Leading documentary festival, Sheffield DocFest, has recruited Mimi Poskitt as its new Managing Director.
Poskitt joins from outdoor arts organisation, Imagineer Productions, where she’s currently Interim Executive Director, overseeing all management and strategic direction.
Working across the UK, she’s also been Director of Producing at Secret Cinema and Senior Producer at Lyric Hammersmith and at West Yorkshire Playhouse.
“I am incredibly excited and honoured to step into the role of Managing Director at Sheffield DocFest. This festival has long been a beacon for outstanding storytelling and a platform for sharing human experiences that matter,” she said.
“This is a wonderful and exciting new journey for me – a new collaboration, new partnerships and a new adventure. My early career started in documentary and factual TV, and this role at Sheffield DocFest feels like coming home. In a world where truth, perspective, and empathy are more crucial than ever, documentaries offer us a deeper understanding of our shared human experience, helping us stay curious about the world we live in. Sheffield DocFest champions the form, the people and the process of filmmaking. I bring to this role my passion for people and partnerships and my commitment to supporting filmmakers and artists.”
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As MD of the Festival, Poskitt has been given responsibility for taking it into its next chapter. She’ll be responsible for all of its business affairs, including growing audiences, overseeing production and operations, and extending the festival’s partnerships and fundraising avenues.
“We are delighted to welcome Mimi to lead Sheffield DocFest as our new Managing Director. Mimi brings with her years of creative and strategic leadership experience, both nationally and internationally, coupled with a strong understanding of the power of factual storytelling and the huge potential of live events,” explained Alex Cooke, Chair of the Board of Trustees.
“Based in Yorkshire, and a former senior producer at Leeds Playhouse, she fully grasps the rich and diverse possibilities the region presents. Mimi will be building on the great work done by our previous Managing Director, Annabel Grundy. The combination of Mimi’s strengths sees her well-placed to further develop Sheffield DocFest’s tremendous relationship with its audiences, both in South Yorkshire and across the world.”
It will be a joint leadership position, with Creative Director Raul Niño Zambrano – who’s responsible for setting the programme agenda across the Festival’s Film Programmes, Alternate Realities exhibition, Marketplace & Talent activities, and Talks & Sessions for the 32nd edition in 2025.
“I am truly delighted to welcome Mimi to the team. From our very first conversations about the future of Sheffield DocFest, it felt like we had known each other for years,” said Raul Zambrano.
“Her leadership, passion, and expertise are exactly what we need to take DocFest to new heights. I have no doubt that, together with the entire team, we will shape an exciting future for the festival. I can’t wait to join forces and bring our shared vision to life.”
She will join the charity next month.
