Reality has never been more compelling for our world, and across winter the Doc Edge Festival returns with another extraordinary celebration of documentary filmmaking, bringing together powerful stories from Aotearoa and across the globe that are guaranteed to challenge perspectives, inspire conversation and leave audiences thinking long after the credits roll.
Running through till 10 August, the Oscar-qualifying festival has unveiled its full 2026 programme, presenting an impressive collection of 49 feature documentaries, 26 short films and 12 immersive storytelling experiences that shine a light on some of the world’s most urgent issues while celebrating resilience, creativity and the human spirit.
With screenings taking place in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, alongside the nationwide Virtual Cinema, Doc Edge once again cements itself as one of New Zealand’s premier cultural events for lovers of documentary storytelling.
An Incredible Showcase Of World Premieres
One of the festival’s biggest draws this year is its remarkable collection of 28 world premieres spanning film and immersive media.
One of the this year’s most intriguing offerings was Feather Strength, directed by Jon Earle. More than a decade in the making, the deeply personal documentary chronicles Earle’s family’s journey raising his daughter with profound developmental disabilities, offering an intimate portrait of love, resilience and the realities of caregiving.
Another standout is Ranginui: Call of the Ice, where Māori astronomer Rangi Matamua and language expert Mataia Keepa venture into Antarctica, blending modern science with mātauranga Māori in one of Earth’s most unforgiving environments, and which makes for a perfect and timely Matariki watch.
Meanwhile, First Cuts Are The Deepest follows three young students across Thailand over six years, capturing the friendships, challenges and defining moments that shape their lives through vastly different educational experiences.
Stories That Matter
True to Doc Edge’s reputation, the 2026 programme refuses to shy away from the issues shaping our world.
Audiences can expect documentaries exploring family, Indigenous knowledge, environmental collapse, conflict, activism, music, creativity and survival, with filmmakers from around the globe bringing fresh perspectives to stories that resonate on both local and international levels.
A special French showcase, presented with support from Institut Français and the Embassy of France in New Zealand, adds another exciting dimension to this year’s programme, featuring acclaimed documentaries including Inside Gaza, Collapse, Cagnat, Drawing or Nothing and If You Don’t Like It, Look Away.
The programme also celebrates homegrown filmmaking with screenings including The War Below: Restoring Hope in the Solomon Islands and a special presentation of NZ Wars: Stories of Waerenga a Hika.
A New Festival Hub For Auckland
One of the biggest additions to this year’s festival is the transformation of Auckland’s iconic Smith & Caughey building into the new home of Doc Edge, and which is an awe-inspiring sensory experience that is just waiting to be seen.
The World Press Photo & Doc Edge Immersive Exhibition combines award-winning international photojournalism with cutting-edge immersive experiences under one roof for the very first time in New Zealand.
This raw and unflinching look at the world around makes for an utterly gripping and sobering experience as we audiences share in the events that have shaped our world, and the very experience of what makes us human on this planet.
Serving as both exhibition space and festival hub, this venue is the beating heart of Doc Edge throughout the festival, welcoming audiences, filmmakers and industry guests for a unique celebration of documentary storytelling.
Don’t Miss Doc Edge Festival 2026
Whether you’re passionate about global affairs, fascinated by remarkable true stories, or simply looking for unforgettable cinema, Doc Edge Festival 2026 promises one of its strongest programmes yet.
With dozens of world premieres, immersive experiences and documentaries that entertain, educate and inspire in equal measure, audiences across New Zealand have an incredible opportunity to experience the very best in contemporary documentary filmmaking.
Doc Edge Festival runs 24 June – 10 August 2026, with screenings taking place in Auckland until July 12, with screenings in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and nationwide via the Virtual Cinema. Learn more here.
Image: Doc Edge Festival 2026
