The 26th Sheffield Doc/Fest wrapped up last night with an awards ceremony at the Netflix Crucible Studio, Sheffield, where Jury and Audience Awards were given out to works in the Film and Alternate Realities sections. Each winner received a bespoke Sheffield steel trophy, The Steel Core, created by local artist Harrison Moore.

This year’s Grand Jury Award, honouring a film that “best displays excellence in style, substance and approach to documentary filmmaking”, was awarded to Midnight Family, directed by Luke Lorentzen. The movie follows the struggle of a family who run a private ambulance service in Mexico City’s wealthiest neighbourhoods. The jury, composed of Jeremy Deller, Charlotte Cook and Jenn Nkiru, was impressed by “a technically accomplished film that combines family drama with serious moral questions for the participants and viewers alike.”

Midnight Traveler [+leggi anche:
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Earth [+leggi anche:
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Melanie Iredale, interim director of Sheffield Doc/Fest, praised a festival programme that was “remarkable for the quality of the extraordinary, often personal, often timely stories, that demonstrate internationalism and urgency”. Filmmakers, digital creatives and industry figures from 59 countries (up from 55 in 2018) attended the six-day festival, and 54% of the film programme was directed or co-directed by women.

Here is the full list of award winners:

Jury Awards - Film

Grand Jury Award
Midnight Family - Luke Lorentzen (USA)
Special Mentions
For Sama [+leggi anche:
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Midnight Traveler [+leggi anche:
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International Award
Earth [+leggi anche:
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Special Mention
MOTHER [+leggi anche:
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Art Award (Supported by MUBI)
No Data Plan - Miko Revereza (Philippines)

Tim Hetherington Award (Supported by Dogwoof)
One Child Nation - Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang (China/USA)

New Talent Award
About Love - Archana Atul Phadke (India)

Youth Award
Baracoa [+leggi anche:
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Special Mention
Jawline - Liza Mandelup (USA)

Short Award
America - Garrett Bradley (USA)

Audience Award
For Sama - Waad al-Kateab and Edward Watts

Alternative Realities Jury Awards

Best Digital Experience Award
Echo - Georgie Pinn (Australia)

Best Digital Narrative Award
Le Lac - Nyasha Kadandara (Chad/Kenya/South Africa)

Alternate Realities Audience Award (Supported by Rewind)
Algorithmic Perfumery - Frederik Duerinck (Netherlands)

Pitch Winners

The Whickers Pitch
All That Remains - Amanda Mustard

Runner-up
AZ House - Anna Oliker

The BBC Three Pitch (supported by the BBC)
Rebecca Southworth and Ashley Turner

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation X Guardian Pitch (supported by The Joseph Rowntree Foundation)
Edwin Mingard and Elizabeth Benjamin
Hazel Falck

The Channel 4 First Cut Pitch (supported by Channel 4)
Ashley Francis-Roy