Welcome from Festival Team

Kia ora koutou

The Doc Edge Festival 2023 is a celebration of the power of documentary storytelling and the human connection. The festival promises a diverse and engaging programme that reflects our collective desire to reconnect with the world around us. Attendees can participate in person at our cinemas in Auckland and Wellington or join us online from anywhere in New Zealand.

The festival’s tagline of “Life Unscripted” celebrates the raw, unfiltered beauty of real life through the lens of documentary cinema. The line-up features world premieres, thought-provoking discussions, inspiring exhibitions, and an engaging school programme.

The festival provides an opportunity to meet local and international filmmakers who have poured their hearts and souls into their documentaries. Through Q&A sessions, attendees can gain a deeper understanding of their craft and vision. The XR Exhibition pushes the boundaries of storytelling in the digital age, transporting attendees to new worlds and challenging their perceptions of reality.

The industry forum is a highlight of the festival, bringing together professionals from the film industry to discuss the cutting edge of today’s documentary and screen sector. This is a valuable opportunity for networking, learning, and exchanging ideas with fellow industry members.

The festival pays tribute to the legendary photographer Ans Westra, whose ground-breaking work has captured the essence of New Zealand and its people for decades. Additionally, the Doc Edge Superhero award will be presented to Annie Goldson, whose powerful and thought provoking documentaries have made a significant impact on social and political issues.

The schools programme inspires enquiring minds, good citizenship, and educates the next generation of documentary filmmakers. Through special screenings and discussions, the programme fosters a love for documentary storytelling among rangatahi and empowers them to tell their own stories.

The Doc Edge Festival 2023 is made possible by the unwavering support of sponsors, partners, and the entire Doc Edge community. The new Doc Edge Membership provides exclusive benefits and discounts throughout the year, and attendees are encouraged to become members.

As the festival approaches its 20th anniversary, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has selected Doc Edge to be part of the Major Events Incubator, creating economic major events for the benefit of our country and wider ecosystem. This supports the festival’s vision of elevating Doc Edge and Aotearoa to the Asia-Pacific hub for documentary.

Join us at the Doc Edge Festival 2023 and celebrate Life Unscripted, reconnect with the world, and enjoy the rich tapestry of stories waiting to be discovered.

Nga mihi nui

Dan Shanan Alex Lee Rachael Penman Executive Director General Manager & Director Festival Producer

Judy Bailey

Kia ora koutou. A warm welcome to this, the 18th Doc Edge Festival.

Documentaries not only entertain us but also have the power to encourage debate and inspire real change. This year’s line-up promises to pack a punch.

Among the films on offer is ‘Deep Rising’ about the fate of the planet’s last untouched wilderness, the deep ocean, which is under threat, as a secretive organisation seeks to allow massive mining of the seabed to address the world’s energy crisis. And ‘Make People Better’ which investigates the disappearance of a trailblazing Chinese scientist and warns of a future where rival governments and corporations compete to make designer babies the new normal.

Neil Waka

privileged to be invited to the 2022 Doc Edge Film Festival which showcased some of the most outstanding documentaries by some extraordinary film makers from around the world.

As a television news reporter / anchor of more than 30 years, I have always loved the opportunity and privilege to engage with people from all walks of life and professions. Speaking with film makers is no different as we delve into their life and experiences.

There is nothing like the shared experience of watching a film together in an atmosphere filled character cinema. This year the festival returns to the iconic Roxy in Wellington and The Capitol in Auckland. You will also find us online at docedge.nz with a new, streamlined digital offering, from 19 June till 9 July.

I’d really encourage you to make it to the live screenings if you can so you can meet some of the filmmakers in person and they will happily respond to any questions you may have.

Take time also, to explore film in a new interactive way and immerse yourself in Doc Edge’s XR Exhibition where you’ll see innovative and experimental works by a raft of local and international artists.

This is a festival for our times: Ukrainian journalists trapped for twenty days in the siege of Mariupol document their struggle, there’s a struggle too, against white supremacy in the Trump era, we follow the community response after New Zealand’s greatest environmental disaster, and we learn how a small coastal community reclaimed its beach using indigenous knowledge. The subjects are many and varied but they all promise to be engaging and to make us think.

I hope you will encourage your friends to join you.

Nga mihi, Judy Bailey

The Offering of Q &A’s with the filmmakers is a special part of Doc Edge. Unpacking a filmmaker’s journey into the field and their choice of subject matter adds important context to the documentaries themselves. Q&As are a fantastic way to grasp the real life stories behind those real life stories on screen.

I am proud to be an ambassador of Doc Edge, not only for the incredible documentaries they showcase and bring to the market, but also because they are a great team to work with. They’re hard working and passionate about their purpose, which is to ensure audiences get to enjoy and experience some of the best documentariers being made around the world today.

See you at the theatre!

Nga mihi, Neil Waka