FFStival 2025: Sheffield’s Feminist Film Festival Set to Inspire

The Showroom Cinema will be hosting the FFStival in November. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Sheffield is preparing to welcome the return of FFStival for its second year on the 22nd November.

FFStival (Feminist Film Festival) is dedicated to amplifying the voices of women and gender-diverse film-makers. The event has quickly become a vital space for underrepresented storytelling and creative expression, and this year it will once again take over the Showroom Cinema with an inspiring programme of screenings, discussions, and workshops.

FFStival was created in response to a clear need: providing more opportunities or visible spaces for women to share their film-making. What began as a small but ambitious idea has since grown into a much-loved event, fostering a supportive community of creatives and film-lovers who are passionate about changing the landscape of cinema. 

In an interview with Exposed Magazine, Mel Gollay said: “This film festival is not really something we feel like we must do; it more feels like something we can’t not do.”

Each film shown is given an ‘F’ classification, meaning that each short film and feature is either written, directed or produced by a woman or gender-diverse individual.

This year’s festival continues FFStival’s mission with a rich mix of personal, feminist, and socially engaged films. From Emily Greenwood’s horror short Stop Dead, a chilling story that presents the terrifying ultimatum of stopping or dying, to the acclaimed Céline Sciamma feature Petite Maman, every title in this year’s programme upholds the festival’s tradition of showcasing fantastic talent. Other titles include Dee Rees’ Pariah, Erin L Doyle’s short The Invaders and Tong Luo’s M on the Bund.

Alongside the screenings, FFStival will host discussions and creative sessions with female film-makers in their ‘From Stigma To Screen’ segment. The conversations will include navigating the industry, unapologetic body positivity and menstrual stories.

As anticipation builds, FFStival’s upcoming edition looks set to reaffirm Sheffield’s reputation as a hub for independent film and progressive storytelling. By championing voices that have too often been overlooked, it’s clear that FFStival is not only celebrating film but also shaping the future of it.