Sheffield DocFest 2008

The biggest and most contravesial docs of the year have been unabashed sports docs uniting sports fans and lamens alike. The drama can’t be beaten and the characters are always bigger than life.

View other Sheffield DocFest Films by strand: Anti Docs, Arts Docs, Bent Docs, Green Docs, Kinky Docs, MeetMarket Pitched, Miscellaneous, Music Docs, Nick Broomfield Retrospective, Ogawa Retrospective, Regime Change, Scottish Docs, Student Docs, Toronto International Film Festival Focus, Youth Jury Doc

Ma Bar Ma Bar
Ma Bar and Tyson
Jesus Loves You (Country: Germany; Year: 2008; Director: Robert Cibis, Lilian Franck, Michaela Kirst, Matthias Luthardt), Official Site
Christian Fundamentalists journey to the 2006 World Cup to preach to the unconverted.
The John Akii Bua Story: An African Tragedy (Country: UK; Year: 2008; Director: Daniel Gordon)
Biography of 1972 Munich Olympic champion.
Junior (Country: Canada; Year: 2007; Director: Isabelle Lavigne, Stephane Thibault), Official Site
Sports documentary about ice-hockey players and those who scheme on their excellence.
The King Of South Shields (Country: UK; Year: 2008; Director: Tina Gharavi), Official Site
Muhammad Ali's cultural identity leads to an exploration of Arab and Muslim culture.
Ma Bar (Country: UK; Year: 2008; Director: Adrian McDowall, Finlay Pretsell; Stars: Bill McFadyen)
What drives a 73-year-old powerlifting champion?
Standing Start Standing Start
Standing Start and Thriller In Manila
Solo (Country: Australia; Year: 2008; Director: David Michod, Jen Peedom)
One man's attempt to make a solo kayak crossing from Tasmania to New Zealand.
Sprinters (Country: UK; Year: 2008; Director: Sam Blair)
An exploration of top-level athletes.
Standing Start (Country: UK; Year: 2007; Director: Finlay Pretsell, Adrian McDowall; Writer: Des Dillon; Stars: Craig MacLean)
Documenting world champion Craig MacLean's preparation for a cycle race.
Thriller In Manila (Country: UK; Year: 2008; Director: John Dower)
Joe Frazier tells his side of the story of his legendary fight against Muhammad Ali.
Tyson (Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: James Toback; Writer: James Toback; Stars: Mike Tyson), Official Site
Intimate portrait of the heavyweight boxer.
News

59th New York Film Festival early bird highlights Futura, Jane By Charlotte, James Baldwin: From Another Place and The Velvet Underground

More news and features

Playing Now

Eye For Film continues to support festivals both locally and across the world. At the moment, we're covering:

Sands Film Festival
Weekend film event in St Andrews

Queer East

Visions du Réel
Swiss documentary showcase

Overlook Film Festival

New Directors/New Films
New York's celebration of new voices

In the Archive


Archive of festival coverage.

Daily diary and reviews from 2005-2018.

Coverage of the lynchpin German festival.