Awards

We work incredibly hard at ShAFF to make sure that we have the best selection of adventure films we possibly can.

We announce the winners ahead of the festival to allow the audience to make sure they see the best films of the year and decide whether they agree with our judges.

Awards - We have a panel of judges who view all films screened at ShAFF and declare winners and runners up in each of the following categories:

    Best Film - All films are automatically eligible.

    UIAA Best Climbing Film - Climbing, mountaineering, bouldering, indoor climbing - all types of climbing

    Best Bike Film - Road, Mountain, Bike Packing, BMX - all types of biking

    Best Running Film - Running, racing, jogging, orienteering - all types of running

    Best Ski & Board Film - Skiing, boarding, back country - all types of snow sports

    Best Spirit Of Adventure Film - The essence of what ShAFF is about: stepping way outside of the usual comfort zones, being out there on a limb, totally committed.

    Best Artistic Film - To recognise cinematic creativity.

    Best Short Film - All films under 10 minutes long automatically considered

    Best Soundtrack - To recognise the best overall sound experience in a film.

    Best Women In Adventure Film - To recognise the best film made by or featuring women in a lead role.

    Best Film Made In Sheffield - To recognise the growing talent of The Outdoor City.

    Street Food Chef People's Choice as voted by Boom Beam

Either £100 will be awarded to the winning film in each category, with £200 to the Best Film winner.

There is also a Judges Special Prize

Details on film submission are available here

You can see which films won awards in previous years in our archive.





Best Film

Our Grand Prize


Northbound

Ice, driftwood, foamy waves and ... skateboards? In this poetic short film, four skaters head north to the cold Norwegian coast, applying their urban skills to a wild canvas of beach flotsam, frozen sand and pastel skies. The result is a beautiful mashup — biting winds and short days, ollies and one ephemeral miniramp.

The Accord

The reality of growing up a surfer in Iceland is different from anywhere else in the world. It’s a harsh place. There are no surf shops, guidebooks or webcams. But being so far removed from the hustle and bustle of the known surf world hardens Iceland’s surfers to confront the issue they all must face: the North Atlantic wind. Follow Heiðar Logi Elíasson on his journey through Iceland searching for that rare, yet significant, compromise that brings both Icelandic surfers and the North Atlantic wind to the table. The Accord’s world premiere will be at the Telluride Mountainfilm Festival May 28. Go to theaccordfilm.com for more information.

Dodo's Delight

Jump on board a madcap sailing adventure to the biggest rock walls in the Arctic Circle with a team of elite climbers as zany as they are talented. Sean Villanueva, Nico Favresse, Olivier Favresse and Ben Ditto have made cutting edge first ascents in remote mountain ranges around the world -- climbing hard, making music and goofing off thousands of feet in the air. Now they embark on their greatest expedition yet, voyaging to the massive walls of Greenland and Baffin Island on the good ship Dodo’s Delight, skippered by the spry 79-year old Captain Bob Shepton. Amongst rough seas, falling rocks and freezing temperatures, this hilarious and badass gang of adventurers forge bold new routes and have the time of their lives.





Best Artistic Film

Best Artistic Film


What If You Fly

Hawaiian artist and muralist Sean Yoro (a.k.a. HULA)travels to the arctic waters of Baffin Island, Nunavut, to paint a portrait of a local Inuit woman on the sea ice. This is the most technical and remote location that Sean has ever attempted a mural, and the wild forces of nature at the top of the world are unpredictable. But for Sean, the physical and creative risks are worth it for a chance at something new.

The Accord

The reality of growing up a surfer in Iceland is different from anywhere else in the world. It’s a harsh place. There are no surf shops, guidebooks or webcams. But being so far removed from the hustle and bustle of the known surf world hardens Iceland’s surfers to confront the issue they all must face: the North Atlantic wind. Follow Heiðar Logi Elíasson on his journey through Iceland searching for that rare, yet significant, compromise that brings both Icelandic surfers and the North Atlantic wind to the table. The Accord’s world premiere will be at the Telluride Mountainfilm Festival May 28. Go to theaccordfilm.com for more information.

Ruin & Rose

A surreal future leaves the world without water and consumed by sand: the Big Empty. A group of children survives alone on the edge of the endless desert in the ruin of the now. When a young boy unearths an ancient relic hinting at the lost wonders of winter, he sets off in search of the ghosts that once called the mountains their home. This bold cinematic experience balances stunning skiing with a wild and hopeful journey into the forgotten lands of myth and magic beyond the Empty.





Best Biking Film

Best Bike Film






Best Climbing Film

Sponsored by UIAA

UIAA Best Climb Film






Best Made in Sheffield Film

First awarded in 2015 to reflect the increasing quality and quantity of films being made in and around Sheffield and/or featuring local athletes.






Best Running Film

Best Running Film






Best Short Film

Best Short Film






Best Ski & Board Film

Best Ski & Board Film






Best Soundtrack

A new award created in 2015, judged by Sheffield DJ and producer Paul Hodgson, aka Grievous Angel.






Best Spirit of Adventure Film

Best Spirit Of Adventure Film






Best Women In Adventure Film

Created in 2015 to reflect our drive to encourage more female producers, directors and featured athletes on the big screen.






People's Choice Award

Sponsored by Street Food Chef

Launched at ShAFF 2015, powered by Boom Beam, our interactive, live voting system allows the audience to have their say on which films they loved the most.