion of Memory’ directed by Joël Jent
Produced by Sophia Rubischung and Claudia Chávez Lévano
Country of production: Switzerland
Country of co-production: Peru
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