We are delighted to introduce DocFest Future Film Programmers, five Sheffield Hallam University Film Studies students: Sophie Challis, Ralph Whittall, Brett Marsden, Sarah Curtis and Jess Campbell.

The students are planning and curating a diverse programme of documentaries, centred around the theme of rebellion for Sheffield DocFest. The project will culminate in a public screening in Spring, further details to be announced. In the meantime, let's meet our Future Film Programmers:

Sophie Callis

"I’m Sophie, and I’m studying Film Studies at Sheffield Hallam University. The main strand of film I enjoy is arthouse films - films that have an underlying message as well as beautiful imagery and cinematography. I enjoy the small things in life: reading, getting a new bunch of flowers, climbing into fresh bedsheets, the sun hitting my face, and cooking a delicious meal. These simple things make me feel utterly happy. 

I want our programme of documentaries to communicate to people that small changes in daily life can make a huge difference, to accept every person positively, engage in the idea that everyone has the right to be heard, and rebel against the grain."

Ralph Whittall

"Hi, I’m Ralph. I am an ex-History student who very happily made the switch to studying Film Studies. I come from a village in the middle of nowhere, so Sheffield and its culture make for a very welcome way of living for me. I'm a keen climber, often spending my weekends and days off at the bouldering gym or hanging off of a crag in the Peak. My favourite movies are very varied ranging from The Lego Batman Movie all the way to The Lighthouse. I'm excited to be working with Sheffield DocFest, and am stoked to see everything I can at DocFest in June!"

Brett Marsden

"Hi, I’m Brett. I’m a Film Studies student at Sheffield Hallam University as well as a part-time Martial Arts Coach at my local martial arts academy. As you might have guessed, I have a huge passion for films, but I’d be lying if I said the documentary was a genre I frequently visited – until recently, of course. Working on this programme has allowed me to discover a new perspective on documentaries, and in turn, a new perspective on certain aspects of the world. I hope the programme can do for audiences what curating it has done for me."

Sarah Curtis

"My name is Sarah. I am a Film Studies student at Sheffield Hallam University and a Future Film Programmer for Sheffield DocFest. I love an eclectic mix of films, my favourites include Fargo, Great Expectations, The Ladykillers and The Exorcist. In my spare time I enjoy going to pub quizzes with my children, we play to win! I am a member of the Howard League for penal reform and I believe activism can help change things for the better. Documentaries play a huge role in informing and educating and I am proud to help select the documentaries that fit our programme ‘Rebel with a Cause’. I hope we can engage and inspire Sheffield audiences."

Jess Campbell

"My name is Jess and I am proud to be part of the Sheffield DocFest Future Film Programmers. I have a keen interest in film and television, in particular true crime and wildlife documentaries. As well as horror, crime and fantasy films. I have recently taken up digital art and I have started posting movie reviews online. The theme of our programme is rebellion, Rebellion, which is a topic that can be related to universally. I think it's interesting to see the different ways people rebel and the effects the idea of rebellion can have."

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Everyday Underrepresented

and

Underappreciated Artists

Once we were given our placement brief by Doc/Fest Director Cíntia Gil, we started working on our programme. First, we we all worked individually to generate our own themes. We each thoroughly researched our own themes and curated small programmes of documentaries to share with each other and get feedback. We then brought our individual ideas and programmes together into one main theme: ‘Everyday Underrepresented and Underappreciated Artists.’ This theme has been revised multiple times through the curation process as we worked to include documentaries and topics that fit under the umbrella of an overarching theme, which ties all of our ideas together.

The theme focuses on artists whose stories aren’t widely known. Although their art is as valid and deserving of acclaim as famous mainstream artists, for numerous reasons these artists haven’t broken into the mainstream or achieved ‘success’ at all. Through our carefully curated programme, we can enlighten audiences by introducing them to artists who have been working for years without a massive following or the critical acclaim they deserve. We believe every artist deserves an opportunity to be in the spotlight, and we hope to bring attention to a group of people whose art hasn’t been appreciated in their everyday lives. We aim to retroactively give artists the recognition that they haven’t had throughout their careers and to give our audience the experience of being exposed to new creatives they possibly haven’t heard of (who we hope can become some of their new favourites).

‘Everyday Underrepresented and Underappreciated Artists’ gives us a solid core to our programme and also leaves room for the exploration of other themes that intersect with our main idea. The artists we are focusing on are all underrepresented, but their stories also touch on other important and contemporary issues, including mental health and the role it plays in the artistic process; and the marginalisation of minority artists and the effects posthumous appreciation can have in an artist’s legacy. This allows us to spark several diverse and interesting conversations on a range of pressing social issues beneath the umbrella of ‘Everyday Underrepresented and Underappreciated Artists’.

As documentary film programmers we have the responsibility to curate an appropriate and engaging experience for our audiences and, through this theme, we aim to do just that! As film students we’re passionate about film and the artistic process and we hope our passion for these underappreciated artists translates to our audience through our programme.