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Documentary Feature Competition
Shining a spotlight on bold storytelling and real-world impact, our Documentary Film Competition celebrates the art of nonfiction cinema at its most compelling. These films capture urgent issues, intimate portraits, and untold histories from around the globe, showcasing filmmakers who illuminate truth with creativity and courage.
The Sonoma International Film Festival (SIFF) is dedicated to showcasing compelling and thought-provoking documentary films from around the world. The Documentary Feature Competition highlights the work of emerging filmmakers who bring powerful true stories to life through bold storytelling and fresh perspectives.
This category is open to documentary feature films that do not yet have U.S. distribution, providing a unique platform for new talent to share their work with engaged audiences, industry professionals, and fellow filmmakers. SIFF’s commitment to independent storytelling ensures that these impactful documentaries receive the recognition and visibility they deserve.
Set in the heart of California’s wine country, the Sonoma International Film Festival offers an inspiring environment where filmmakers and audiences come together to celebrate the art of documentary filmmaking.
Jury Members
Ania Trzebiatowska is a programmer for the Sundance Film Festival, focusing on US and World documentary features. Most recently, she was the Sales & Acquisitions Executive for the doc sales agency Autlook Filmsales. Prior to that, she was with the NYC-based agency, Visit Films, where she served as Senior Director of Acquisitions since 2015. Aside from her work at Sundance, Ania was also the artistic director of Off Camera IFF (Krakow, Poland), which she programmed between 2008 and 2020.
Nick Price is the series producer of Reel South, a PBS documentary series that highlights independent stories from across the American South. He oversees the series’ daily operations, programming, and production, collaborating with filmmakers, PBS stations, and partners to bring regional voices to public media audiences.
Originally from Birmingham, Alabama, Nick got his start as a film fellow with the Southern Exposure program at the Southern Environmental Law Center. He went on to work with National Geographic and Discovery before moving into public media, first with PBS North Carolina and then with Reel South. His work on the series has contributed to several honors, including a Peabody Award, an International Documentary Association Award for Best Limited Series, and an Honorable Mention for Best Curated Series. In 2023, Current magazine named him a Rising Star in public media.
Jo Addy has worked in conjunction with the most prominent studios, distributors, production companies, and PR firms around the world in pursuit of groundbreaking cinema as well as digital film and entertainment content for Soho House members. She oversees cinema programmers in the UK, EMEA, North America & Asia who curate a global mix of film and television programming across 22 cinemas for 150,000 members.
Jo Addy also founded and created Soho House Shorts, a global talent incubator to support emerging talent looking to take the next step as screenwriters and filmmakers. Every year, Soho House Shorts helps 2 candidates turn their scripts into short films, with one of them announced as the overall winner. Alumni have been in a combined 40 and counting international Oscar® qualifying film festivals, winning several awards for best director and best narrative short.
As a board member for Soho Talent, Jo Addy works with the team to provide opportunities for creatives to gain funding and support for film and entertainment projects.
