Doc Edge Unveils Full Programme For Landmark 20th Anniversary Festival

The countdown has begun! The 20th Anniversary Oscar-qualifying Doc Edge Festival has officially launched its 2025 programme, now live and on sale at docedge.nz.
 
This milestone edition features an unmissable and genre-defying line-up of 49 feature films, 29 short films, and 12 immersive projects that expose, educate, and entertain. Spanning urgent global issues to powerful local voices, the festival runs from 25 June to 24 August, bringing thought-provoking, inspiring stories to Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and nationwide via the Virtual Cinema.
 
This year’s festival boasts 32 world premieres and 20 international premieres, tackling themes of community, resilience, and the universal power of human connection. These films are bold, raw, and resonant—reflecting the festival’s 20-year legacy of fearless storytelling.
 
Joining the already announced premiere films are these standout titles:
 
MANA MOANA MANA TANGATA
Dirs. Toby Mills, Julian Arahanga | New Zealand | 90 mins | 2025 | World Premiere
In this compelling film, the battle to save Māori fishing rights unfolds as a powerful tale of resilience and determination. 
 
NO TEARS ON THE FIELD
Dir. Lisa Burd | New Zealand | 2025 | 90 min | World Premiere
Set in Taranaki, the film follows four young women chasing big rugby dreams, capturing the grit, heart, and camaraderie of grassroots women’s sport.
 
THREE DAYS IN FEBRUARY         
Dir. Serena Stevenson | New Zealand | 74 min | 2025 | World Premiere
Set against the vibrant backdrop of the Splore festival, this is a cinematic celebration of human connection through an intimate and often playful lens.
 
A QUIET LOVE
Dir. Garry Keane | Ireland | 2025 | 95 min | World Premiere
Three Deaf couples share the stories of how they met and fell in love. Together, these cinematic love letters weave a rich tapestry of Deaf experience over a period of 70 years.

FATAL WATCH
Dirs. Mark Benjamin, Katie Carpenter | USA | 2025 | 88 min | International Premiere
The film set on the high seas exposes the largely unseen world of fisheries observers, whose warnings about illegal fishing practices have resulted in fatal consequences for those sounding the alarm.

IN WAVES AND WAR
Dirs. Jon Shenk, Bonni Cohen | USA | 2024 | 108 min | International Premiere
Three Navy SEALs find themselves at the cutting-edge of a different frontline: a lifesaving psychedelic therapy that brings healing to a community in urgent need.

THE POOL
Dir. Ian Darling | Australia | 2024 | 95 min | International Premiere
A spectacular cinematic portrait of the iconic Bondi Icebergs – the pool and the people who cherish it.
 
THE LAST DIVE
Dir. Cody Sheehy | USA | 2025 | 88 min | International Premiere
A man with a troubled past finds an unlikely friendship with a manta ray, forming a quiet, redemptive bond in the depths of the ocean.
 
NEVER GET BUSTED!
Dirs. David Anthony Ngo, Stephen McCallum | USA, Australia, Philippines | 2025 | 105 min | International Premiere
He was a highly decorated Texas narcotics officer until he turned on the police force by busting crooked cops and teaching drug users how to hide their stash.
 
THE PROMISE          
Dir. Daan Veldhuizen | Netherlands | 2025 | 115 min | International Premiere
A forgotten promise by the Netherlands for the independence of the Indigenous people of West Papua, has turned into the world's most neglected genocide.
 
VIVIEN'S WILD RIDE
Dir. Vivien Hillgrove | USA | 2025 | 87 min | International Premiere
After a lifelong career in cinema, editor Vivien Hillgrove starts losing her sight, forcing her to reexamine past traumas and relationships, and to reinvent herself and her art.
 
NUMAKAGE PUBLIC POOL
Dir. Shingo Ota | Japan | 2025 | 84 min | International Premiere
After more than 50 years, a community grieves the loss of its beloved swimming pool as it faces demolition to make way for urban development. 
 
Join Doc Edge in celebrating two decades of life unscripted. Book your tickets now and discover the power of documentary to inspire, challenge, and change the world.

Full programme and tickets available at docedge.nz
 
2025 KEY FESTIVAL DATES & VENUES
Industry: 30 June – 3 July, Grand Millennium Auckland
Auckland: 25 June – 13 July, Bridgeway Cinema, The Capitol Cinema, SkyCity Theatre and Silo 6
Wellington: 16 – 27 July, The Roxy Cinema
Christchurch: 16 – 27 July, Lumiere Cinemas, Christchurch Art Gallery, Tūranga Central Library, and the University of Canterbury
Awards: 3 July, Grand Millennium Auckland
Nationwide: 28 July – 24 August, The Virtual Cinema
 

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