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Awards

A recognition and celebration of excellence in exceptional storytellers who tell stories from our backyard and around the world.

Doc Edge Festival 2024 Oscar® qualifying awards night was held on Thursday, 27 June 2024 at the Town Hall in  Ōtautahi Christchurch. 

The Awards Ceremony was broadcast live and you can watch the recorded session here.

The juries for this year’s awards are Alexandra Garcia, Alexandra Johnes, Jasmin McSweeney , Juliette Veber, Leo Koziol, Peter Day, Petrina D’Rozario, Sam Witters, Sharron Ward and Tanya Black.

 

NEW ZEALAND COMPETITION

Best New Zealand Feature: Every Little Thing
* Special Mention: Sharko & Pistachio Wars

Best New Zealand Short: Diary of a Head Injury
Best New Zealand Director: Sally Aitken / Every Little Thing
Best New Zealand Editing: Every Little Thing
Best New Zealand Cinematography: Every Little Thing
Best New Zealand Sound: Every Little Thing
Best New Zealand Emerging Filmmaker: Rowan Wernham / Pistachio Wars

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

Best International Feature: Sugarcane
* Special Mention:  Invisible Nation

Best International Short: Girl of Wind
* Special Mention:  Instruments of a Beating Heart

Best International Director: Marcus Vetter, Michele Gentile / War and Justice
* Special Mention: Jalena Keane-Lee / Standing Above the Clouds

Best International Editing: We Will Dance Again
Best International Cinematography: I Shall Not Hate
Best International Sound: Sugarcane

FESTIVAL CATEGORY

Being Oneself: Renee Gracie: Fireproof
Bridges of Understanding: I Shall Not Hate
Democracy on the Edge: Rather Be Ashes Than Dust
Facing the Edge: Invisible Summit
In Truth We Trust: We Will Dance Again
The Edge of Impact: Devi

NZ STUDENT AWARDS

Best Tertiary Film: No Home Owner
* Special Mention: Underbirds: The Fight to Save the New Zealand Dotterel

Best Secondary Film: Hounga’ia – Be Grateful
* Special Mention: Telesia 2 the World

IMMERSIVE EXHIBITION

New Zealand Immersive Impact Project: Lane 25
International Immersive Impact Project: Murals

NEW ZEALAND COMPETITION

Best New Zealand Feature: Pacific Mother (Dir. Katherine McRae)

Best New Zealand Short: Strange Beasts (Dir. Darcy Prendergast)
– Special Mention: Demons (Dirs. Daniel Ali, Mark Robertson)

Best New Zealand Director: Katherine McRae (Pacific Mother)
Best New Zealand Editing: Pacific Mother (Editor Lala Rolls)
Best New Zealand Cinematography: Pacific Mother (various)
Best New Zealand Sound: Frances Hodgkins, Anything but a Still Life (Composer Dana Lund, original score)
Best New Zealand Emerging Filmmaker: Blandine Massiet du Biest (Frances Hodgkins, Anything but a Still Life)

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

Best International Feature: In the Shadow of Beirut (Germany, Ireland, Lebanon, UK, Dirs. Stephen Gerard Kelly, Garry Keane)
– Special Mention: Twice Colonized (Canada, Denmark, Greenland, Dir. Lin Alluna)

Best International Short: When the Sand Stands Still (Denmark, Dirs. David Jervidal, Tommy Jervidal)
– Special Mention: Finding Alaa (UK, Dir. Myriam Francois)

Best International Director: Mstyslav Chernov (20 Days in Mariupol)
Best International Editing: 20 Days in Mariupo(Michelle Mizner)
Best International Cinematography: In the Shadow of Beirut
Best International Sound: Knowing the Score (Simon Hicks)

FESTIVAL CATEGORY

Being Oneself: Who I Am Not
Crime & Conspiracy: All Static & Noise
Fighting Spirit: Twice Colonized
Making an Impact: Deep Rising
The Art of Storytelling: Call Me Dancer
Our World, Our Stories: In the Shadow of Beirut

NEW ZEALAND STUDENT AWARDS

Best Tertiary Film: A Love Letter to the Estranged (Dir. Va’a Magalogo, AUT)
Best Secondary School Film: Self Portrait (Dir. Connor Lynd, Rotorua Lakes High School)

EXTENDED REALITY (XR) IMPACT WINNERS

New Zealand Project: Evoke
International Project: Missing 10 Hours (Hungary)

NEW ZEALAND COMPETITION

Best NZ Feature (sponsored by NZ On Air): Off the Rails

Special Mention: Behind the Mask

Best NZ Director:  Alastair Cole, director of Iorram (Boat Song)

Best NZ Short: Our Aotearoa

Best NZ Cinematography: Balance of the Five Elements 

Best NZ Editing: Balance of the Five Elements 

Best NZ Sound: Only I Can Hear

Best NZ Emerging Filmmaker (sponsored by Department of Post): Marcus Palmer, director of Disco Bloodbath

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

Best International Feature: All that Breathes
Special Mention: Delikado

Best International Director: Ben Lawrence, director of Ithaka

Best International Short: Freedom Swimmer 
Special Mention: Water, Wind, Dust and Bread 

Best International Cinematography: Hide & Seek

Best International Editing: Girl Gang

Best International Sound: All that Breathes

FESTIVAL CATEGORY

And Action… : The Other Fellow
Being Oneself:  Nelly & Nadine
Fearless: And Still I Sing
Ripple Effect: Myanmar Diaries
Thank You for the Music: Nothing Compares
Through the Generations: Young Plato
True or False: Tantura
We are the World: The Balcony Movie
Work It: The Happy Worker

Doc Edge Festival 2021 Oscar-qualifying awards night was held on Wednesday, 2 June in Auckland.

