23/06/2025 - Belarusian director Anastasiya Miroshnichenko has been lauded for her powerful portrayal of a woman confronting her past

The closing ceremony of the 32nd Sheffield Doc/Fest, the annual celebration of the documentary form unspooling in the North of England, saw Anastasiya Miroshnichenko’s Welded Together (France/Netherlands/Belgium) win the Grand Jury Award in the International Competition. The film – which had its world premiere at the gathering – follows Katya, a welder who is estranged from her family after a traumatic childhood. But when she finds herself caring for her little half-sister, Katya must soon face choices that will have far-reaching consequences. The film was produced by French outfit Little Big Story, Netherlands-based WitFilm and Stenola Productions in Brussels. Lightdox is handling the international sales.

The jury said that the doc is “a portrait of resilience and strength – both of the main character and of a community that stands in solidarity. The film highlights the contrast between the generosity of the people and the harsh realities of alcoholism in Belarusian society. An honest and delicate portrayal of a young woman desperately trying to hold her family ‘welded together’.”

The jury, made up of award-winning director Andrew Jarecki, award-winning producer Rémi Grellety and Tomoko Okutsu, international co-production and acquisitions producer at NHK, also gave a Special Mention to Karla Murthy’s The Gas Station Attendant (USA).

The International First Feature Competition saw the Grand Jury Award go to Comparsa, directed by Vickie Curtis and Doug Anderson (Guatemala/USA). From the shadows of a Guatemalan neighbourhood scared into silence, the film sees two sisters lead a luminous rebellion – unleashing joy, art and radical truth in a fight for survival. The film also won the Shine Global Children’s Resilience Award for Documentary.

The jury members – Alexandre Marionneau (commissioning editor and head of International Co-production, ARTE France), Anna Berthollet (CEO, Lightdox) and filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir – said: “The film celebrates the power of the resilience of a community, while shedding light on an unknown story of systemic, gender-based violence. It’s a movie that introduces us to amazing characters that are smart and sensitive, and which have an astonishing inner force that is an inspiration to push for change against all odds. The movie will leave us with a much-needed and powerful sense of hope.” A Special Mention was given to Carmela and the Walkers by Luis Herrera and Esteban Coloma (Ecuador).

Catarina Gonçalves’ In a Whisper (Portugal/Belgium/Hungary), the story of Belgium’s second-highest-ranking figure skater as she prepares for her first World Championships, won the Grand Jury Award for Best International Short Film.

The Tim Hetherington Award, recognising a film and filmmaker that best reflect the legacy of the eponymous photojournalist and filmmaker, went to Hind Meddeb’s Sudan, Remember Us [+see also:
interview: Hind Meddeb
film profile] (France/Tunisia/Qatar), a feature that depicts the 2019 overthrowing of Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir and the subsequent civil war that followed, while the International Virtual Reality Competition was won by Speechless Witness of a Wandering Tree by Aphra Taghizadeh (Iran/Netherlands), a VR experience told through the eyes and memories of a protester who lost an eye after being struck by police bullets during a demonstration. The Youth Jury selected Runa Simi by Augusto Zegarra (Peru) as its winner.

As for the industry awards, The Whickers Pitch, Film & TV Funding Award, with a prize of £100,000, went to The Video Guy by Sam Howard and Alexander Dickerson (UK/USA) and the Development Prize of £20,000 to Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Koval Bhatia (India). The First Cut Pitch was won by Clio Symington, who secured a commission from Channel 4 for her first 60-minute film and one month of fully paid development with an indie to support the development of her idea. The Al Jazeera Documentary Channel Co-Production Award was shared by the projects Gaza Sunbirds and Power, Elaine.

Here is the full list of award winners at Sheffield Doc/Fest 2025:

Grand Jury Award for the International Competition
Welded Together - Anastasiya Miroshnichenko (France/Netherlands/Belgium)
Special Mention
The Gas Station Attendant - Karla Murthy (USA)

Grand Jury Award for the International First Feature Competition
Comparsa - Vickie Curtis, Doug Anderson (Guatemala/USA)
Special Mention
Carmela and the Walkers - Luis Herrera, Esteban Coloma (Ecuador)

Grand Jury Award for the International Short Film Competition
In a Whisper - Catarina Gonçalves (Portugal/Belgium/Hungary)

Tim Hetherington Award
Sudan, Remember Us [+see also:
interview: Hind Meddeb
film profile] - Hind Meddeb (France/Tunisia/Qatar)

International Virtual Reality Competition

Winner
Speechless Witness of a Wandering Tree - Aphra Taghizadeh (Iran/Netherlands)

Youth Jury Award
Runa Simi - Augusto Zegarra (Peru)

Shine Global Children’s Resilience Award for Documentary
Comparsa - Vickie Curtis, Doug Anderson

Industry awards

The Whickers Pitch, Film & TV Funding Award

1st Prize
The Video Guy - Sam Howard, Alexander Dickerson (UK/USA)

2nd Prize
Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Koval Bhatia (India)

The Podcast Pitch

1st Prize
Redemption Man - Chris Mitchell

2nd Prize
The Great Gay Penguin Cover Up - Jesse Lou Lawson

First Cut Pitch
Clio Symington

Climate Spring Pitch
Michelle Sanders - Downstream

Al Jazeera Documentary Channel Co-Production Award
Gaza Sunbirds
Power, Elaine