The Sheffield DocFest will feature producers and directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, the co-founders of production company World of Wonder (WOW), who have been behind the likes of RuPaul’s Drag Race, as this year’s guests of honor, screening several of their films and TV series.
Among the programming in tribute to the duo, the U.K. festival will feature an exclusive preview of the first episode of HBO’s upcoming Murder in Glitterball City, which they directed. The DocFest will also include a session called “Ronan Farrow in Conversation: From Podcast to Screen,” in which organizers say the “Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, author, and broadcaster Ronan Farrow joins us virtually for a rare and revealing conversation about adapting podcasts into TV series,” which will be hosted by his long-time collaborators Bailey and Barbato.
In addition, the duo will explore the past, present, and future of their careers in an “In Conversation” event, plus they will “reunite with Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish to revisit the origin story of The Adam and Joe Show.” The Sheffield fest will also hold the U.K. premiere of Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror, directed by Linus O’Brien, which the duo executive produced.
“Bailey’s and Barbato’s groundbreaking documentaries and series, giving a voice to outsiders and marginalized communities, have included the Emmy Award-winning RuPaul’s Drag Race and award-winning documentaries and critically acclaimed films, such as Party Monster, Inside Deep Throat and The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” highlighted Sheffield DocFest organizers. “Alongside their extraordinary list of production credits, they also launched a hugely successful streaming platform, WOW Presents Plus, available to audiences globally.”
Lauding their “decades-long contribution to popular culture,” they added: “From linear documentaries to reality competitions, podcasts to social media, the creative duo has always been convinced, correctly it turns out, that today’s marginal is tomorrow’s mainstream. This firm belief has earned them multiple awards and accolades, including 33 Emmys and inspiring Oscar-winning performances.”
Said Bailey and Barbato: “Thank you to Sheffield DocFest for the honor of curating this program, particularly at a time when it’s anything but ‘business as usual.’ The boom in documentary and unscripted funding has evaporated, while diversity and freedom of expression have come under attack. It might sound like it’s only bad news, but we think that this is an opportunity for new models, new genres, new ways of telling stories.”
They concluded: “In other words, it’s all about ‘business as unusual,’ and we are excited to explore what the future might hold, with a sense of optimism, creativity, and wonder.”
Raul Niño Zambrano, creative director of Sheffield DocFest, said: “In a time when queer stories face growing resistance, Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato remain fearless trailblazers — brilliantly expanding the reach of LGBTQ+ voices across screens big and small. Their unwavering openness to new mediums, deep respect for fandoms, and nurturing of queer talent have not only shaped culture but brought diverse audiences to digital platforms, cinemas, and audio spaces alike. Their work is proof that authenticity, creativity, and community can thrive — even in the toughest climates.”
The 32nd edition of the Sheffield DocFest takes place June 18-23.
