Festival Information
Yorkshire & The Humber
Overview
Sheffield DocFest is an international documentary festival celebrating non-fiction storytelling across film, audio, and live events. Held annually in Sheffield, the festival presents a wide-ranging public programme of documentary screenings, talks, podcasts, exhibitions, and discussions, inviting audiences to engage with real-world stories and contemporary issues across cinemas and cultural venues throughout the city.
Alongside its public programme, Sheffield DocFest also hosts a major industry and talent-development strand, supporting filmmakers and creatives through markets, talks, and professional exchange. This dual focus means the festival appeals to documentary enthusiasts, creatives, and anyone interested in how real stories are told and shared, creating a city-wide event that sits between cinema, culture, and ideas.
Programme
View the
official programme here.
Note: The programme is released closer to the time of the festival, check back regularly to stay up to date.
Festival Capacity: ≈ 45,000 total admissions (multi-venue)
Sheffield DocFest is a multi-venue city festival and does not publish a fixed site capacity. In 2025, the festival recorded 45,595 total admissions across the programme, including 42,427 in-person attendances and 3,168 online views. These figures reflect cumulative admissions across screenings, talks, and events rather than a single audience count.
Location
Sheffield DocFest takes place across multiple cinemas and cultural venues in Sheffield City Centre, using a walkable cluster of locations rather than a single site.
Festival Venues
The festival is anchored around Showroom Cinema, Paternoster Row, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield, S1 2BX, which acts as the primary hub for screenings, talks, and industry sessions. Additional events and screenings take place at nearby partner venues, including theatres, cinemas, galleries, and university spaces across the city centre.
This multi-venue format allows audiences to move easily between screenings, discussions, and networking events throughout the day.
Travel Info
Sheffield city centre is well connected by national rail services, local trams, and bus routes. Most festival venues are within walking distance of Sheffield railway station and are served by the Supertram network.
Visitors are encouraged to use public transport or walk where possible, as parking in the city centre can be limited during the festival period.
Tickets
Basic Price Range: £40 - £425
This price range gives an indication of the lowest and highest prices available across the festival, from public screening tickets and bundles to professional industry passes. Always check the official ticket pages for current pricing and availability.
Access and pricing vary depending on ticket type. Some tickets provide entry to individual screenings only, while others offer broader access across multiple days and events.
Tickets to Sheffield DocFest can be purchased from the festival's official Tickets Page.
Ticket Options
- Industry Pass – Designed for filmmakers, industry professionals, academics, and press, offering wide access to screenings, talks, panels, and networking events across the full festival.
- DocLover 10 – A bundle of 10 tickets for public film screenings.
- DocLover 5 – A bundle of 5 tickets for public film screenings.
- Single Screening Tickets – Available for individual films, subject to availability.
Concession tickets are available on selected screenings for eligible audiences.
Important Ticket Information
Access to events depends on ticket type. Some screenings and sessions require advance booking, even when included within a pass or bundle.
Industry Passes are intended for professional use and are not necessary for general audiences attending film screenings.
Only purchase tickets from official Sheffield DocFest sales channels. Ticket terms, refund policies, and access rules vary by ticket type and event, so please review the festival’s official terms and conditions before booking.
Accommodation
Sheffield DocFest is not a camping festival, please make your own accommodation arrangements.
General Accommodation
Welcome To Sheffield website has numerous links to accommodation availability.
Student Accommodation
Student Roost provides comfortable and budget-friendly rooms close to the Festival action.
Packing Checklist:
Ensure you are fully prepared for your festival adventure with our Essential Packing Checklist.
Accessibility
Sheffield DocFest is committed to making the festival as accessible and inclusive as possible. Events take place across multiple venues in Sheffield, with accessibility provision varying by location and event type.
Accessible measures across the festival include step-free access at many venues, wheelchair spaces for screenings, companion tickets, accessible toilets, and a dedicated access support team. Selected screenings and events also offer captioning, audio description, BSL interpretation, relaxed screenings, and content warnings.
Visitors with access requirements are encouraged to plan in advance and review venue-specific information. For full details on access provision, application processes, and supported formats, please visit the festival’s official Accessibility page.
