International Filmmakers Touch Down For Doc Edge Festival 2025
'As we mark 20 years of Doc Edge, it's incredibly powerful to welcome so many international storytellers to Aotearoa,' says Dan Shanan, Doc Edge Executive Director. 'Their presence here reflects not only the global strength of documentary filmmaking, but also our shared belief in the power of real stories to move, challenge, and connect us all.'
From the heart of Samoa to the villages of the Mediterranean, from Bondi's iconic Icebergs to a beloved Tokyo public pool, this year's guests are here to present films that challenge, inspire, and stir conversation, on everything from mental health and climate resilience to queer love, digital hustle culture, war trauma, and identity.
Among those in attendance:
A Quiet Love (IRE) – Producers Anne Heffernan & Sean Herlihy. In NZ: 1–5 July.
Three Deaf couples share intimate love stories in Irish Sign Language, celebrating resilience and connection through an immersive soundscape.
Before the Moon Falls (USA) – Director Kimberlee Bassford & Producer Linda Goldstein Knowlton. In NZ: 24 June–20 July (Bassford), 24 June (Goldstein Knowlton).
A portrait of Samoan novelist Sia Figiel, exploring mental illness and its impact on individuals and communities after a tragic event.
Carrousel (FR) – Director Pascal Messaoudi. In NZ: 30 June–13 July.
A poetic look at life in a polluted Mediterranean industrial town, highlighting community joy amid environmental decay.
Food Delivery (PH) – Director Baby Ruth Villarama. In NZ: 29 June.
A banned film revealing the daily dangers faced by Filipino fishermen and Coast Guard defending their waters.
Child of Dust (CZ, PL, QA, SE, VN) – Director Weronika Mliczewska. In NZ: TBC.
A son's emotional search for his American father after the Vietnam War, confronting stigma and identity.
Click the Link Below (NO) – Director Audun Amundsen. In NZ: 11–20 July.
An exposé on the risks and realities of online marketing through the eyes of a filmmaker chasing financial freedom.
The Dancer (USA) – Cinematographer Alyssa Brocato. In NZ: TBC.
The story of a stateless Syrian refugee who uses dance as survival and returns to war-torn Syria to heal his community.
Numakage Public Pool (JP) – Director Shingo Ota & Producer Kyoko Takenaka. In NZ: 29 June–4 July (Ota), 29 June–3 July (Takenaka).
A community's grief over the demolition of their beloved Tokyo swimming pool, a space of joy and belonging.
The Pool (AUS) – Producer Mary Macrae. In NZ: 1–6 July.
An ode to Bondi Icebergs, where generations bond over swimming in the iconic outdoor pool.
OCEANIA: Journey to the Center (US) – Director Natalie Zimmerman & Co-Writer/Creative Producer Tekinati Ruka. In NZ: 1–18 July.
A poignant film on rising seas, cultural survival, and ancestral resilience on a coral atoll threatened by climate change.
Shayni in the Sky (NZ/NO) – Director Gabriel Garton & Film Subject Shayni Couch. In NZ: 30 June–14 July (Garton), from 12 July (Couch).
A mother's journey of grief and healing following the tragic loss of her BASE-jumper husband.
Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror (USA) – Director Linus O'Brien. In NZ: from 25 June.
The definitive documentary on the rise and enduring cult status of the Rocky Horror Show.
Yurlu | Country (AUS) – Director Yaara Bou Melhem. In NZ: TBC.
The fight for justice and cultural survival against asbestos contamination in Western Australia.
YUMI: The Whole World (DE) – Director Felix Golenko. In NZ: 2–6 July. Follow three law students from the University of the South Pacific as they lead a historic campaign to bring climate justice to the International Court of Justice.
Alofa (AUS) – Director Rachel Lane. In NZ: 29 June.
A former pastor confronts the challenges of faith, culture, and sexuality within traditional Samoan beliefs.
Mother of Chooks (AUS) – Directors Jesse Samos Leaman & Maite Martin Samos. In NZ: 29 June–13 July.
After loss, Elaine finds unexpected companionship in chickens, becoming a local legend.
Where is Home (IND) – Director Lamtiar Simorangkir. In NZ: 29 June–11 July.
A boy born behind bars faces new challenges navigating life after release.
Nothing is Impossible: The Primanavia Story (FJ) – Director Caleb Young. In NZ: TBC.
Fijian choir Primanavia faces immense odds preparing for the World Choir Games.
Kapwa (USA/PH) – Co-Director Michaela-Ternasky Holland. In NZ: TBC.
An interactive video installation exploring cultural erasure within the Filipino diaspora.
Doc Edge Superhero – Ruby Chen, recognised for her outstanding contribution to global documentary filmmaking. In NZ now.
Other filmmakers and festival participants from the likes of Australia, Fiji, India, Sweden, Norway, and the Pacific are also arriving throughout the festival season, with many films making their world premieres right here in Aotearoa.
Doc Edge 2025
continues in Tāmaki Makaurau until 13 July before moving to Pōneke and Ōtautahi from 16 – 27 July, and online in the Virtual Cinema from 28 July – 24 August. Media are encouraged to book interviews now with available international guests.
2025 KEY FESTIVAL DATES & VENUES
Industry: 30 June – 3 July, Grand Millennium Auckland
Auckland: 25 June – 13 July, Bridgeway Cinema, The Capitol Cinema, SkyCity Theatre and Silo 6
Wellington: 16 – 27 July, The Roxy Cinema
Christchurch: 16 – 27 July, Lumiere Cinemas, Christchurch Art Gallery, Tūranga Central Library, and the University of Canterbury
Awards: 3 July, Grand Millennium Auckland
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