Documentary New Zealand Trust


Set up in 2004, The Documentary New Zealand Trust is a non-profit organisation promoting documentary filmmaking and advocating opportunities for New Zealand documentary filmmakers.
Its signature events are an international film festival, DOC Pitch and DOC Lab.
The Trust engages with the government, funding agencies, creative organisations, academic institutions and other screen industry guilds to ensure maximum support and funding for documentary filmmakers in New Zealand.

The Organisation

The Trustees

History

The first Documentary Edge Festival, previously known as DOCNZ International Documentary Film Festival, was launched in 2005 in Auckland by the then Prime Minister, Helen Clark.
The Festival was rebranded as Documentary Edge Festival in 2010 to reflect the festivals' cutting edge program of international and New Zealand documentaries. It also celebrates the cutting edge nature of documentaries in providing an independent and important view of the World.
The Documentary Edge Festival is held annually, from April to June, in Auckland and Wellington. The Festival showcases the best selection of award-winning and critically acclaimed documentary films from New Zealand and around the world.
It also includes a Gala Awards, Q&A Sessions with filmmakers, various social functions and special events. The first festival was launched in 2005.

The Documentary Edge Awards

The Documentary Edge Festival awards artists in the following categories:
International Selection:
New Zealand Selection:
Click here to see the full list of the Awards

Awards 2012

International Selection

FilmAwardDirectorsCountry
VinterlysBest International Short DocumentarySkule Eriksen Norway
The InterruptersBest International Feature Documentary,
Best International Director,
Best World Cinema		Steve James United States
Five Star ExistenceBest Future WatchSonja Lindén Sweden
Finland
Best Arab SpringKahlil Dreifus Zaarour Lebanon
Best Human RightsBradley Cox Thailand
United States
Best GenerationsTamar Tal Israel
Best Heroes and InconsDuki Dror Israel
Best Culture VulturesXan Aranda United States

New Zealand Selection

FilmAwardDirectorsCountry
IntersexionBest Feature Documentary
Best Editing		Grant Lahood New Zealand
Gone CurlingBest Short DocumentaryRoland Kahurangi
Rachael Patching		 New Zealand
Best Emerging FilmmakerJames Muir New Zealand
View From OlympusBest DirectorGeoffrey Cawthorn New Zealand
Best CinematographyRachael Wilson New Zealand

Click here to see the full list of the Awards

The Screen Edge Forum

The Screen Edge Forum is an annual pan-screen industry event covering documentary, transmedia and other screen industry topics.
Many Pitch Projects have been developed as a result including:
DOC Lab is a three-day incubator to educate, inspire and develop filmmakers with a shared goal of developing documentaries and exploring multi-platforms for creation and delivery. Local and international experts are brought in as mentors to help the selected projects and teams.
The mentors will present their practice areas and speak on the developments and technologies that will help the selected teams in realizing their projects. They will also work with teams individually and provide feedback, suggestions and development strategies.
Starting from content ideas or from existing material, DOC Lab will discuss new documentary prototypes that use one or more new media. Workshop topics include:
Many Projects have been developed as a result including:
Documentary Edge Campus is New Zealand's first resource centre for documentary films and materials. It is available to the wider community for free!
It includes: