On Thursday evening Doc Edge held their annual awards as part of the 2025 Doc Edge Festival at The Grand Millennium Hotel in Auckland. Twenty-four awards were announced to honour and celebrate the superb documentaries and filmmakers, from both New Zealand and internationally, participating in this year’s programme.
Doc Edge is an Academy Awards qualifying festival for feature and short documentary films. The winners of Best NZ Short, NZ Feature, International Feature and International Short are eligible for consideration for the 2026 Academy Awards.
Mighty Indeed from New Zealand director Vanessa Wells and The Pool by Australian filmmaker Ian Darling emerged as the night’s most awarded films, with Wells’ taking out two awards and Darling’s film taking home three.
Mighty Indeed was awarded Best New Zealand Feature and Best Director. The film follows three women working in Antarctica across four decades, exploring science, climate, and survival in one of the world’s harshest environments. The jury praised the work for its “quiet strength, emotional depth, and clear directorial vision, gracefully executed.”
Little Potato, directed by Chen Chen, won Best New Zealand Short for what the jury described as “artistic photography, an unflinching camera, and bravery and vulnerability in sharing intimate moments about a sensitive topic often kept behind closed doors.”
The Dating Game (United States), directed by Violet Du Feng, was awarded Best International Director and received a Special Mention for Best International Short. The jury praised the film for “delivering on all fronts – from strong casting and beautiful cinematography to mindful editing, a remarkable achievement from a director to watch.”
On Healing Land, Birds Perch (USA/Vietnam), directed by Naja Phm Lockwood, won Best International Short and In Waves and War took out Best International Sound.
Ruby Chen, the previously announced recipient of the Doc Edge Superhero Award, was celebrated and formally presented with her award on the night. Ruby Chen is a tireless advocate for independent storytellers, she has played a pivotal role in elevating the global presence of Chinese and Asian documentaries and in nurturing a new generation of documentary talent.
The 2025 festival programme boasts 90 titles including feature films, shorts and immersive projects. Screenings continue in Auckland until 13 July, before heading to Wellington and Christchurch from 16 to 27 July, and online via the Doc Edge Virtual Cinema from 28 July to 24 August.
Stay updated with the latest news and announcements by visiting docedge.nz and following Doc Edge on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
Film stills available here.
2025 KEY DATES & VENUES
Auckland: 25 June – 13 July, The Capitol Cinema, Bridgeway Cinema, SkyCity Theatre, Silo6, and Grand Millennium
Wellington: 16 – 27 July, The Roxy Cinema, Te Auaha Gallery
Christchurch: 16 – 27 July, Lumière Cinemas, Tūranga (Central Library), HOYTS EntX
Nationwide: 28 July – 24 August, The Virtual Cinema
