The benefits of attending Sheffield Doc/Fest 2018 was my exposure to and subsequent selection of three key films for the SRFF 2018 programme. These were: What is Democracy?, A Northern Soul and Tranny Fag.
I connected with Astra Taylor (director of What is Democracy?) and while she couldn't come in person to Screening Rights Film Festival (SRFF) she joined us on Skype for an extremely successful post-screening discussion. SRFF took place in Coventry for the first time this year, and it was fantastic to be able to launch it with a screening of A Northern Soul in the next city of culture. With funding from the University of Warwick, I was able to bring the director and 'star' of the film down, and invite many people associated with the City of culture initiative in Coventry.
Rather than being a benefit to me directly, my ability to programme SRFF well, means I channel knowledge, skills and connections on to others - this was especially true with regard to A Northern Soul. This does, invariably, inspire me to keep doing the festival.
