Sheffield DocFest's MeetMarket

Source: Sheffield DocFest

Sheffield DocFest’s MeetMarket

Projects from Rodrigo Reyes, Ike Nnaebue and Sean McAllister are among 48 titles that will be pitched to international and UK industry representatives and experts at this year’s Sheffield DocFest MeetMarket.

One of the world’s largest documentary and factual pitching forums, MeetMarket moved to the beginning of the festival and will take place on June 15-16 with all projects in the development or production stage.

The projects have been selected from more than 500 submissions. Rodrigo Reyes, whose doc Sanson And Me was the winner of DocFest’s 2022 international competition, is pitching Mexican-US co-pro Warrior Mothers. Nigerian director Ike Nnaebue is coming with a project developed as part of the Generation Africa initiative, while Sean McAllister – who won the Sundance jury prize for The Liberace Of Baghdad – is presenting a follow-up to his 2008 film Japan A Story Of Love And Hate.

This year’s event will add six Rough Cut screenings, including Victoria Mapplebeck’s Motherboard, Cécile Embleton and Alys Tomlinson’s Mother Vera and Ukrainian title A Poem for Little People from director Ivan Sautkin.

The projects were selected by 15 UK and international industry professionals, with the projects encompassing 34 countries of production/co-production. The market allows for the projects to be pitched to the likes of A+E, ARTE, BBC, Channel 4, Netflix and Nat Geo as well as The New York Times, The Guardian and The Sundance Institute.

“For 30 years, Sheffield DocFest has created a space for industry professionals to meet in an open, welcoming and intimate way that provides access for everyone who wants to get their project off the ground,” said marketplace and talent manager for DocFest Charlotte Reekers and creative director Raul Niño Zambrano.

Sheffield DocFest, which this year celebrates its 30th edition, will take place in-person between 14-19 June. The full programme will be announced on 10 May and the industry line-up is set to be confirmed in mid-May.

Full list of MeetMarket projects:

#WhileBlack (Can)
Dirs: Sidney Fussell, Samantha Knowles, Prods: Ann Shin (Fathom Film),
Geeta Gandbhir, Exec prods: Ann Shin (Fathom Film), Geeta Gandbhir, David Oyelowo

All Shields Up (UK)
Dir: Felipe Bustos Sierra, Prod: Ciara Barry (barry crerar Ltd)

The Art of Seeing (UK)
Dirs: Rory Gordon, Bexie Bush, Prod: Fiona Neilson (Mint Pictures)

Artificial Clouds (Chile)
Dir: Josefina Buschmann, Prod: Daniela Camino (Mimbre Films)

Border Town (UK)
Dir: Jessi Gutch, Prods: Nikki Parrott (Tigerlily Two), Charlie Phillips (I am Charlie Ltd)

Breaker (Den-Neth-UK)
Dirs: Anita Mathal Hopland, Jens Lengerke
Prods: Kasper Lykke Schultz (Elk Film), Birgitte Keseler (Elk Film), Exec Prods: Andreas Dalsgaard, Oli Harbottle, Anna Godas

Buried (UK)
Dir: Dan Ashby, Prod: Lucy Taylor (Smoke Trail Productions)

Camels of the Sea (India)
Dir: Vikram Singh, Prod: Mandakini Gahlot (Elefant)

Casas Muertas (Ven-Ecu-Ger)
Dir: Rosana Matecki, Prods: Rosana Matecki, Natalia Imaz (Parabellum Film), Exec prods: Rosana Matecki, Natalia Imaz (Parabellum Film)

EatenFish (Nor)
Dir: Daniel Nils Roberts, Prod: Anne Köhncke (Final Cut for Real)

Elevated (Swe-Sco)
Dir: Gustav Littorin, Prods: Ashley Smith (Sisyfos Film Production), Clara Harris (Sisyfos Film Production)

Finding El Dorado (Ger-Nig)
Dir: Ike Nnaebue, Prods: Asbirg Naranjo (Andersona Films & Amuché prod), Ike Nnaebue

Forest (Pol)
Dir: Lidia Duda, Prods: Michał Ostatkiewicz (Lumisenta Film Foundation), Patryk Sielecki (Lumisenta Film Foundation), Ola Ostatkiewicz, Executive Prod: Anna Bławut-Mazurkiewicz

Four Architects, in Ukraine (UK-Ukr)
Dir: Paul Thomas, Prods: Steve Cole, Paul Thomas (Jackamo Productions)

Get Your 10s (US)
Dirs: Rashaad Newsome, Johnny Symons, Prods: Johnny Symons (Persistent Visions), Rashaad Newsome (Rashaad Newsome Studio)

I Made A Mistake Coming Here (Fr-Georg)
Dir: Kseniya Halubovich, Prods: Louis Beaudemont (Les Steppes), Paata Godziashvili ( Phonograph)

I Want to Kill My Grandfather (Mex)
Dirs: Lilyana Torres, Carlos Morales, Prod: Gabriel Stavenhagen (The Lift), Bettine Mackenzie

Issa’s House (Isr-Palestine) 
Dir: Tomer Heymann, Prod: Tomer Heymann (Heymann Brothers Films), Exec prods: Ahmed Azzeh, Muhanned Qafesha, Izzat Karkei

Japan A Story of Love and Death (UK-Jap-Fin-Ire-Nor)
Dir: Sean Mcallister, Prods: Chris Hees (10Ft Films), Sean Mcallister, Executive Prod: Ryota Kotani

