Festival 2026 | 24 Jun - 12 Jul | Auckland

Industry

Screen professional event

A professional marketplace and conference of the Doc Edge Festival.

New Zealand’s Documentary Forum, Pitch & Market

Save the Dates !!
29 June – 1 July 2026
Grand Millennium Auckland

3 days 
30+ speakers 
15+ sessions 
200+ industry professionals 

The full programme, speakers and international guests will be announced in May 2026.

Pitch 1
What is Doc Edge Industry?

Doc Edge Industry is a three-day event connecting documentary filmmakers with the global screen industry through talks, pitching and networking during the annual Doc Edge Festival.

Over three days, the event combines talks, pitching and industry meetings designed to support documentary storytelling and connect projects with partners.

 
Who Should Attend?

Doc Edge Industry is designed for:

  • Documentary filmmakers
  • Producers and production companies
  • Broadcasters and streamers
  • Sales agents and distributors
  • Festival programmers
  • Film students and emerging storytellers
  • Screen industry professionals.

 

Why Attend?

At Doc Edge Industry you can:

  • Learn from leading international documentary storytellers
  • Present projects and receive industry feedback
  • Meet broadcasters, funders and collaborators
  • Discover new documentary projects in development
  • Connect with the New Zealand and international documentary community 

Passes

New: Super Early available for first 50 passes only.
Early-bird passes are available until 15 May.

All passes include:

  • Full access to the 3-day event 
  • Talks, pitching, panels and masterclasses
  • Morning/afternoon tea
  • Lunch each day
  • Networking opportunities
  • Discounted tickets to the Doc Edge Awards and Festival screenings  
 
Choose Your Passes
Industry Pass (Most popular) 

* For members of participating industry organisations including APA, DEGANZ, SPADA, WIFT NZ, Ngā Aho Whakaari, NZCS, NZWG, PASC, PISA and others. 

  • Super Early – $149 (first 50)
  • Early Bird – $199 (until 15 May)
  • Standard – $299 

 

General Pass 

* For professionals attending independently. 

  • Super Early – $199 (first 50)
  • Early Bird – $249 (until 15 May)
  • Standard – $349 

 

Student Pass 

* For holders of a valid NZ tertiary student ID. 

  • Super Early – $79 (first 50)
  • Early Bird – $99 (until 15 May)
  • Standard – $149  

 

Act Fast !! Be the first 50 to get your Super Early Bird Passes.

Key Speakers & Guests

“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,”

Ruby Chen

Co-Founder / CEO
Headlining our event this year is Ruby Chen, our 2025 Superhero. We are anticipating 40 local and international filmmakers, leading documentary experts, funders, commissioners, sales agents, distributors, acquisition managers, co-production partners, festival programmers, and marketplace managers and mentors together in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

Ryan Harrington

Director of Film Programming, Jacob Burns Film Center

Ryan Harrington has dedicated his career to nurturing and empowering filmmakers from around the globe as a producer, creative executive, and through his various roles in the equity and non-profit funding worlds. He served as VP, Documentary Films at National Geographic; VP, Artist Programs at Tribeca Film Institute; Director of Documentary Film at Discovery; Production Manager at A&E IndieFilms and Curator-in-Chief at the Jacob Burns Film Center.

Harrington is currently the Executive Producer of Documentary at BD4, Banijay America’s newest production label. BD4 specializes in premium documentary storytelling that blends commercial sensibility with creative execution. Guided by principles of joy, surprise, and delight, BD4’s slate includes genre-driven films that redefine what documentary films can be.

He sits on numerous advisory committees and is, proudly, the first male board member at Women Make Movies. He is an Academy-Award and PGA-nominated; and Peabody, Emmy and IDA-winning producer, as well as a frequent panelist, speaker and jurist at industry events around the world.

Ryan harrington 1
Courtney sexton

Courtney Sexton

EVP, Jigsaw Production

Courtney Sexton is a prominent documentary film executive currently serving as the Executive Vice President of Film and Television and Head of West Coast Operations at Jigsaw Productions, a New York-based company renowned for its impactful documentaries, including Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Going Clear, and The Armstrong Lie. Prior to this Courtney worked as Executive Voce-President Documentary at Participant media and Senior Vice-President at CNN Films.