Pitch – Doc Edge

Doc Edge Pitch 2026 — Submissions Now Open

Doc Edge is now inviting submissions for Doc Edge Pitch 2026, our annual platform for new documentary and factual storytelling. Filmmakers from New Zealand and around the world are encouraged to apply with features, shorts, or series in development, production, or rough-cut stage.

Taking place during Doc Edge Festival 2026, this is your opportunity to present your project to leading local and international decision makers — including commissioners, broadcasters, streamers, sales agents, distributors, funders, and festival programmers.

Now in its 21^st year, Doc Edge Pitch continues to champion outstanding non-fiction storytelling and has helped projects reach global markets such as AIDC, Sunny Side of the Doc, DOK Leipzig, Dhaka DocLab, CNEX CCDF, TAICCA’s TCCF, and more.

Overview

Wayfinding reimagines traditional pitching by fostering collaboration rather than competition. It offers filmmakers a premier opportunity to connect with local and international decision-makers called Wayfinders, to guide projects toward success.

Along with traditional pitching, Wayfinding introduces roundtable sessions where decision-makers, filmmakers, and audiences collaborate to provide targeted, actionable feedback. This mentorship-driven format helps filmmakers refine their projects with advice tied to strategic outcomes and industry constraints. A Docs-in-Progress session will also be included, offering rough cuts feedback and access to global markets and festivals.

Tutors & Mentors

This year, the tutors and mentors are Yulan Chang, Tareq Ahmed, Christina Milligan, Kathryn Graham, Shanon Service, Valeriya Golovina, Sacha Handsaker, Steve Barr, Neil Waka, Rachael Penman and Lauren Tamayo

Key Dates

Early Bird deadline: Friday, 16 Jan 2026
Regular deadline: Friday, 20 Feb 2026
Late deadline: Sunday, 29 Mar 2026
All deadlines close at 11:59pm NZT (UTC+13).
Notification date: 20 Apr 2026

Fees

Early Bird: NZ$125
Regular: NZ$175
Late: NZ$200

Eligibility

Open to NZ and international filmmakers
Shorts, features, and series welcome
Factual and hybrid documentaries only
Development/production projects accepted
Rough cuts must not be completed before 31 May 2026

What Finalists Receive

Access to events, workshops, pitch finals & industry meetings
A project mentor and pitch training
25% discount on Doc Edge industry programmes for 12 months

Non-selected applicants also receive a 25% discount on Doc Edge industry programmes for 12 months.

2025 Winners

Doc Edge Pitch 2025 kicked off the four-day industry event, running over the first two days, with the Forum succeeding in the final two days on 2-3 July. All pitch events were held at Grand Millennium Auckland.

The tutors and mentors were Yulan Chang, Tareq Ahmed, Christina Milligan, Kathryn Graham, Shanon Service, Valeriya Golovina, Sacha Handsaker, Steve Barr, Neil Waka, Rachael Penman and Lauren Tamayo

The following prizes have been awarded in consultation with our Doc Edge partners, who have generously provided these opportunities.

New Zealand

Park Road Post prize: $10,000 value in kind services
Public Nuisance: Smith vs. The Polluters (NZ) – Annie Goldson and Karen Sidney

Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) prize: pitch at the Taiwan Creative Content Fair
Atomic Paradise (Australia) – John Harvey, Sally Aitken and Aline Jacques

DOK Leipzig (Germany) prize: industry accreditation
Public Nuisance: Smith vs. The Polluters (NZ) – Annie Goldson and Karen Sidney
The Heartbreaker (HK) – Richie Fowler and Nicola Fan

Sunny Side of the Doc (La Rochelle, France) prize: accreditation and pitch at SSD
Nomads of The North (Bangladesh) – Piplu Khan and Junjuni Chakma

AIDC (Australia) prize: accreditation and attendance at the FACTory
Public Nuisance: Smith vs. The Polluters (NZ) – Annie Goldson and Karen Sidney
The Chimney Sweeper (Japan) – Shingo Ota and Kyoko Takenaka

Dhaka Doc Lab (Bangladesh) prize: pitch at the Dhaka Doc Lab
The Chimney Sweeper (Japan) – Shingo Ota and Kyoko Takenaka

CNEX/CCDF (Taiwan) prize: pitch at CCDF
The Heartbreaker (HK) – Richie Fowler and Nicola Fan

Alexandra Johnes prize: consultancy
The White Thing to Do (NZ) – Aidee walker, Gabrille Blackwood and Cass Avery
JJ Exile Brothers (India) – Kusuma Santapoori and Devansh Mathur

Alexander Behse prize: consultancy
The Myth of Monsters (Malaysia) – Beatrice Leong, Panuksmi Jardjwirogo, Ineza Rousille, Sean McAllieter and Rebecca Aaberg

Elemental Legal/The Doc Catcher prize: value in kind services
Our Forgotten Home (NZ) – Peter Lee, Karen Workman Chang and Megan Blackwell
The Fashionable Farmer (NZ) – Sue Marshall and Rebecca Tansley
JJ Exile Brothers (India) – Kusuma Santapoori and Devansh Mathur

Doc Edge prize: accreditation to Doc Edge Forum 2026
Alien Nation – A Buried History (NZ) – Lynda Chanwai Earle, Toby Mills and Peter Lee
The Fashionable Farmer (NZ) – Sue Marshall and Rebecca Tansley

International

Atomic Paradise – Aline Jacques, John Harvey, Sally Aitken
Me, My Mother’s Favourite Monkey – Ivonne Kani
The Myth of Monsters – Beatrice Leong, Panuksmi Hardjowirogo, Ineza Rousille, Sean McAllister
JJI Exile Brothers – Kusuma Santapoori, Devansh Mathur
The Moonwalkers – Haig Balian
Gotipua : Beyond Borders – Chintan Parekh
The Heartbreaker – Nicola Fan, Richard Fowler, Jonathan Duncan, Peter Yam
Nomads of the North – Piplu Khan, Ssam Seonkyu Park, Junjuni Chakma
Untitled Project
24 Strong – Kristian Van der Heyden, Rieneke Van Santen
The Chimney Sweeper – Shingo Ota, Kyoko Takenaka