about
Launched in 2011 and dedicated to re-imagining the possibilities of nonfiction filmmaking, we are a grassroots gathering of non-fiction filmmakers and film lovers who have come together to create a space where we can discuss, share and support one another through the creative processes, ethics, politics and well being needed in our field of making, away from industry pressure. Our aim is to empower through dialogue and bring together filmmakers from all walks of life to listen, learn and grow in an environment which is fun, safe and away from the big smoke.
Otherfield Film Festival is held over a long weekend, bringing together non-fiction cinema and an immersion in nature. We have an international programme, curated by filmmakers. We put together workshops that open up process and craft and share personal experience. We combine creative endeavour with critical discourse, and open up conversations. We sleep in tents, eat meals together under the summer night skies and share stories outside. Otherfield is run by volunteers, who range from emerging to established filmmakers. We build the screening rooms, dining areas, bonfires and bars with salvaged materials - echoing nurturing and sustainable processes to bring to our work.
Our 2025 programme will include ten feature documentaries, two shorts strands, eight interdisciplinary workshops, and two works-in-progress. We feature both established and emerging artists and community voices, who explore self-determination, all united by an author-driven approach, challenging form and often translating personal experience. This year, we have an additional venue supported by The School of Media, Arts and Humanities, University of Sussex, which will host multiple workshops. Our workshops strive to create discussion missing in mainstream media. We aim to nurture independent non-fiction that is brave, experimental, and responsive to the current challenges of our time.