From 12th June – 5th July, The Documentary Edge International Film Festival is bringing its Auckland and Wellington programme online! Get access to New Zealand’s only Oscar-qualifying film festival from anywhere in the country.
Despite going online due to Covid-19 restrictions, this years’ Doc Edge is going to be the largest in its 15-year history, with over 70 films from all over the world in a line-up.
These films are focused on ongoing challenges: crusading journalists, unscrupulous spin doctors and corrupt politicians, the struggles of refugees, meatless diets, new religions and how to survive swimming with a polar bear (the film is called Picture of His Life, we know you’re going to ask anyway).
Directors Alex Lee and Dan Shanan said, “Reaching out in times of isolation enables us to express humanity at its best. We’re passionate about bringing important stories to everyone.”
We’ve picked up some of the most exciting premieres, directed by female filmmakers. Don’t miss these!
Ruahine: Stories in her Skin (Hione Henera, New Zealand)
A beautiful and intimate documentary following the ceremony of two women receiving their traditional moko kauae. They are visually asserting their birthright and identity while celebrating the mana of their whakapapa. In Māori tradition, the head is considered the most tapu part of the human body making the practice of moko kauae highly prestigious and exclusive to Māori women.
Stevenson: Lost and Found (Sally Williams, USA, New Zealand).
Kiwi filmmaker Sally Williams celebrates the stellar 67-year long career of the remarkable New Yorker cartoonist James Stevenson in this biopic. Williams creates an unexpectedly moving portrait that unearths the life, struggles and humour of an artist and his truly dazzling volume of work.
Objector (Molly Stuart, USA)
Like all Israeli youth, Atalya is obligated to become a soldier. Unlike most, she questions the practices of her country’s military and becomes determined to challenge this rite of passage. Despite her family’s political disagreements and personal concerns, she refuses military duty and is imprisoned for her dissent. Her courage moves those around her to reconsider their own moral positions and personal power.
Waterproof (Daniela König, Germany)
Aishe, Khawla and Rehab are ladies who make a change. They repair leakages, clean water tanks and show housewives how to handle water properly – in Jordan, one of the driest countries on Earth. The cheerful and refreshingly frank atmosphere between the women comes under threat when Aishe faces trial on corruption charges.
Maddy the Model (Jane Magnusson, Sweden)
Madeline Stuart is a fashion celebrity who has walked the runway at the New York Fashion Week, has over million followers on Facebook and Instagram combined and is featured in media worldwide. This documentary follows Madeline on her journey to becoming the world’s first professional supermodel with Down syndrome, challenging our perception of identity, beauty and disability.
A Thousand Cuts (Ramona S. Diaz, Philippines, USA)
Nowhere is the worldwide erosion of democracy, fueled by social media disinformation campaigns, more starkly evident than in the authoritarian regime of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Journalist Maria Ressa places the tools of the free press—and her freedom—on the line in defence of truth and democracy.
Wintopia (Mira Burt-Wintonick, Canada)
A box of tapes uncovered. A lifelong Utopian obsession. A daughter’s attempt to complete her father’s final film. Wintopia traces the enigmatic footsteps of renowned documentary filmmaker Peter Wintonick through the lens of his daughter, Mira, as she tries to decipher the map he has left behind.