The Documentary Edge Film Festival returns

The prestigious Doc Edge returns for its 14th year in Auckland and Wellington, delivering true stories from all over the world. It’s one not to miss! 

With Auckland’s Q Theatre remaining the screening hub for The Documentary Edge International Film Festival 2019, the Ellen Melville Centre, Auckland Live’s Digital Stage and the Auckland Art Gallery are playing home to extra screenings, forums and exhibitions. In Wellington, the Roxy Cinema is joined by Te Auaha as a space for interactive digital projects, while after-work screenings have been scheduled at the Light House Cinema on Cuba. 

Here are the first 6 picks from the festival line-up so far: 

Honeyland 

This multi-award winning and visually poetic film is a testimony to one woman’s resilience and an exploration of the delicate relationship between humankind and nature. Set in an isolated mountain region of the Balkans, the film paints a touching and wistful portrait of Hatidze, the last female wild beekeeper in Europe, as she struggles to save her bees and restore natural balance against invasion from a family of nomadic beekeepers. The film was awarded the World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize, Special Jury Award for Impact Change and Special Jury Award for Cinematography at this year’s prestigious Sundance Film Festival and is the debut documentary for directors Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov.

Talking about Trees

Recently received the top documentary award at the Berlin International Film Festival and directed by Suhaib Gasmelbari, Talking about Trees chronicles the actions of a group of retired film directors and long-time friends as they try to revive an old cinema in the city of Omdourman. 

Kabul, City in the Wind 

Director Aboozar Amin explores Kabul through the sobering and warm account of daily life, told through the eyes of a bus driver and two young brothers. The film provides a glimpse into the lives of a city that has experienced decades of war and remains the target of terrorist attacks. 

Buddy

A portrait of six guide dogs and their owners. Among them, an 86-year-old woman, blind from birth, an autistic young boy and the wife of a war veteran suffering from PTSD who attributes the dog as saving their marriage. It’s a heartfelt film of devotion, love and freedom while observing the crucial support and companionship of man’s best friend. 

Gaza

A film that takes us into a world of perennial conflict and struggle, beyond the news reports to focus on everyday characters attempting to lead meaningful, ordinary lives in the rubble. 

Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain

A compelling and eye-opening look at Blockchain, a verified digital ledger and cryptocurrency. He examines how it is being used to fight income inequality, refugee crisis and world hunger, in the face of banks and network experts who condemn volatile cryptocurrencies and their underlying blockchain technology. 

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When: Auckland 30 May – 9 June, Wellington 13 May – 23 June. 
Where: Auckland Q Theatre, Ellen Melville Centre, Auckland Live’s Digital Stage, Auckland Art Gallery. Wellington’s Roxy Cinema, Light House Cinema. 

Click here to find out more.