The Sheffield DocFest 2024 line-up includes the directorial debut of Tilda Swinton | News

Tilda Swinton’s directorial debut The hexagonal hive and a mouse in a mazeco-directed with Bartek Dziadosz, will have its world premiere in competition at Sheffield DocFest (12-17 June) as the full program is revealed.

The 109-strong line-up includes 48 world, 14 international and 17 European premiers.

Swinton and her co-director travel the world The Hexagonal Hive And A Mouse Within A Mouse to explore the concept of learning. The documentary was first shown at Sheffield’s MeetMarket in 2018.

All titles in the competition are world premieres, including the latest from Croatian director Goran Devic, Pavilion 6 surrounding Croatia’s fight for a Covid-19 vaccination.

This strand also features Landon Van Soest’s Light Darkness Light about one of the first recipients of a bionic eye; and Daniel Newell Kaufman The stone mountain about America’s relationship with its racist past.

The world premiere of Sareen Hairabedian takes place in the international first film competition My sweet land about child soldiers in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

It is also the world premiere in this direction Kilometer from Ukrainian director Hanna Tykha, about a Chinese factory complex in Ethiopia; and of Inma de Reyes The Boy and the Suit of Lights, about a boy who dreams of being a bullfighter in Spain.

Highlights of the Rhythms section include the world premiere of Toby L’s fade: Until the End using archival footage to portray the band preparing for the album tour.

Idris Elba is among the speakers at this year’s festival, discussing the Channel 4 series Defiance: The Battle for British History which he also narrates. Other speakers include author Simon Reeve, publisher Walter Murch and previously announced guest of honor Roger Ross Williams.

As previously announced, the festival opens with Kevin Macdonald’s Klitschko: More than a fight and a new booth is introduced for 2024, focused on “Days of Reflection”

Sheffield DocFest 2024 programme

International competition

At the Door of the House Who Will Come Knocking (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Dir. Maja Novaković

The hexagonal hive and a mouse in a maze (UK)
Dirs. Tilda Swinton, Bartek Dziadosz

Klitschko: More than a fight (UK) (opening film)
Dir. Kevin Macdonald

Light Darkness Light (Can-UK-US)
Dir. Landon Van Soest

The Mother City (S. Africa)
Dirs. Miki Redelinghuys, Pearlie Joubert

Pavilion 6 (cro)
Dir. Goran Devic

Relentless memory (Chil-Arg)
Dir. Paula Rodríguez Sickert

The stone mountain (US)
Dir. Daniel Newell Kaufman

International first film competition

*indicates the world premiere

bad reputation* (Uru-Arg)
Dirs. Marta García, Sol Infante Zamudio

The Boy and the Suit of Lights* (Scotland-UK)
Dir. Inma de Reyes

Dreams travel with the wind (col)
Dir. Inti Jacanamijoy

Kilometer* (UK)
Dir. Hanna Tykha

Made in Ethiopia (Eth-US-UK)
Dirs. Xinyan Yu, Max Duncan

my sweet country* (USA-Fr-Ireland)
Dir. Sareen Hairabedian

Silent men* (Scotland-UK)
Dir. Duncan Cowles

Yintah (Can)
Dirs. Jennifer Wickham, Brenda Michell, Michael Toledano