Festival to put city on map
Christchurch’s standing as a serious international film-making destination has received a huge boost, winning hosting rights to one of the Asia-Pacific’s biggest film festivals.
For the first time later this year, the world-renowned Doc Edge Film Festival will be based in Ōtautahi, following significant investment from the city’s economic development agency.
Wellington and Auckland have previously split hosting duties for Doc Edge. This year, Christchurch takes on the mantle, launching all screenings and immersive experiences between June 19 and 30.
Wellington and Auckland will then show a series of “best of” screenings from July 3 to 14.
ChristchurchNZ – which builds and manages the city’s major events portfolio – has invested $150,000 to bring the festival to the South Island, and spent another $38,000 to assist with “leverage, legacy and event analysis”, according to its head of major events, Karena Finnie.
The festival, going into its 19th year, will include screenings, an awards ceremony, immersive exhibitions and live events.
It is set to be held in venues such as Hoyts, Lumiere Cinemas, Alice Cinema, the Christchurch Art Gallery, the Town Hall and Tūranga (Central Library).
Screen CanterburyNZ head Petrina D’Rozario said it was time for an event like Doc Edge to come to Christchurch.
“After the resurrection of the city and the way it’s been positioned globally, it’s the perfect time to get international visibility and eyeballs on Christchurch as a developing screen sector.
“What better way to do that than a film festival?”
The South Island currently falls behind the rest of Aotearoa in the film-making stakes, with Auckland making up 80% of the screen market share, followed by Wellington and then Canterbury.
D’Rozario believed Doc Edge could help cement the South Island as a filming destination.
“There’s traction. I think it will take a bit more. We are still behind when it comes to the number of productions and the set of skills that we have.
“But sometimes you really need to beat your own drum to be visible.”
International recognition has been accomplished by the festival in the past, with several winners going on to receive prestigious Academy Awards.
In 2022, All That Breathes, the film that won the international feature section at Doc Edge, went on to be nominated for an Academy Award.
This year, 20 Days in Mariupol won the Academy Award for best documentary. It picked up two awards at the Doc Edge festival a year prior.
For D’Rozario, a burgeoning film scene means a chance for more “beautiful” local stories.
“For me, that would mean success.” The Doc Edge Film Festival programme will be announced on May 9, when tickets also go on sale.