The Sheffield DocFest will open with Academy Award-winning director Kevin Macdonald’s latest doc Klitschko: More Than a Fight, while Roger Ross Williams, the first African American director to win an Academy Award, is Guest of Honor.
Sky’s doc about the notorious Ukrainian boxing brothers will take audiences into the lives of former heavyweight world champion Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir, who were prominent in the industry for more than a decade. Vitali is now the longest-serving Mayor of Kyiv, and the feature-length documentary will chart his journey from the ring to defending the city from Russian forces. The film, produced by Docsville Studios and Sky Studios, will be broadcast on Sky Documentaries in the UK and other Sky territories including Germany later this year.
“Like many people around the world I was shocked and outraged by the aggression, murder and wanton destruction of the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” said One Day in September auteur Macdonald. “I wanted to help in some small way – and making a documentary is the only way I have at my disposal. I’m grateful to Sky for enabling us to make this film, sometimes in the face of great obstacles, and to the Klitschko brothers for allowing us access to the most personal parts of their lives and showing us what bravery and resilience really mean.”
The annual fest, which runs 12 to 17 June, has also revealed Academy Award-winning director and producer Williams as this year’s guest of honour. Williams was the first African American director to win an Academy Award for his short Music by Prudence in 2009, and will present a curated program of five social impact documentaries, while moderating a panel discussion with the filmmakers. He has directed and produced tonnes of docs over the past 25 years.
Elsewhere, this year’s Channel 4 Interview is with award-winning filmmaker Anna Hall, best known for a 17-year enquiry into gang grooming and debut doc Edge of the City for Channel 4.
Sheffield DocFest will announce its 2024 theme on Thursday, with the full public program announced and tickets on sale May 8. A further release on May 15 will detail the industry program of sessions, pitches, networking, and receptions.