Submission to Doc Edge Pitch 2027 is now open.
Bring us the story you believe needs to be told.
Every documentary begins with a story, a question, a character or an idea that will not let go. Doc Edge Pitch exists to help strong factual projects find the people, perspective and momentum they need to move forward.
Overview
Doc Edge Pitch is Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading platform for discovering and supporting documentary and factual projects. Selected teams have the opportunity to strengthen their projects, sharpen their pitch and connect with the local and international decision-makers who can help take a project towards financing, commissioning, production, sales, distribution, festivals and audiences.
We are looking for distinctive, compelling and impactful projects with a clear sense of purpose and audience. Entry is competitive, but we encourage you to show us what makes your project special, why it matters now and why you are the team to tell it.
Through our international networks, Doc Edge regularly connects projects and filmmakers with markets including AIDC, Sunny Side of the Doc, DOK Leipzig, Dhaka DocLab, CNEX CCDF, TAICCA TCCF, Maritime Silk Route Documentary Forum and Fresh Pitch.
Where Pitch Can Lead
The purpose of Doc Edge Pitch is not simply the minutes on stage. It is to create momentum. Every year, selected projects leave with stronger pitches, new relationships and, for some, direct invitations into international markets and labs.
Recent outcomes from Doc Edge Pitch 2026 included:
- Almost the End of the World / Belle Gwilliam, Shu Run Yap – winner Best NZ Pitch 2027, Dhaka Doc Lab Award
- Layers of Black / Paula Jones, Enjalas Jenkinson –CNEX Academy Producers Lab 2027
- Every Body Speaks The Eternal City / John Ross, Sasa Hsiao – winner Taiwan Mobile Content Power X Best International Impact, CNEX CCDF 2027
- The Fixer / Tuki Laumea, Cleo Fraser, Dorothy Wickham – AIDC Award, TAICCA TCCF Pitch 2027
- The Plastic Pickers of Paradise / Caleb Young, Siobhan Nicol Young, Drue Slatter- Dok Leipzig Award
- Prabha / India, South Korea / Vinita Negi
- Saving Tuvalu / Tuvalu, Australia, Germany / Chris Kamen
- Seahorse School / Australia / Rebecca Barry
- The Skater Girl / China / Lili Chen, Jing Guo
- Madam, See U Tomorrow / China / Chouwa Liang, Andy Huang – CNEX CCDF CathayPlay Best International Potential Award 2027
- Super Old — Getting Stronger with Age / Japan / Sanae Abe, Tommaso Barbetta – TAICCA TCCF Award
- Tzusy: First Person Plural / Taiwan, United Kingdom, Australia / Wei-Hsin Yang, Grace Hsin-Jui Lin
- Vanishing Freedom / Taiwan / Ariel Tu, Diana Chiawen Lee
- Your Enemy, My Lover / China, Taiwan, Northern Mariana Islands, Hong Kong / Ho Yan Lam
Roughtcuts
- Almost Home / South Korea / Hongjia Yang, Gary Byungseok Kam, Kyungsoo Han, Zeyu Wang
- Touch the Colour / Philippines / Baby Ruth Villarama, Chuck Gutierrez – CNEX Academy Editing Lab 2027
Projects Submission
Important to know prior to submitting your project. Download the detailed information in the submission guide.
Eligibility
- Open to filmmakers from Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas.
- A project counts as a New Zealand project if the director or producer (or both) holds New Zealand citizenship or residence.
- Each team can nominate up to two persons to be part of the team.
- Temporary visa holders, including those on student or work visas, must enter as international projects.
- Individuals, creative teams and companies may apply.
- Applicants must be
- 18 or older,
- hold, or be authorised to exercise, the rights needed to submit and develop the project.
- An application fee applies unless the project has been invited through, or is a qualifying prize-winner from, one of Doc Edge’s partner markets.
Criteria
- Open to Aotearoa New Zealand and international projects
- Projects must be documentary or factual.
- Feature documentaries and one-off factual projects must run longer than 40 minutes. Short-form documentaries are not eligible for Doc Edge Pitch.
- Documentary series are eligible.
- Hybrid forms are welcome, including docudrama, animation and reenactment.
- Projects may be in development, in production or at rough-cut stage.
- Rough-cut projects must be in post-production and must not be due for completion before 31 May 2027.
- Each submission form covers one project only. Submit a separate application for each additional project.
Fees & Deadlines
Early Bird: NZ$150 / Friday 13 Nov 2026
Regular: NZ$150 / Friday 4 Dec 2026
Late: NZ$250 / Sunday 20 Dec 2026
Notifications: Monday 11 January 2027
* Selected projects pay no additional Pitch participation fee. If selected, the submission fee includes two full Doc Edge Industry 2027 accreditations for two nominated members of the project team (worth circa $ 500 NZD). The project will undertake mentoring and workshops in preparation for Do Edge Pitch 2027.
* Projects that are not selected will be entitled to register the project nominated filmmakers at the industry accreditations at early bird price for Doc Edge Industry 2027.