Sheffield DocFest Podcast

Matthew Heineman, the BAFTA- and Oscar- nominated director, is one of the most exciting documentary filmmakers working today. His films City of Ghosts and Cartel Land offered searing comment on the fight against ISIS and the war on drugs. In conversation with Mariayah Kaderbhai (BAFTA) Matthew discusses these films and his latest documentary series The Trade depicting the US heroin epidemic. Supported by BAFTA.

Are we entering a new "Golden Age" for feature documentary? Will new funding sources create a flurry of blockbuster features, or is cinema exhibition inexorably declining as audiences 'Netflix and chill'? The rising power of SVOD platforms opens up new audiences and revenue streams, but may also be skewing the market towards over-long, sensational documentaries based on profit algorithms. A panel explore who's got the money and whether today's market prioritises "Films that do Well" over "Films that do Good."

Chaired by Rajesh Thind with Kim Christiansen (Danish Broadcasting Corporation), Mandy Chang (BBC Storyville), Elhum Shakerifar (producer) and Lisa Marie Russo (Doc Society)

As both a high-profile activist and an international model, Munroe Bergdorf's experiences as a transgender woman remain the driving force behind her work. Voted 8th in Pride Power's Top 100 List 2017 Munroe uses her public platform to campaign for and support the trans community worldwide, and all those who define as 'women'. She joined us in conversation to discuss her work, her activism, and her recent documentary What Makes a Woman ?(Antidote Productions) for Channel 4.

The talk was chaired by Liv Wynter and included Munroe and Laura Jones from Antidote Productions.

Sheffield Doc/Fest and Channel 4 welcomed the Grimsby-born, TV adventurer, record breaker, motorcycle racer and lorry mechanic to the Festival for the first time. With inspirational documentaries, produced by North One, spanning world speed records, Formula 1 motor racing, the Wall of Death and his First World War tank build, the enigmatic Guy Martin talked to Suzi Perry about his celebrated TV career and beyond. Supported by Channel 4

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Doc/Fest and Sky were delighted to welcome Sir Lenny Henry to the 2017 Festival. In conversation with June Sarpong, the celebrated comedian and actor discussed his game-changing career, his documentary work for Sky Arts and his drive to make change in the fields of arts, diversity and to tackle poverty through the charity Comic Relief. Supported by Sky

Sheffield Doc/Fest was thrilled to welcome the acclaimed Salford-based actress and writer Maxine Peake to the Festival for the first time. Talking to Guardian journalist Simon Hattenstone Maxine discussed her love of documentary film and those docs that have inspired her life, her sense of humour, work and politics, including Andrew Kotting's idiosyncratic documentary Gallivant, The Alcohol Years by Carol Morley, Ray Müller's biographical doc about the German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl and the classic British doc The Moon and The Sledge Hammer by Philip Trevelyan.

Viewing of high quality factual TV content online has had a massive explosion in the last 18 months – with documentaries attracting millions of global viewers, but as a UK production company or an independent documentary maker, is online production really worth your time? A leading online producers and commissioners from YouTube, the BBC and National Geographic explore what makes a hit, why online production is creatively exciting, how to make money out of new content – and how to exploit the content you already have. Supported by Little Dot Studios

In these strange times with "the media" under attack in the West, there's an urgent need for trustworthy storytelling that responds to current events – and documentary filmmakers are increasingly a part of this. As news organisations invest more in video, many are drawing on documentary techniques - following the best of TV news. How are some of the big names in journalism combining the narrative demands of documentary with the need for balance, objectivity, and fairness? How do editors sourcing stories around the world make sure they aren't commissioning "fake news"?

The session was chaired by Liz Mermin (Thomson Reuters Foundation) and featured Charlotte Cook (Field of Vision), Dorothy Byrne (Channel 4 News), David Alter (Economist Films) and Charlie Phillips (Guardian).

A distinguished panel from the world of film, media and politics discuss the rise of populism, 'echo chambers' and question how open we all are to contrary points of view in today's media.

The session was chaired by William Horsley and the panel featured Charlene White (ITV News), Sara Ramsden (Channel 4), Trevor Phillips OBE, Martin Durkin and Jolyon Rubinstein.

Filmmakers and commissioners at the 2017 Festival discuss the creative impact of Brexit on documentary-making in Britain. A year after Britain voted to leave Europe, we ask how best to represent the voices of those on both sides of the divide, and whether what we see on our screens is changing as a result of the triumph of the Brexiteers.