Joy Dancer (US)
Dirs: Suzanne Smith, Sylvia Solf, Prods: Suzanne Smith (Vizione Films), Nkosinathi Mncube

Life is Beautiful (Nor)
Dir: Mohamed Jabaly, Prod: KriStine Skaret (Stray Dog Norway AS), Executive Prod: Mohanad Yaqubi

Live at the Deaf Club (US-UK-Can)
Dir: Jevon Whetter, Prods: Delbert Whetter (Exodus Film Group), Justin Maurer, Jevon Whetter

Marching in the Dark (Bel-Neth-India)
Dir: Kinshuk Surjan, Prods: Evelien De Graef (Clin d’oeil films), Hanne Phlypo (Clin d’oeil films)

Millionaire (Chile)
Dirs: José Ignacio Isla, Felipe Isla, Prods: Ainara Aparici, Daniela Valenzuela | Executive Prod: Ainara Aparici, Daniela Valenzuela, José Isla, Felipe Isla, Inti Cordera

Molka (S Kor-UK-Ger)
Dirs: Ieva Zellite, Olivia Neller, Producer: Andrew McLain

The Monster Of El Estor (Can-Nor)

Dirs: Nadine Pequeneza, Ricardo Acosta, Prods: Nadine Pequeneza (HitPlay Productions), Ricardo Acosta

Moscow Nights (Ire-Ger-Bulg)
Dir: Irina Maldea, Prods: Brendan Culleton (akajava films), Sorin Manu, Ralitsa Golemanova

Mother Vera (UK)
Dirs: Cécile Embleton, Alys Tomlinson, Prods: Laura Shacham (She Makes Productions)

Motherboard (UK)
Dir: Victoria Mapplebeck, Executive Prod: Debbie Manners (First Person Films), Prod: Victoria Mapplebeck

Past Future Continuous (Nor-Iran-It)
Dirs: Firouzeh Khosrovani, Morteza Ahmadvand, Prods: Fabien Greenberg (Antipode Films), Bård Kjøge Rønning (Antipode Films), Executive Producer: Firouzeh Khosrovani

The Peace Piano (UK)
Dir: Rupert Clague, Executive Prod: Clive Patterson (Insight TWI Films)

A Poem For Little People (Ukr)
Dir: Ivan Sautkin, Production: Babylon’13, Executive Prod: Elena Saulich

Power (UK)
Dirs: Hilary Powell, Dan Edelstyn, Prods: Hilary Powell (Optimistic Foundation), Dan Edelstyn (Optimistic Foundation), Christo Hird

The River (US)
Dir: Caitlyn Greene

Runa (Pol-Den)
Dir: Agnieszka Zwiefka, Prods: Zofia Kujawska (Chilli Productions), Sigrid Dyekjær (Real Lava), Agnieszka Zwiefka

The Shields (Ire)
Dir: Frankie Fenton, Prods: Frankie Fenton (Kennedy Films Ltd), Kathryn Kennedy Fenton, Exec Prod: Maurice Dekkers

State of Betrayal (Sco-N.Ire)
Dir: Paul Sng, Prods: Sinead Kirwan (Enemy Films), Chris Patterson (Causeway Pictures), Sarah Drummond, Executive Prod: Sarah Drummond

Tens Across the Borders (Phil-Sing-Ger-UK)
Dir: Chan Sze-Wei, Producers: Alemberg Ang (Daluyong Studios), Chan Sze-Wei, Exec prods: Daniel Karslake, Derren Lawford (DARE Pictures)

The House Is Still Dark (Den-Nic-US)
Dir: Felipe Roa Pilar, Producers:Thor Hampus Bank (GotFat Productions), Dara Nicole Diaz Rios

Ultrasonic (Can)
Dir: Shannon Kennedy, Prod: Ann Shin (Fathom Film), Executive Producer: Ann Shin (Fathom Film)

Untitled Teesside Project (UK)
Dir: Jeanie Finlay, Prods: Charlie Phillips (I am Charlie Ltd), Jeanie Finlay

Vagrant Master (China-Neth)
Dirs: Weixi Chen, Weichao Xu, Prod: Jia Zhao (Muyi film)

The Vanished (UK)
Dir: David Whitney, Prods: Trevor Birney (Fine Point Films), Jim O’Hagan (Fine Point Films), Eimhear O’Neill, Kyoko Miyake, David Whitney

Warrior Mothers (Mex-US)
Dir: Rodrigo Reyes, Dawn Valadez, Prods: Su Kim (Grumpy Squared LLC), Rodrigo Reyes (Grumpy Squared LLC), Inti Cordera, Carter Logan, Alysa Nahmias, Amaranta Díaz

Wildfire (S. Afr-Can)
Dir: Zahra Moloo, Prods: Neil Brandt (Storyscope), Sergeo Kirby (Loaded Pictures)

Wing (India-US-UK-S.Afr) 
Dir: Neelu Bhuman, Prod: Neelu Bhuman (Moving Dreams Studios), Exec prods: Cat Burton, Marc Smolowitz, Andrew Nicholson, Sheila Houlahan, Hariharan Krishnan, Ferry Jele

World Makers (working title)
Dirs: Ashley Simone Tyner, William Tyner, Prods: William Tyner (DELU Productions), Ashley Simone Tyner (DELU Productions)

Zero Hour (India)
Dirs: Nachiket Guttikar, Deeksha Ketkar, Prods: Arya Rothe (NoCut Film Collective), Cristina Hanes, Isabella Rinaldi, Deeksha Ketkar, Nachiket G