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Inside Sheffield DocFest 2025
June 18th, 2025
Last week we had the incredible opportunity to attend Sheffield DocFest for the first time as part of the panel: Impact through Indigenous Participation: Beyond Representation to Agency. This panel gathered Indigenous filmmakers and community leaders to explore Indigenous participation in documentary filmmaking, moving beyond mere representation to embrace co-creation, authorship, and ethical collaboration that yields long-term impact.
Together with Helena Corezomaé (Rede Katahirine, Balatiponé, Brazil), Juma Xipaia (Xipaya leader and producer of Yanuni), and Eric Terena (DJ, sound designer, executive producer of Yanuni, and co-founder of Mídia Indígena), we shared stories and case studies that challenge extractive filmmaking practices.
A powerful highlight was the urgent need to make filmmaking tools more accessible to Indigenous communities - those on the frontlines of climate and social injustices - as a way to reclaim their identities, amplify their voices globally, and drive social and cultural change.
Yanuni
At Sheffield DocFest, we attended the first European screening of Yanuni, a powerful, must-see film. It follows Amazonian Indigenous leader Juma Xipaia, who navigates motherhood, political responsibility, and protecting the rainforest from illegal mining alongside her partner Hugo. After the screening, Juma shared her struggle and emphasized the film’s urgent role in raising awareness of Indigenous rights and threats to the Amazon. Her message was clear: nature is our cure, and we must amplify Indigenous voices, challenge extractive industries, and support Indigenous leadership to protect our future. We’re happy to see Yanuni receiving international recognition since its Tribeca premiere.
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