Doc Edge 2024: A New Star Shines Brightly in Asia-Pacific. Interview of the Festival Directors.

The 19th edition of Doc Edge Festival marked a milestone as the international documentary festival expanded its footprint to include Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand, alongside its traditional venues in Auckland and Wellington. This expansion not only broadened the festival’s reach but also underscored its commitment to fostering a global community of documentary filmmakers, industry professionals, and avid audiences.  Doc Edge is establishing its stronghold of being the Asia-Pacific hub for documentary and immersive storytelling, with a revitalised industry and marketplace for both forms of storytelling.

“Starting the 19th edition of an established festival in a new city is basically starting the festival all over again,” shared Alex Lee, festival director. A resounding success, as Doc Edge has managed to preserve its unique identity in this exceptional edition. Supported by ChristchurchNZ and Screen CanterburyNZ, Doc Edge set up camp on New Zealand’s South Island.

In the beautiful city of Ōtautahi Christchurch, a revitalised city in the heart of Aotearoa New Zealand’s South Island, offering its programming in beautiful cinema venues, all within walking distance. Enriched also by the partnership with the local Indigenous population, Ngāi Tahu and Ngāi Tūāhuriri, the city is serious in its intention to partner with Doc Edge to be a global documentary destination like Toronto, Amsterdam and Copenhagen. It was especially magical to partake in the Māori New year celebrations with a dawn ceremony as well as the wonderland of the Matariki Lights Festival. For an overseas guest, this was indeed a special and spiritual opportunity, linking us to the Indigenous people and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Being on-site in Christchurch for this edition allowed us the opportunity to speak with the festival’s triumvirate of leadership: Co-founders and Directors Alex Lee and Dan Shanan, and General Manager Rachael Penman.

A Platform for Independent Voices

This year, Doc Edge proudly hosted a record 30 world premieres, including Ice Maiden, Poised, We Will Dance Again, or Mauri, among others, showcasing the festival’s role in launching new voices onto the international stage. General Manager Rachael Penman highlighted the festival’s recognition by the Academy Awards as an Oscar-qualifying event, affirming Doc Edge’s status as a premier destination for documentary filmmakers globally. “We’re not about programming films that have already won big elsewhere,” Penman explained. “We seek out those hidden gems, the films that deserve a platform for their world premieres.” From over 1500 submissions worldwide, the programming team curated 66 compelling films, prioritizing originality and relevance to New Zealand audiences.

The dominant political tone of the 2024 selection is unmistakable and has exposed the public to uncommon stories from tense territories: from the Russo-Ukrainian war, the Middle East powder keg, to the Sino-Taiwanese rivalry. “Documentaries are a mirror reflecting our world,” reflects Dan Shanan. “This year’s selection bravely addresses current conflicts while shining a light on inspirational individuals who give us hope for humanity.” In this regard, the presence of Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, the central figure in Tal Barda‘s film I Shall Not Hate, left a significant mark on this year’s edition in Christchurch.

Another dynamic captured by this year’s programming is the resurgence of documentaries by journalists, as noted by Rachael Penman. “We’ve seen a real shift in filmmaking from a journalism perspective, with journalists moving into documentary filmmaking very successfully,” she observes, citing examples such as Rowan Wernham’s powerful Pistachio Wars, and Sean Langan’s The Other Side, which explores the ongoing war in Eastern Ukraine, through the eyes of Russian soldiers and local inhabitants, some of them seeking integration with Russia.

Among the standout works featured by Doc Edge this year, we particularly enjoyed Subina Shrestha’s Devi, Emily Kassie and Julian Brave NoiseCat’s Sugarcane, Stéphane Carrel’s Resilient Man, Hasan Oswald’s Mediha, Jacob Krupnick’s Then Comes the Body, Michael Dillon’s The Great White Whale, and Sally Aitken’s Every Little Thing, which won five awards at Doc Edge 2024.

In the last few years, Doc Edge’s courageous curating of subjects and films (including Stephen Kelly’s In The Shadow of Beirut which went on to the Ireland’s entry to Best Foreign Film at the Academy Awards 2024 and David Novack’s All Static & Noise), which many major league festivals are running shy off, is a shining light and example of the importance of being able to bring tough and courageous conversations to the fore.  

Dan Shanan, Executive Director, notes “If not us, who then? This is a critical moment in humanity to challenge the status quo and documentary festivals must play their part in lifting the consciousness of the world. There is no excuse to be timid or to bend to pressure groups”.  

Many filmmakers have applauded this and view Doc Edge as a festival to present their films, potentially being the equivalent of Sundance in the Asia Pacific region.

Additionally, in a first for the region, it established an Immersive Exhibition (read our report here) for 28 projects, 10 of which were world premieres. In 2025, Doc Edge will also provide a marketplace for immersive stories. 

The Asia Pacific Documentary Hub

As Doc Edge Co-founder and Director Alex Lee elaborated, Doc Edge aspires to be the Asia Pacific Documentary Hub. “We’re not just a festival; we’re a meeting ground for documentary filmmakers,” Lee stated. He emphasized the festival’s industry program, which provides vital networking opportunities and support for filmmakers to connect with industry leaders, distributors, and potential collaborators. “We are quite lucky because over the last few years, we’ve been already building up our overseas visitors and the filmmakers have come here, have always stayed and given really good feedback. They love the intimate nature of our festival. They love the fact that we have courageous conversations,” Lee observed.

