International And Local Filmmakers To Attend Doc Edge Festival

The Documentary New Zealand Trust presents
THE DOCUMENTARY EDGE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2022 (DOC EDGE)
1 June – 10 July 2022

The acclaimed 17th annual Doc Edge Festival has officially kicked off, with a full hybrid festival including a Virtual Cinema and in-person screenings in Auckland (The Civic, The Capitol and Silky Otter), Wellington (The Roxy and Embassy Theatre) and Christchurch (Silky Otter).

With borders opening up, Doc Edge is thrilled to be able to welcome international guests back to the festival, as well as a strong contingent of New Zealand filmmakers. Alongside attending Q&As at in-person screenings, filmmakers will also experience Doc Edge’s Industry Forum with workshops and masterclasses. All guests will be available for interviews on the ground.

Making its World Premiere at Doc Edge, The Other Fellow is an energetic exploration into the lives of real men across the globe all sharing the same name – James Bond. The Other Fellow is the feature length debut from Australian born director Matthew Bauer, who arrives on 16 June. Also attending all the way from Sweden is James Bond himself also arriving on 16 June.

New Zealand filmmaker Heath Cozens, now based in Los Angeles, will be returning to Aotearoa on 22 June for the Doc Edge screenings of his film, that he co-directed with Itaru Matsui Only I Can Hear, following the remarkable lives of three CODA (children of Deaf adults) as they grapple with their identity between two communities.

Taking viewers to the remote atoll of Pukapuka in the Cook Islands, a unique place never before captured on film, The Island In Me follows Amelia Hokulea Borofsky and Johnny Frisbie as they return home after decades away. Director Gemma Cubero del Barrio will arrive on 16 June, with the film's subjects Hokulea Borofsky and Frisbie also in attendance.

Australian Delikado director Karl Malakunas will arrive on 17 June. Delikado presents the incredible story of three environmental crusaders who confront murder, betrayal and their own demons in their battle to save an island paradise in the Philippines.

Award-winning Afghan Canadian filmmaker Fazila Amiri will be attending from 17 June with her first feature length film And I Still Sing, following Afghanistan’s controversial pop star and activist Aryana Sayeed as she mentors hopeful contestants on the hit singing TV series Afghan Star.

Australia’s five-time Walkley award-winning journalist Yaara Bou Melhem presents her directorial feature length debut with Unseen Skies, following visionary artist Trevor Paglen as he attempts to launch a work of art into orbit. Bou Melhem will be in attendance from 22 June.

Producers behind the remarkable Myanmar Diaries Corinne van Egeraat (arriving 15 June) and Petr Lom (arriving 1 July) will attend this year's festival to share this urgent film built up of shorts by ten young anonymous Burmese filmmakers exposing the dark secrets of Myanmar.

Director Naomi Bell of Australian short Who I Am will also be attending from 14 June, along with subjects of the film to share this story of a transgender teen on the spectrum who learns to be himself.

The New Zealand based filmmakers in attendance who are also available for interviews are, Peter Day with his film Off the Rails, Toby Mills and Aileen O’Sullivan with Whetū Mārama, as well as three World Premiere films, Disco Bloodbath from filmmaker Marcus Palmer, Behind the Mask from doctor and director Paul Trotman, and Balance of the Five Elements producer James Heyward.

For more information on the 2022 festival, visit docedge.nz, sign up to the newsletter and follow Doc Edge on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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