Doc Edge
{{Short description|New Zealand documentary film festival}}
{{use New Zealand English|date=September 2021}}
{{use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox film or theatre festival
| name =Doc Edge
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| location =Auckland, Wellington
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| established =2005
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| directors =Alex Lee
Rachael Penman
Dan Shanan
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| website =https://docedge.nz/
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The Doc Edge (formerly DOCNZ International Documentary Film Festival, DOCNZ Film Festival, then Documentary Edge Festival) is New Zealand's Academy Award-qualifying international documentary film festival, run annually by the Documentary New Zealand Trust since 2005 under the motto Life Unscripted.
Description
Doc Edge is held annually, from April to June, in Auckland and Wellington.{{cite web|url= http://www.aucklandartgallery.com/whats-on/events/2012/april/documentary-edge-film-festival|title= Documentary Edge Festival 2012|publisher= Auckland Art Gallery|url-status= dead|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20130227105229/http://www.aucklandartgallery.com/whats-on/events/2012/april/documentary-edge-film-festival|archivedate= 2013-02-27}} The festival is run by the Documentary New Zealand Trust under the motto Life Unscripted.{{cite web| url =https://variety.com/2020/film/news/coronavirus-new-zealand-doc-edge-festival-shifts-online-1203552541/
| title =New Zealand’s Doc Edge Festival To Shift Online
| last =Frater
| first =Patrick
| date =2020-04-01
| publisher = Variety
| access-date =2025-03-07}}
It showcases documentary films from New Zealand and around the world,{{cite web|url= http://www.filmfestivallife.com/Documentary-Edge-Festival|title= Documentary Edge Festival|publisher= filmfestivallife|access-date= 2012-07-16|archive-date= 2013-08-02|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130802050000/http://www.filmfestivallife.com/Documentary-Edge-Festival|url-status= dead}}{{cite web
| url =https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/pistachio-film-wins-top-award
| title =Pistachio film wins top award
| last =Scott
| first =Tim
| date =2024-07-01
| publisher = Otago Daily Times
| access-date =2025-03-07}} and includes awards, Q&A sessions with filmmakers, and other events.
History
The first Documentary Edge Festival, previously known as DOCNZ International Documentary Film Festival, or simply DOCNZ Film Festival, was launched in 2005 in Auckland{{cite web | title=Who We Are | website=Documentary Edge | date=17 May 2021 | url=https://docedge.nz/about/our-story/ | access-date=3 September 2021}}{{cite web
| url =https://www.documentary.org/column/festival-focus-docnz
| title =Festival Focus: DOCNZ
| last =Bigio
| first =Eva
| date =2006-10-31
| publisher = International Documentary Association
| access-date =2025-03-10}} by Dan Shanan and Alex Lee.{{cite web
| url =https://www.satellites.co.nz/archive/people/alex-lee
| title =Alex Lee
| publisher = Satellites NZ
| access-date =2025-03-10}}{{cite web
| url =https://www.dhakadoclab.org/newsletter/there-is-a-entrepreneurial-spirit-among-filmmakers-of-asian-region/
| title =There Is a “Entrepreneurial” Spirit Among Filmmakers of Asian Region
| date =2024-05-08
| publisher = Dhaca Doc Lab
| access-date =2025-03-10}}{{cite web
| url =https://www.beehive.govt.nz/speech/docnz-2006-film-festival-awards
| title =DOCNZ 2006 Film Festival Awards
| last =Maharey
| first =Steve
| date =2006-09-15
| publisher = Beehive NZ
| access-date =2025-03-10}} The inaugural edition featured a local competition, while the following year a competitive section for international films was added. Also in 2006, the DOCNZ Summit industry arm was added.
The Festival was rebranded as Documentary Edge Festival in 2010,{{cite web|url= http://www.documentaryedge.org.nz/2010/|title= Documentary Edge Festival 2010|publisher= Documentary Edge Festival|url-status= dead|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20120304081224/http://www.documentaryedge.org.nz/2010/|archivedate= 2012-03-04}} and has been branded Doc Edge since around 2016.
