Pitch 2024

Where Truth Meets Impact, and Reconciliation Comes to Life.

Calling all visionary filmmakers and storytellers, it’s time to shine your projects on the world stage. 

Welcome to the epicentre of documentary magic – Doc Edge Pitch 2024 

Picture this: Otāutahi Christchurch, New Zealand, a hub of creativity, culture, and innovation, hosting the leading and most electrifying documentary pitching forum in the Asia-Pacific region as part of Life Unscripted by Doc Edge in June 2024. 

Here, we’re not just looking for documentaries; we’re on the hunt for transformative, heart-pounding, thought-provoking stories that will rock the globe. 

Imagine your tales brought to life before a panel of decision-makers from across the world, ready to be captivated by your narrative genius.  

We’re talking about stories that dive deep into contemporary topics that inform, provoke, surprise, engage, and inspire.   We’ve got a soft spot for stories from our own backyard, tales rooted in indigenous wisdom, and narratives from underrepresented voices. 

Your film needs to be original, innovative, and fresh.  Prepare to tug at our heartstrings and blow our minds. 

In 2024, Doc Edge Pitch’s theme is “Truth, Impact and Reconciliation”.  

In a world where misinformation runs rampant, where the truth is often buried, and where conflicts brew, your documentaries will be the beacon of clarity, the catalysts for change, and the harbingers of reconciliation. 

We are looking for New Zealand and international projects in the following formats: 

  • Feature theatrical or TV one-off  
  • Series (web or TV) 
  • Immersive (VR, AR, and XR) with an accompanying short or long form documentary 

Selected projects will join our whanau (family) and go through a series of workshops on pitching presentation and coaching from mentors as well as post-pitch follow-ups. 

Key Dates / Fees (all NZ, UTC+13)

31 December 2023  Early bird deadline / NZ$ 125.00 

15 February 2024  Regular deadline / NZ$ 175.00 

28 February 2024  Extended deadline / NZ$ 200.00 

27 March 2024  Notification Date 

April – May 2024  Preparation Workshops 

June 2024  Finals Pitch Event in Christchurch (date tbc) 

At Doc Edge, we are kaitiaki (guardians) of documentary filmmaking in the Asia-Pacific.  So, what are you waiting for? Let your stories help us change the world.  

Doc Edge Pitch is a documentary pitching forum for shorts, features and TV series. It is NZ’s only event dedicated to pitching documentary and factual projects before a panel of local and international decision-makers.

Finalists receive support through workshops on pitching presentations, and individually, coaching from mentors who will provide project-specific feedback and advice leading up to the final pitch date.

Winners

It brings us great joy to announce the first awards of this year’s pitch

  • CNEX’s CCDF14 Participation
    • Memory & Longing by Kim Webby
  • DOK Leipzig’s Accelerator Award
    • The Sound of Wind by Zhiying Deng and Nanhsi Yuen
    • Killing Brigitte Nielsen by Kylie Cushman

2023 Finalists

NEW ZEALAND PROJECTS

We are looking for New Zealand and international projects in the following formats: 

  • Feature theatrical or TV one-off  
  • Series (web or TV) 
  • Immersive (VR, AR, and XR) with an accompanying short or long form documentary 

Selected projects will join our whanau (family) and go through a series of workshops on pitching presentation and coaching from mentors as well as post-pitch follow-ups. 

INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS
  1. Fair-Home Fairy-Tales | Sourav Sarangi, Director/Producer/Writer/Editor | Humaira Bilkis, Co-Producer [India]  
  2. Love Crimes | Elise Coker, Director | Michael Saul Garber, Producer [Taiwan]   
  3. In Search of the Morning Star | Pinky Choudhury, Director [India]  
  4. The Sound of Wind | Nanhsi Yuan, Director | Zhiying Deng, Producer [China]  
  5. Matriarch: In A Woman’s World Izzy Chan, Director/Producer |Noémie Hakim-Serfaty, Co-director/Editor [USA] 
  6. Untying the Knot | Chona Mangalindan, Director/Producer [Philippines] 
  7. Until the Buzzing Stops | Abd al Kader Habak, Director | Janay Boulos, Producer [UK] 
  8. Re-Inkarnation | Bobo Khuraijam, Director/Producer [India]  
  9. Wind and View | Sheng Hung Hsieh, Director | Yin-Yu Huang, Producer [Taiwan]  
  10. Harvest Moon | Rama Ayasra, Director | Asmahan Bkerat, Producer [Jordan] 
  11. Trona Emanuele Mengotti, Director | Kristian Van der Heyden, Producer [USA] 

Pitch Key Dates

27th February, 2023
Submission Deadline
COMPLETED
27th February, 2023
31st March, 2023
Finalists Confirmation
COMPLETED
31st March, 2023
April - May, 2023
Workshops
COMPLETED
April - May, 2023
1st June, 2023
Doc Edge Pitch 2023
COMPLETED
1st June, 2023
“The opportunity to put myself in front of a panel of local decision makers at Doc Edge game me an opportunity ... and ultimately lead to helping secure NZ On Air funding to get the series made"
Magnolia Lowe

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