Sheffield Adventure Film Festival celebrates 20 years of outdoor stories

Every spring, the Showroom Cinema on Paternoster Row fills with climbers, runners, riders and swimmers for the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival, better known as ShAFF. In March 2026 the festival celebrated its 20th edition, and it is already looking ahead to 2027.

ShAFF was founded in 2006 by Matt Heason. As the festival itself puts it, "What began as a small climbing film gathering now brings more than 100 films, talks and free events into the city centre." The films span climbing, biking, mountaineering, running, surfing, skiing, wild swimming and more, mostly shown in sessions of several shorter films alongside handpicked feature-length screenings.

The 2026 edition ran from Friday 20 to Sunday 22 March, billed as "celebrating twenty years of adventure storytelling with sustainability and community at its heart." Water was a central thread, with films such as To the Sea, Undammed and Bad River exploring rivers, coastlines and land defence.

There was plenty of human drama too. The Finisher followed Jasmin Paris through the gruelling Barkley Marathons, while Janja Garnbret Big Five and Girl Climber looked at the pressures of elite ambition. Closer to home, A Trip to Mam Tor explored snowboarding in the Peak District, a reminder that, in the festival's words, "adventure often begins just beyond our doorstep." Dear Heart and More Like Paul featured adventurers aged 60 and over.

Beyond the screens, the weekend included free talks, guided runs, an outdoor adventure photography exhibition on Paternoster Row and a 20th birthday party on the Saturday night. Sheffield outdoor brand Rab returned as headline sponsor and hosted free gear repair sessions.

The festival's reach goes beyond one weekend, with a 20-year retrospective programme of shorts, an Outdoor Writing Awards strand and a Hope Valley Adventure Film Festival. Its supporters include Patagonia, Visit Sheffield, Petzl and Thornbridge Brewery.

Filmmakers already have the next edition in their sights: submissions for ShAFF 2027 close on 1 November 2026, and entries for the Outdoor Writing Awards close on 30 November 2026.

News, submissions and programme details for the next festival are on the ShAFF website, with tickets sold through the Showroom Cinema.