Former BAFTA chair Anne Morrison has been appointed the new chair of the Sheffield DocFest board of trustees, capping a search that began over the summer. Her appointment came after a unanimous vote of approval, DocFest notes.
Morrison, a veteran of BBC Television and former CEO and creative director of independent production company Nevision, assumes her duties as DocFest board of trustees chair in June 2025, succeeding Alex Cooke. The 32nd edition of Sheffield DocFest – the U.K.’s leading documentary film festival – is set to take place June 18-23, 2025.
“As Chair of the Board of Trustees at Sheffield DocFest, Anne will lead the Trustees on all aspects of governance, ensuring the board has an inclusive atmosphere and active contribution from all members,” a release notes. “She will develop, maintain and nurture relationships with strategic partners and major stakeholders, acting as a public advocate for the festival nationally and internationally, as well as supporting the festival leadership team in the development of organizational strategy.”
Morrison said in a statement, “Having visited and participated in Sheffield DocFest for more than 20 years, I am delighted to be chosen to chair this wonderful organization, which is so close to my heart. Documentaries are more important than ever in illuminating our world and building empathy and understanding within it. I am honored to follow on from Alex Cooke’s excellent chairmanship and look forward to working with her and the rest of the team to bring the 32nd edition to fruition.”
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Brain Woods, deputy chair of the board of trustees, commented, “I am delighted that Anne Morrison has joined the Board of Trustees as Chair Designate. Alex Cooke has agreed to stay on as Chair for an extended handover period to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible, while Anne completes a major piece of work reviewing the BBC’s output. The Board of Trustees is enormously grateful to Alex for the inspiring leadership she has given for the last 4 years.”
Raul Niño Zambrano serves as creative director of Sheffield DocFest. Annabel Grundy is managing director of the festial.
“Our trustees are a vital support to the festival and volunteer enormous expertise, insight, connections and a listening ear to the team and our documentary community year-round,” Grundy said. “I am thrilled that Anne is joining us to further support and amplify everybody who makes sure DocFest continues to punch above its weight and remains joyfully innovative on the international and UK film & TV stage. I am so pleased to start working with Anne and deeply and personally grateful to Alex Cooke for her commitment and kindness in support of our leadership team during my first years at the festival.”
Sheffield DocFest is run by International Documentary Festival Sheffield, an independent registered charity (the equivalent of what in the U.S. would be called a nonprofit 501c3), with a mission “to advance the art of film, education and training in documentary filmmaking.”
Outgoing chair Alex Cooke said, “I am so pleased to hand the reins over to Anne, and to work alongside her in the coming months. The breadth of her experience across strategy, production, audiences, and her on-going commitment to developing new talent, couldn’t be more relevant to the goals and ambitions of the charity. DocFest is poised for a fantastic 2025, with record attendees and public engagement this year, and exciting plans already underway for our next edition.”
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