Sheffield Doc/Fest 2020 - Our Interview With Cíntia Gil, Festival Director

What will the impact of Covid-19 be on film festivals after the crisis? Is 2020 an existential moment for the format? Does it need a rethink?

Documentary film festivals around the world have been hit hard by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Unable to throw open the doors on their physical locations, major festivals such as CPH:DOX, Thessaloniki, Paris’ Cinéma du Réel and Nyon’s Visions du Réel, have had to resort to fully online editions.

Sheffield Doc/Fest has taken a slightly different path. In order to deliver on its commitments to all its stakeholders, from its funders to the people of Sheffield, festival director Cíntia Gil has opted for a “hybrid model”.

In doing so, the festival delivers on the all-important MeetMarket for instance, taking place next month by videoconference, while promising physical weekend events in the Autumn for everyone in the local community to enjoy and benefit from.