Sheffield DocFest 2026 has wrapped up a “record-breaking year”, attracting over 45,000 people and nearly 2,500 delegates from 74 different countries to six days of films, talks, industry sessions, workshops, parties, performances and parades across Sheffield.
The festival is one of the biggest showcases for documentaries around the globe and this year featured 107 films from 66 countries and over 200 screenings including 45 world premieres, 17 international premieres, six European premieres, and 37 UK premieres.
Sheffield DocFest has also announced that the 2026 Audience Award winner is Ultimate Thunder, directed and shot by Ben G Brown and produced by Ahmed Peerbux, Anna Prichard and James Saville.
“Now in its 33rd edition, the UK’s leading documentary festival celebrates the best in innovative, inspiring and urgent non-fiction storytelling across multiple platforms attracting world-wide talent from renowned broadcasters and streamers alongside Oscar-nominated and emerging filmmakers,” DocFest said.
“Industry delegates alongside public audiences gained an exclusive look at hundreds of film, shorts and TV premieres ahead of public release, plus access to exclusive podcast recordings, immersive gaming exhibitions, a brand new Gen DocFest family events strand and more.”
Highlights of the 2026 festival, which ran from 10-15 June, included a Guest of Honour programme curated by Maxine Peake; headline talks with Miriam Margolyes, Chris Packham, Gary Stevenson and Andrea Arnold; world premiere screenings and appearances from Katie Price, Jesy Nelson, David Olusoga and Michael Sheen; and performances from Heaven 17, Orbital, Ultimate Thunder and Sam Browne.
In a major festival event, over 1,000 meetings with took place across DocFest MeetMarket and talent schemes – an annual hub for documentary talent to showcase their work to industry leading commissioning editors, funders, broadcasters and agents which has seen previous shortlisted films selected for Cannes, Sundance Festival and nominated for Oscar and Emmy Awards.
This year, 175 industry representatives from 138 companies and 30 countries took part with 50 projects selected over the course of the festival MeetMarket days.
The final festival film award was presented to Ultimate Thunder, which received the 2026 Audience Award, voted for by festival-goers from all feature films across the programme.
Sheffield DocFest creative director Raul Niño Zambrano said: “We are thrilled to announce Ultimate Thunder as the winner of the Sheffield DocFest 2026 Audience Award.
“The film’s premiere at the Lyceum Theatre was an emotional whirlwind of laughter and tears, ending in a thunderous applause and a standing ovation as the band took to the stage for an unforgettable live performance.
“Ultimate Thunder beautifully captures the enduring power of community, and we are incredibly proud to see our audience crown it this year’s favourite.”
