Filmmaker and producer Veronica McKenzie trekked to this year’s Sheffield doc fest for Words of Colour online, for the second year in a row. Although impressed with the quality of films – and grants – on offer, she was disappointed at the lack of films directed by filmmakers, and especially women, of colour. McKenzie explains how films featuring famous black women on screen were a sellout and why she ended up voguing on the dancefloor.
This year’s Sheffield doc fest screened 165 non-fiction and documentary films from around the globe. There were a number of world class premieres, such as Michael Moore’s Where to Invade Next and Serena, a behind the scenes look at the pressures faced by tennis star Serena Williams in her quest to win four grand slams in a row.
Along with the Grand Jury Award which went to Cameraperson, directed by Kirsten Johnson, a number of new prizes were launched, including the Whicker Foundation Award which offers £80,000 to a new director, the largest documentary grant in Europe.
There were many opportunities for emerging filmmakers to hear from commissioners and broadcasters about what they are seeking for the coming year. In particular the commissioning factual entertainment strand with representatives from Channel 4, Five, Sky, BBC and Discovery led to a spirited discussion.
Documentary legend Michael Moore returns with Where to Invade Next
Serena directed by Ryan White and produced by Peter Berg
It’s very clear that commissioners are in competition with each other, and the increasing demand for content means that creatives with strong concepts are actually in a strong position to get their projects green lit.
The question of ethics in storytelling proved a popular panel. Many contributors discussed issues about who actually has the power to tell stories and the responsibility filmmakers have towards people featured in their films, particularly if they have been put at risk. This goes to the heart of documentary filmmaking as directors take ever more risks to get stories in sometimes hostile environments.
But the underlying dissonance between who is on screen and who tells the stories was evident in that there were very few films by filmmakers of colour across the strands. Only three films featured – Hard Stop, by George Amponsah along with Inside the Gang, by Paul Blake and Victor Chimara, and Generation Revolution by Usayd Younis and Cassis Quarless – were directed by BME talent. There were no films by British women of colour, which was noticeable.
Black women did, however, feature in several documentaries, signalling a renewed interest in celebrity and previously overlooked black female stars. Films such as And Still I Rise about Maya Angelou, Serena, and legendary singers Mavis! (Mavis Staples) and Sharon Jones! were all very hot tickets at the festival, with sold out screenings and people queuing for returns. It was heartening to witness the demand for black women onscreen and hopefully, though programmes such as Doclab, we will soon see more works from black female directors and producers.
The influence of black LGBT communities was felt in the programming of Kiki by Sara Jordeo. For New York’s LBGT people of colour, Kiki dance clubs provide a safe haven. Part of New York’s voguing ballroom scene, it offers family and friendship to those who often have neither.
Kiki directed by Sara Jordenö and Twiggy Pucci Garcon
This vibrant film journeys beyond the glitz and the glamour into the difficulties Kiki devotees face – and are determined to overcome. The strand also included the documentary Strike A Pose about Madonna’s ex-backing dancers from her infamous Blond Ambition tour. Post screening we joined some cast members for the Vogue, Strike a Pose Party that evening.
A highlight of the festival was watching everyone letting their hair down and some bigwigs throwing shapes on the dance floor. All in all Sheffield is a great networking, educational and career development opportunity. Yes, it is expensive, but it has a flash sale on 1 July 2016, so get your skates on.