In 2016, Doc Edge became an Oscar-qualifying festival for the Short Documentary Subject category,{{cite web
| url =https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/75854816/undefined?rm=a
| title =Documentary Edge Festival becomes Academy Award qualifying festival
| date =2016-01-15
| publisher =Stuff New Zealand
| access-date =2025-03-10}} while in 2018 it received an additional qualification of the Feature Documentary Subject.{{cite web
| url =https://thebigidea.nz/community-announcements/new-zealand-doco-film-festival-scores-an-additional-oscar-qualification
| title =NEW ZEALAND DOCO FILM FESTIVAL SCORES AN ADDITIONAL OSCAR QUALIFICATION!
| date =2018-06-27
| publisher =The Big Idea NZ
| access-date =2025-03-07}}{{cite web
| url =https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/75854816/undefined?rm=a
| title =Documentary Edge Festival becomes Academy Award qualifying festival
| last =Mckee
| first =Hannah
| date =2016-01-15
| publisher =Stuff NZ
| access-date =2025-03-07}}
In 2016, the festival set up a petition demanding a visa for Iranian documentary maker Rokhsareh Ghaemmaghami, who was invited to be a guest speaker, present her feature film, and host classes, but got rejected by the Immigration New Zealand office in Washington.{{cite web
| url =https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/why-isnt-this-filmmaker-allowed-in-new-zealand/V472AVIGIZA7CSFPSXM3JNV4UU/
| title =Why isn't this filmmaker allowed in New Zealand?
| last =Yeoman
| first =Scott
| date =2016-04-18
| publisher = The New Zealand Herald
| access-date =2025-03-07}}
Traditionally held in May to June in Auckland and Wellington theatres, the festival chose to pivot during the coronavirus outbreak in 2020, taking the full festival online with a video-on-demand platform provided by Shift72,{{Cite web |last=Akbar |first=Rachel |date=February 1, 2022 |title=Doc Edge Case Study |url=https://www.shift72.com/resource/doc-edge |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=www.shift72.com |language=en}} opening up to a nationwide audience for the first time and increasing the size of the programme.
The 19th edition of the festival featured a line-up of 66 documentaries and 28 immersive projects,{{cite web
| url =https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-sponsored-content/doc-edge-international-documentary-film-festival-brings-world
| title =Doc Edge international documentary film festival brings world premieres to Christchurch
| date =2024-06-26
| publisher =Star News
| access-date =2025-03-07}} 30 world premiers among them.{{cite web
| url =https://film-fest-report.com/doc-edge-2024-interview-of-the-festival-directors/
| title =Doc Edge 2024: A New Star Shines Brightly in Asia-Pacific. Interview of the Festival Directors
| last =Balamissa
| first =Mehdi
| date =2024-07-16
| publisher =Film Fest Report
| access-date =2025-03-07}}{{cite web
| url =https://film-fest-report.com/doc-edge-immersive-exhibition-2024-draw-for-change/
| title =Doc Edge Immersive Exhibition 2024: Draw for Change
| last =Balamissa
| first =Mehdi
| date =2024-06-29
| publisher =Film Fest Report
| access-date =2025-03-10}} The edition was opened in Christchurch
city.{{cite web
| url =https://www.christchurchnz.com/news/doc-edge-festival-set-to-enchant-christchurch-in-2024
| title =Doc Edge Festival Set To Enchant Christchurch In 2024
| publisher =ChristchurchNZ
| access-date =2025-03-07}}{{cite web
| url =https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/520017/how-to-pick-the-right-film-for-you-at-the-doc-edge-film-festival
| title =How to pick the right film for you at the Doc Edge Film Festival
| last =Slevin
| first =Dan
| date =2024-06-19
| publisher = RNZ
| access-date =2025-03-10}}
The Documentary Edge Awards
{{main|Documentary Edge Awards}}
The Documentary Edge Festival celebrates the best of documentary films by awarding artists in the following categories:{{cite web
| url =https://docedge.nz/festival/awards/
| title =A recognition and celebration of excellence in exceptional storytellers who tell stories from our backyard and around the world
| publisher = Doc Edge Awards
| access-date =2025-03-10}}
;International selection:
- Best International Feature Documentary + Jury Special Mention
- Best International Short Documentary + Jury Special Mention
- Best International Director + Jury Special Mention
- Best Sound
- Best Cinematography
- Best Editing
;New Zealand selection:
- Best Feature Documentary + Jury Special Mention
- Best Short Documentary
- Best Director
- Best Emerging Filmmaker
- Best Sound
- Best Cinematography
- Best Editing
;NZ Student Awards:
- Best Tertiary Film + Special Mention
- Best Secondary Film + Special Mention