The Sheffield Doc/Fest won't happen this June – but organisers want to replace it with autumn screenings

Doc/Fest's 27th edition was set to take place at venues around the city centre from June 4 to 9, but the Covid-19 outbreak means it cannot go ahead as planned.

The event attracts nearly 30,000 people from dozens of countries. In 2019 it benefited the local economy to the tune of £2.47 million and film deals worth more than £8 million were struck by attendees.

A statement by festival director Cíntia Gil said the ‘pitching forums’ – where filmmakers bid for funding and support from broadcasters and studios – will happen in virtual form instead, while films will be shown later in 2020.

“As part of a series of weekends throughout the autumn, we aim to present film screenings, talks, panels, artists’ events and community engagement activities,” she said. “We will announce a full programme in due course.”

Documentaries will not be screened in competition this year. People who have already bought passes will be contacted and offered a full refund.

Cíntia said: “Doc/Fest is an essential moment for the city of Sheffield, for the film industry and for all the international guests who join us, and its collective character is at the heart of the festival’s purpose. We strongly believe that people coming together to watch, to talk and to imagine the world through art is a transformative experience that produces change.

“Therefore, we will organize a series of programmes that will help us honour our mission as a charity, to serve our community as a space for collective experiences, to inspire and question the film industry in the UK and internationally, and to engage in an urgent worldwide conversation about ways of creating, and engaging with, cinema and art in extremely challenging times.”

She added: “We also want to reassure filmmakers and artists that all submitted films and arts projects will be carefully watched and considered.”