Stern & Wild filmmakers head to this year's Sheffield DocFest
We are thrilled to report four projects from Stern & Wild filmmakers are receiving UK or world premieres at this year’s Sheffield DocFest which runs 10 - 15 June. Congratulations to Nick Hardie, Katie Hindley, Derren Lawford and Dan Vernon.
Two feature projects directed by Stern & Wild clients are screening on Saturday 13 June. Receiving its world premiere at 1.15pm is Nick Hardie’s SKYCLIMBER – SCALING THE EIFFEL TOWER. The 70-min film features the story of UK urban climber Adam Lockwood who illegally climbed and BASE jumped from the Eiffel Tower in Paris in August 2025 whilst documenting the stunt as a message for mental health awareness. Nick’s film combines visceral, high-altitude climbing sequences with an intimate portrait of the daredevil climber’s personal struggles with homelessness, neurodivergence and mental health issues. It is produced by Oxford Scientific Films.
Following its successful international debut at CPH:DOX in March, Dan Vernon’s THE SALISBURY POISONINGS: A SPY NEXT DOOR makes its UK premiere at 6.00pm. The 80-min film explores how the chemical poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury in 2018 exploded into an international showdown, revealing the escalating shadow conflict between Russia and the West. It is a Passion Pictures production for CNN Films in association with Propagate Content and West Buttermilk.
The day before, on Friday 12 June, fest-goers can catch a sneak peak of newly announced three-part series THE LIE THAT EXPOSED THE TRUTH (Sandpaper Films and Full Story Films for Sky Documentaries) which examines the truth behind the national prevalence of grooming gangs in the UK through the lens of Barrow teenager Ellie Williams whose allegations of grooming tore her town apart and led to her being sentenced to eight and a half years in jail. The series is directed by Ceri Isfryn and Stern & Wild’s Katie Hindley. The first 46-min episode will screen one-time only as part of the First Impressions slot at 3.45pm.
The final Stern & Wild client project at Sheffield DocFest this year is the feature documentary MKO a Nigeria-UK-Canada-USA co-production which examines the cover-up behind the suspicious death in prison of Moshood Abiola, who won a landslide victory in the 1993 Nigerian general election that the military swiftly annulled, and the abandonment of Nigerian democracy by leaders it the West. The 106-min film is directed by Ose Oyamendan and exec produced by Stern & Wild filmmaker Derren Lawford. Its world premiere screening takes place on 12 June at 8.45pm.
Huge congratulations to all the filmmakers behind this year’s DocFest line-up. It looks a brilliant programme. Remember there’s more than one chance to see all of the feature docs. For tickets and the full screening timetable, click here.