NEW ZEALAND COMPETITION

Best NZ Feature: Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks
(sponsored by NZ On Air)

Best NZ Director: Sally Aitken, Valerie Taylor: Playing with Sharks

Best NZ Cinematography: Jacob Bryant, The Garden of Evil

Best NZ Editing: Thomas Gleeson, High Tide Don’t Hide

Best NZ Short: Garage Romantic
(sponsored by The Spinoff)

Best NZ Emerging Filmmaker: Alistair Harding, The Sea Decides
(sponsored by Department of Post)

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

Best International Feature: Wuhan Wuhan
Special Mention: Sabaya

Best International Director: Hogir Hirori, Sabaya

Best International Short: Say His Name: Five Days for George Floyd
Special Mention: Souvenir Souvenir 

FESTIVAL CATEGORY

Around the World in Nine Films: Children
Crime & Conspiracy: Down A Dark Stairwell
Fame! I’m Gonna Live Forever: The Rossellinis
Family/Whānau: Try Harder!
Fearless/Mātātoa: Laura’s Choice
The Future Beckons: The Wonderful: Stories From The Space Station
State of Mind: Aulcie

NEW ZEALAND COMPETITION

* Best NZ Feature: Elementa
(sponsored by NZ On Air)

* Best NZ Short: Pluck
(sponsored by NZ On Air)
Special Mention: Hurting to Heal

Best NZ Director: Sally Williams,Stevenson: Lost and Found
Best NZ Cinematography: Richard Sidey, Elementa
Best NZ Editing: Deborah Peretz, Stevenson: Lost and Found
Best NZ Emerging Filmmaker: Yeshe Hegan, Return to Gandhi Road
(sponsored by Department of Post)

* These winners qualified for consideration by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the Oscars.

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

* Best International Feature:  A Thousand Cuts
Special Mention: The Forum

* Best International Short: Far From Home
Special Mention: Blackfeet Boxing: Not Invisible

Best International Director: Hind Meddeb, Thim Naccache, Paris Stalingrad
Special Mention: Pawel Wysoczanski, Long Day Tomorrow

FESTIVAL CATEGORY WINNERS

Best All In The Family (presented by Rei Foundation): Confucian Dream
Best Art Attack (presented by MiNDFOOD): A Chef’s Voyage
Best of Fests: This is Not a Movie
Best Fearless: Blood on the Wall
Best Future Watch (presented by Chorus): First We Eat
Best MOANA WHĀRAHI – Films from the Pacific: Tokyo Hula
Best On the Edge (presented by Department of Post): The Queen’s Man
Best World Cinema (presented by RNZ): Paris Stalingrad

Doc Edge Superhero

Every year, Doc Edge also recognises an individual to celebrate one’s outstanding contribution to documentary.  Here are the list of previous superheroes since 2010.

The 2024 Doc Edge Superhero Award is Ted Hope.

ted hope - immersive exhibition

Ted Hope

Doc Edge Superhero 2024

Ted’s resume reads like a Hollywood blockbuster: he’s produced over 70 films, served as a studio executive for over 60, spearheaded a start-up streamer, co-headed three production companies, led a film society and festival, served as a Professor of Practice at two universities, and founded a post-production facility, two websites, two think tanks, and an app. Phew!

Not content with just one feather in his cap, Ted also launched Amazon’s venture into feature film production, netting them an impressive 19 Oscar nominations and 5 wins. As a producer, his films have garnered 25 Oscar nominations and 6 wins.

Ted’s memoir and newsletter, “Hope For Film,” are essential reading for anyone passionate about the industry. He’s played a pivotal role in launching the feature film careers of Ang Lee, Nicole Holofcener, Hal Hartley, Michel Gondry, and countless others.

In addition to his impressive portfolio, Ted’s recent projects include “Cassandro,” the first narrative feature from Oscar-winning documentary director Roger Ross Williams, and “Invisible Nation,” a documentary on Taiwan directed and produced by Vanessa Hope, which is part of this year’s Doc Edge Festival lineup.

Ted’s visionary approach to storytelling and unwavering commitment to innovation make him a true superhero of the film world. We are honoured to recognise his contributions and look forward to seeing where his creative path takes him next.

Annie Goldson-300x300

Annie Goldson | 2023

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Vincent Burke | 2022

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Heather Croall | 2021

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Jane Wrightson | 2020

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Heddy Honigmann | 2019

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Diane Weyermann | 2018

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Leanne Pooley | 2017

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Marti Friedlander | 2016

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Chris McDonald | 2015

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Steve James | 2014

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Ally Derks | 2013

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NHNZ | 2012

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Joint Winners | 2011

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Dame Gaylene Preston | 2010

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