Latest news with #JigsawProductions
Scoop
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Doc Edge Names 2025 Superhero And Welcomes First International Guests
Ruby Chen, Co-Founder and CEO of CNEX Foundation, has been named the 2025 Doc Edge Superhero, an honour recognising her outstanding contribution to global documentary filmmaking. She will receive the award at the Doc Edge Awards on 3 July and deliver a keynote address at the Doc Edge Forum. Chen, a tireless champion for documentary filmmakers in the Asia-Pacific region, has played a pivotal role in the global visibility of Chinese and Asian documentaries. 'As we all believe in the importance of documentaries and the power of moving visuals, I am honoured to be part of this circle of professionals who work hard to create impact and inspire people of all walks to lead their lives with positive energy,' says Ruby Chen. Alex Lee, Director of Doc Edge, adds, 'Ruby Chen exemplifies the spirit of documentary filmmaking—courageous, transformative, and truthful. Her dedication to nurturing talent and promoting documentary in the Asia-Pacific region has facilitated the rise of Asian and Chinese documentary makers globally—aligning perfectly with the ethos of Doc Edge.' Doc Edge Industry 2025: Courage, Truth, and Transformation Now in its 20th edition, Doc Edge Industry returns 30 June – 3 July 2025 at the Grand Millennium Auckland, continuing its legacy as the Asia-Pacific hub for documentary innovation. Held as part of the Oscar®-qualifying Doc Edge Festival, the four-day event offers a recharged user experience for global documentary professionals with a focus on connection, creativity, and career development. Key Programme Highlights: Pitch | Wayfinding (30 June – 1 July): A premier opportunity for filmmakers to present their projects in development to local and international decision-makers, with mentorship and access to global festivals and markets. It spotlights both local and international projects, alongside a Rough Cuts session for Docs-in-Progress, offering a dynamic, real-time feedback loop from industry experts. Forum (2 – 3 July): A platform for emerging and established storytellers and industry leaders to exchange ideas and advance their careers. It features a meticulously crafted programme, designed to immerse participants in a space where reflection, collaboration, and engagement thrive. With world-class speakers, thought-provoking sessions, and interactive opportunities, Forum participants will help shape the future of documentary. Market (30 June – 3 July): Facilitates connections between projects and potential buyers to enhance distribution and acquisition opportunities. Awards (3 July): Celebrates outstanding documentaries, with winners of Best International and Best NZ Film automatically qualifying for Oscar® consideration. Esteemed International Speakers: Courtney Sexton – Emmy-winning producer and EVP at Jigsaw Productions, known for RBG, Navalny, and Gabby Giffords Won't Back Down. Formerly with CNN Films and Participant Media. Ryan Harrington – Emmy and Peabody Award-winning producer and Director of Film Programming at Jacob Burns Film Center. He is also co-founder of BD4, a new production label focused on commercially-driven documentary storytelling. More international and local guests will be announced in May, along with the full Doc Edge Industry 2025 programme. Early Bird Passes Available Now Secure your place at Doc Edge Industry 2025 with 50% off early bird passes until 9 May. Spaces are limited. Visit to book and stay updated via Doc Edge's social channels. The full Doc Edge Festival programme and tickets will be live from 9 May, with tickets available via the festival's website. 2025 KEY FESTIVAL DATES & VENUES Industry: 30 June – 3 July, Grand Millennium Auckland 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
New York Times
06-02-2025
- Business
- New York Times
A Top Documentary Director Finds a Billionaire Backer
At a time when the documentary film business is atrophying, one of the world's leading documentarians, Alex Gibney, has taken on a powerful partner: Wendy Schmidt, a billionaire philanthropist by way of Google. 'We've been managing to make films on important social issues for a long time, but finding and getting those stories to audiences has been a challenge, in part because of the consolidation of the entertainment industry,' Mr. Gibney said in a video interview on Wednesday. 'By partnering with Wendy, we're making sure that Jigsaw is around for the long haul,' he added, referring to his company. Mr. Gibney, 71, said he had sold a majority stake in Jigsaw Productions to Ms. Schmidt, who is married to Eric Schmidt, the former chief executive of Google. Mr. Gibney will continue to run the company, which has produced more than 80 films since the early 2000s. Those include 'Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room,' 'Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief,' 'The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley' and the Oscar-winning 'Taxi to the Dark Side,' about the use of torture by the United States in its 'war on terror.' Jigsaw, which turns a profit, according to Mr. Gibney, also has a nonfiction TV business (more than 200 episodes produced) and a growing podcast division. Jigsaw is based in New York and currently employs 15 people. Financial terms were not disclosed. Ms. Schmidt, 69, said in a video interview that Jigsaw would broaden its editorial focus to include more stories on climate change and ocean health, topics that have been central to her family's philanthropy. She said that her goals for Jigsaw included deepening 'impact storytelling and public interest journalism,' along with helping the company find 'more innovative distribution options,' which could include virtual reality experiences. 'This is about trying to assume a mantle, a role that we think is a vital one in the film business,' Ms. Schmidt said. 'Documentary film is such a powerful tool, especially today with the division in our society.' 'Human society, in my view, is at an inflection point,' she continued. 'We are existentially threatened by the technology we've created as well as by the failure of systems on the planet to support us because they've become so compromised.' Ms. Schmidt's investment will allow Jigsaw to hire more staff and expand to Los Angeles. Already, Jigsaw has brought on Courtney Sexton, a former senior executive at Participant Media, which had long been Hollywood's pre-eminent maker of socially conscious entertainment until shutting down last year. (Ms. Schmidt said that she had made an offer for Participant that would have saved the company, but that the owner rejected it.) Documentary companies like Jigsaw rely on studios and streaming services to distribute their content. Such partners have cut back — especially on social justice topics — in the face of continuing weakness at the box office, higher labor costs and increased profit pressure from Wall Street. Streaming services like Disney+ and Netflix have started to sell ads, and advertisers prefer easily digestible, apolitical content. Although 'No Other Land,' an independently produced film about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is viewed as the front-runner for best documentary at the coming Academy Awards, the documentary has been unable to secure distribution in the United States. Over the years, Ms. Schmidt has been an executive producer of various documentaries, including 'The Hunting Ground,' about rape on college campuses, and 'Gather,' about Indigenous people in the United States working to reclaim the food systems of their ancestors. In buying Jigsaw, she is in some ways following another philanthropic heavyweight from Silicon Valley: Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of the Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. In 2020, Ms. Powell Jobs helped the Oscar-winning documentarian Davis Guggenheim ('An Inconvenient Truth') and a partner start Concordia, a studio for documentaries. 'When you tell me a story that captures my imagination and my heart — shows me courage, shows me inspiration, shows me human connection to something bigger than myself — I'm going to listen to you and follow you,' Ms. Schmidt said. 'That's the promise that we see in this arrangement.' However, she added, 'it is a business. And I will treat it as a business.'
