Charlie Phillips
Lyfta (UK)

Charlie Phillips is the Head of Stories at Lyfta and a documentary film commissioner, programmer, producer, and consultant. Charlie commissions all short documentaries for Lyfta, an immersive learning platform for schools, featuring storyworlds including documentaries about inspiring real human stories, carefully selected to spark curiosity, empathy and compassion. He works with documentary makers from all across the world as producer and consultant on creative and financing strategies. His most recent feature documentaries are Blue Has No Borders and Our Land (both Sheffield DocFest 2025). Charlie was previously the Head of Video at The Guardian, overseeing all moving image for the Guardian's platforms, including its award-winning documentaries, which included the winner of the short documentary Oscar in 2021, and best short at the BAFTAs 2022. He’s also the main programmer for Folkestone Documentary Festival, was previously Deputy Director and EP Industry Participation at Sheffield Doc/Fest, and has led training programmes and mentored filmmakers all across the world.