Doc/Fest welcomes TV choirmaster to Sheffield showcase

The choirmaster turned TV darling has been everywhere in recent years, but until he was finalisng the programme for this year’s Doc/Fest in Sheffield, Currimbhoy had been immune to Malone’s not insignificant charms.

“I’ll put my hands up, I had no idea who he was, but that’s the great part of this job, you learn something new every day.”

Malone will be in Sheffield to talk about his BAFTA award-winning series The Choir and along with a masterclass from 56-Up director Michael Apted it’s one of the ways DocFest, now in its 19th year, is attempting to broaden its appeal.

“Documentary making has undergone a major revival in recent years,” says Currimbhoy. “In the past, documentaries were something you watched on television, but now people don’t think anything of buying tickets to see a documentary in the cinema.

“You can have exactly the same emotional experience with a documentary as you do with any film and that realisation has had a big impact on the whole genre. It means we have more great films than ever before to choose from, which for us is a nice problem to have.”

Since its very beginnings, Doc/Fest has always had a strong music strand and this year is no different. Opening night will see the screening of Searching for Sugar Man, which Currimbhoy hopes will set the tone for the rest of the four day festival. A hit at the Sundance Film Festival, the film follows the rediscovery of Sixto Rodriguez, an American-Mexican music legend from the 1970s who mysteriously disappeared into oblivion. The same evening, the festival will also screen the world premiere of From the Sea to the Land Beyond with a live musical score composed and performed by British Sea Power. Made from BFI archive footage stretching back more than a century, director Penny Woolcock’s film is a portrait of Britain’s coastline and the role it plays in our lives.

“Sheffield has a rich musical history, so it has always felt right that the festival reflects that,” says Currimbhoy who has been involved with Doc/Fest since 2007.

Away from music, this year Doc/Fest also features strands on China, sport and the pharmaceutical industry, with the work of lesser-known directors shown alongside the big names.

“The festival has always prided itself on unearthing hidden gems, those small films which may not get a showing elsewhere.

“That’s something which hasn’t changed,” says Currimbhoy, who came to Sheffield via Canada and Australia. “Having a film by Morgan Spurlock or a documentary like Senna which comes to us having already created a buzz is great to attract people’s attention and we hope it sparks their interest in the rest of the programme.”

While the festival is targeted at industry delegates, this year it will also feature a series of free screenings and for the first time a partnership with the city’s Showroom cinema has seen the launch of the Doc/Lover’s pass which allows members of the public entry into all screenings.

“This isn’t just a festival for filmmakers,” says Currimbhoy. “It’s for everyone who enjoys film.”

Doc/Fest runs from June 13 to 17 and for a full programme of events visit http:/sheffdocfest.com.