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Doc/Fest is the UK's premiere documentary festival and the best place to launch a new doc to an audience of international decision makers, film professionals and public. About 85% of the film programme is made up of submitted documentaries. Filmmakers from around the world are invited to enter feature length and short documentaries produced in 2008/2009 for this year’s festival. The deadline for entries is 17 June 2009. Entry is online at www.sheffdocfest.com for a fee of £25.

Films can also be entered for the Videotheque - used by the festival industry delegates, television programme buyers, distributors, sales agents and festival programmers. The fully digitized Doc/Fest Videotheque has been designed to speed up and simplify selection and viewing for decision-makers to maximise chances of world cinema and TV sales. If a title is selected for the main programme it will automatically be included in the Videotheque at no extra cost.
Non-festival films may be also be included in the Videotheque for an entry fee of £50.

Contact the Film Programmer: Hussain Currimbhoy hussain@sidf.co.uk

MeetMarket 2009 Submissions open 1 June for documentary projects in development with international appeal in any format or genre (including cross-platform) and in any stage of development. Projects do not need to have any financing already secured. For more information contact the Marketplace Director at Doc/Fest: Charlie Philips charlie@sidf.co.uk Pitch Competitions Details are announced at www.sheffdocfest.com . Over £75,000 of prize money can be won.

MeetMarket at Sheffield Doc/Fest is a pitching initiative which uses online systems to match-make documentary makers’ most innovate project ideas with UK and international buyers for one-to-one meetings in a fully supportive environment.

In 2007, 39 projects were pitched to 88 commissioning editors, distributors, funders and other executives from the UK, Europe and the world. Together these generated £93,068 of secured financing and £4,321,980 worth of deals in negotiation. 452 meetings took place at MeetMarket 2007.

The application process is fully online and you must have a trailer or clip to apply. Selected projects have project information and trailer available on our (password protected) website for the commissioners and other executives to review before the MeetMarket. The meeting schedule is made according to preferences indicated by both the executives and the pitch teams online.

Doc/Fest has always been a festival owned by the documentary community and industry with dozens of people offering their time and knowledge to put the sessions together. For the second year, you are invited to submit your own session idea using our online system. The ideas will be discussed and selected by the Doc/Fest team and advisory committee. See further details on the website.

Contact the Festival Director at Doc/Fest: Heather Croall heather@sidf.co.uk Or the Festival Administrator Kirsty Jennings kirsty@sidf.co.uk

The Showroom is a unique venue in the UK offering cinemas, cafes, bar, conference rooms and the delegate centre all under one roof. For 5 days during Doc/Fest, the Showroom is buzzing with thousands of general public and over 1200 industry delegates from around the world.
The HUBS is situated opposite The Showroom and houses the MeetMarket plus many other industry sessions and in 2008 - the Skillset Networking Lounge. Together HUBS and The Showroom house the festival so delegates do not have to walk more than 30 seconds between sessions.

The venues are directly across the road from the Sheffield train station. All public areas of the Showroom are fully wheelchair accessible.

Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, is located 160 miles north of London at the edge of the Peak District.

By Train From London St. Pancras: Journey time approx. 2 hrs 30 mins Discounted return train tickets from London (£31.00 return / £50.00 first class) and other destinations are available from our website. Download the PDF at www.sheffdocfest.com

By Air Doncaster/Sheffield Airport: 30 miles* from Sheffield. (Taxi ride is 40 minutes and approx £35-340)

Manchester Airport: 40 Miles* from Sheffield, Manchester Airport is the UK's third largest airport. There is a direct train connection from Manchester Airport to Sheffield Train Station. (1 hour 20 minutes travel time. Tickets available on the train at approximately £25)

Leeds/Bradford Airport: 40 miles* from Sheffield.

East Midlands Airport: 47 miles* from Sheffield.

By Car Sheffield City Centre is five miles* from the M1, Junction 33 exit.

* 1 mile is approx. 1.6 kilometres.

Each year the hotel rooms in Sheffield are completely sold out during the festival week. There are new hotels being built in Sheffield but with the big increase in delegates attending Doc/Fest in 2007 and expected again in 2008, the situation will remain the same. Doc/Fest delegates begin booking their rooms in March, so BE QUICK to make sure you get a room – don’t delay your booking.
Yorkshire South Tourism has the best hotel rates – access the online booking form via our website: www.sheffdocfest.com. Here you will also find the form to book discount train tickets at the same time. The discount, only available for people booking a hotel on the same form, is a substantial saving. Fax the completed form to Clare Maude (Fax: +44 (0) 114 281 4042) at Yorkshire South Tourism. visitor@yorkshiresouth.com (Tel: +44 (0) 114 281 4048)

Most hotels are within walking distance of the festival venue.