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Since its inaugural year in 1994, Sheffield Doc/Fest has only grown in stature, size and acclaim, now considered one of the world's leading documentary festivals. The 2025 edition heralds a new and exciting week in documentary screenings that focus on both the micro and macro stories occurring around the world.
Featuring local British documentaries alongside a huge scope of international film, what makes Doc/Fest so special is its ability to connect audiences with experiences that they may not have previously had access to. With so much to choose from between its six strands (Rebellions, Rythms, People and Community, Memories, Journeys and Debates) young audiences may discover something new about the world, and themselves, whilst watching one of the 82 features or 34 shorts (including 51 world premieres) that are on offer.
As in previous years, wevisited this year's edition of the festival with the purpose of highlighting films that we are most looking forward to sharing with young audiences and educators who are interested in human stories or passionate about documentary as an art form.
The Dating Game
For 36 years, between 1979 and 2015, China implemented the one-child per family policy in an attempt to curb the country's rapidly growing population. This law had the knock-on effect of Chinese men currently outnumbering Chinese women by over 30 million, leaving an abundance of single males in China who are now desperately looking for a woman to match up with in order to realise their dream of having a wife and building a family. Enter Hao, a self-proclaimed dating coach that we follow as he coaches his three new recruits, who all have their own distinct personalities and are searching for love. However, Hao's own marriage may need some work of its own. An observational documentary as hilarious as it is insightful, we are shown the ways in which China's culture of class, performance and technology can influence the way we view relationships and gender in both positive and negative ways. Engaging for ages 12+.
If you like the sound of The Dating Game, you may also be interested in The Instagram Effect, a documentary exploring the history of Instagram, its rise to prominence and how it has affected society in both positive and negative ways. Available to watch on Into Film+.
Lowland Kids
Teenage siblings Howard and Juliette have spent their entire lives on the quietly beautiful Isle de Jean Charles in Louisiana, an island connected to the mainland by a single road. Tragically losing their parents as youngsters, the two have become inseperable, raised by their loving Uncle Chris, finding joy in their natural surroundings. However, the water levels in the deep south are rising - flash floods caused by extreme weather conditions are making their home inhospitable and soon they will officially become the United States' first climate refugees as they are being forced away to the mainland. This engrossing and sumptuously shot documentary follows Howard and Juliette as they mature into young adults torn between the memories they have built at home and the security of the mainland, forced to grow up in an increasingly hostile environment. Whilst their personal stories captivate, the looming threat of climate change makes this a timely story that we should all be aware of. Engaging for ages 15+.
If you like the sound of Lowland Kids, you may also be interested in Eve, a short documentary following a young girl who has lived in an off-grid community with her family as she returns to traditional school. Available to watch on Into Film+.
Blue Has No Borders
In this documentary, a British filmmaker sets out to reach across the political divide and try to bring her new community together. In the years since Brexit, the port town of Folkestone - located on the southern coast of England and from which you can see France on the horizon - provides a snapshot of the current political climate in microcosm. With refugees attempting to reach it by boat on a regular basis, there are tensions in the air: some members of the community welcome them, others oppose them. Filmmaker Jessi Gutch has recently moved to the area and decides to connect with a number of people with different views and lived experiences within the town - from fishermen to migrants; hairdressers to drag queens - to encourage empathy, better understand each other, and hopefully find some common ground. Blue Has No Borders is a timely exploration of community, division, and finding things to be hopeful about in modern Britain. Engaging for ages 15+.
If you like the sound of Blue Has No Borders, you may also be interested in Our Wales, a short love letter to Wales in which young people share their favourite aspects of living there. Available to watch on Into Film+.
Trade Secret
This investigative documentary exposes the truth behind the lies of the polar bear fur trade, revealing the ways in which hunters, political bodies, and wildlife organisations collude to encourage the international trade of an endangered species. Filmed over six years and across nine countries, it follows three individuals who become entangled in a shocking undercover world of black-market trading where the furs and skins of protected species are available for a price if you know where to look. As their investigations deepen, they discover that those individuals and organisations charged with the protection of vulnerable species, such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), may have competing interests involved in the form of pressure from trophy hunting advocates. Trade Secret is a startling and necessary exposé of this world and the ongoing work required to ensure the continued protection of polar bears and other species across the globe. Engaging for ages 16+.
If you like the sound of Trade Secret, you may also be interested in Escape from Extinction, another documentary which focuses on organisations around the world that are involved in animal conservation and preservation. Available to watch on Into Film+.