Lee highlighted the importance of sector development beyond funding, advocating for a holistic approach to nurturing documentary practitioners. “What is different about our industry event compared to other markets is that we’ve been trying to be innovative and disruptive,” Lee explained. He introduced the concept of “wayfinding” as a solution, stating, “We created a new concept called wayfinding. It took away the pressure of performance from the pitchers and allowed filmmakers to receive feedback almost like an executive producer.” Indeed, all industry representatives, now referred to as wayfinders as opposed to decision makers, attending the pitches have the opportunity to provide constructive feedback, advice, and even offer support to filmmakers pitching their films. Roundtables were introduced after the formal pitches. Everyone in the room can contribute to guiding the pitchers towards promising opportunities and this provides a more enriching experience to both the filmmakers and the wayfinders. “The industry program isn’t just about discussions; it’s about action,” Lee emphasized. “We aim to find solutions to industry challenges, empowering filmmakers to navigate the complexities of the documentary landscape effectively.”

Alex Lee offers a poignant metaphor, having in mind that this year’s Doc Edge Festival coincides with Matariki, the Maori New Year: “Matariki signifies a time for reflection on the past and present, expressing gratitude, and charting a course towards the future. For filmmakers, success means completing their films. We see ourselves as seeking guidance from the stars, the wayfinders, to help filmmakers navigate towards their ultimate goal: finishing their films.“

Supporting New Zealand Documentary Filmmakers

Doc Edge General Manager Rachael Penman explained that the development of Doc Edge Industry is also made to support the local filmmakers. Penman summarized the team’s motivation for successfully financing the attendance of so many “wayfinders” in Christchurch: “We recognize that for New Zealand filmmakers, if they get the opportunity maybe once in a lifetime to go to an international market, they’re one person and amongst a sea of thousands. So, instead of sending them away, which is very hard to achieve, why don’t we bring that sea of thousands to New Zealand for the local filmmakers to be able to experience and connect internationally here?“

Lee emphasized the importance of international connections, stating, “We have incredibly talented filmmakers. What we need to do is recognize that we must support them.” His insights underscore Doc Edge Festival’s commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and the future of documentary filmmaking.

Reflecting on the festival’s growth over two decades, Lee highlighted its pivotal role in fostering documentary support and development worldwide. “When we started Doc Edge 20 years ago, there was virtually very little in the way of documentary support. We have created conversation and assisted funding agencies to start thinking about supporting documentaries.”

Penman added, “We’ve got 10 international filmmakers and 10 New Zealand filmmakers that are pitching this year. There are also two rought cuts, one from New Zealand and the other, an international project. I really hope in the next couple of years those films get made and do get presented at our festival.”

Sometimes, the vocabulary says a lot about intentions. This mission that Doc Edge undertakes towards local filmmakers is notably framed by Alex Lee. He suggested reframing discussions away from the term ‘industry,’ advocating, “We prefer not to refer to film as an ‘industry,’ much like Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish (featured in I Shall Not Hate and in attendance at Doc Edge 2024) avoids calling it the medical industry. We prefer to think of ourselves as film carers, caring for society through documentary storytelling.”

Beyond Doc Edge Industry, the festival demonstrates its commitment to an even younger audience, that of schoolchildren. Penman highlighted Doc Edge’s efforts to support New Zealand filmmakers through initiatives like the Schools Program, in association with the Rei Foundation, supporting free school screenings during the festival. “We’re nurturing the next generation of documentary storytellers,” she affirmed, “ensuring that documentary filmmaking remains vibrant and relevant in New Zealand.”

Conclusion: Looking Ahead

“It’s been a long road, but we’ll continue as long as there’s support and recognition of our mission,” reflected Alex Lee, who founded the festival with Dan Shanan in 2004. As Doc Edge Festival continues to evolve, its core mission remains steadfast: celebrating the art of documentary filmmaking, fostering dialogue, and inspiring change. The 2024 edition, with its expanded presence in Christchurch, exemplifies Doc Edge’s dedication to pushing boundaries, embracing innovation, and amplifying diverse voices from around the globe.

In the words of Dan Shanan, “Documentaries are a mirror reflecting us as human beings in this world.” Doc Edge Festival not only reflects but refracts these reflections, offering audiences a kaleidoscope of perspectives and stories that challenge, inspire, and unite us all.

Doc Edge remains a valuable “taonga”, a Māori word for treasure, which New Zealand and its film agencies including the NZ Film Commission, NZ On Air and Te Mango Paho should be proud of and support.

At the dawn of its 20th anniversary edition, Doc Edge asserts itself more than ever as a leading festival and hub within the global documentary ecosystem, and we hope to have the privilege of closely chronicling the continued, thoughtful growth of this ‘documentary festival like no other.’

We were thrilled to be covering Doc Edge 2024 on the ground in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand. Explore our exclusive coverage here.