Opening Night Awards Set the Pace for 2014 Festival!

Media Alert –22nd May 2014
For Immediate Release

The Documentary New Zealand Trust presents
THE DOCUMENTARY EDGE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2014.

Opening Night Awards Set the Pace for 2014 Festival!

Touted as another strong season of edgy, thought provoking cinema with this year’s incredibly diverse line-up including a strong pop culture section, Erebus: Operation Overdue (Charlotte Purdy/Peter Burger) and God Loves Uganda (Roger Ross Williams) walked away with Best NZ Film and Best International Film respectively at theDocumentary Edge Festival Film Awards 2014 at Q Theatre. The Awards preceded asold out world premiere screening of Charlotte Purdy and Peter Berger’s Erebus: Operation Overdue.

Festival Executive Director Dan Shanan said, ”For the first time in its nine years, the festival is proud to open the 2014 season with a brilliant local film about an event which is forever etched in New Zealand’s history. We are pleased that the jury has also chosen to award this film”.

The judges also commented on God Loves Uganda’s win, citing it as an important story with potentially vast consequences, bravely and well told and unfolded in a non-prejudiced and balanced manner.

International short Junior (Sien Versteyhe) and New Zealand short Close to Home(Bertie Plaatsman) also picked up wins during the proceedings. Although New Zealand director Plaatsman was unavailable to attend, she was thrilled and honoured to receive the award.

The festival continues its season in Auckland’s Q Theatre until June 2nd, with industry awards including Best Director for New Zealand and International films on May 29th.

Full winners from last night’s ceremony as below:

Best New Zealand Feature: Erebus: Operation Overdue (NZ, Charlotte Purdy/Peter Burger)
Best International Feature: God Loves Uganda (USA, Roger Ross Williams)
Best New Zealand Short: Close to Home (NZ, Bertie Plaatsman)
Best International Short: Junior (Belgium, Sien Versteyhe)

Best World Cinema: The Devil’s Lair (South Africa, Riaan Hendricks)
Best Sign of the Times: Happiness (France/Finland, Thomas Balmes)
Best Game On: Pole, Dancer, Movie (Israel, Isri Halpern)
Best Human Rights: Kids for Cash (USA, Robert May)
Best Generation Next: Rich Hill (USA, Andrew Droz Palermo/Tracy Droz Tragos)
Best The American Dream: American Promise (USA, Joe Brewster/Michele Stephenson)
Best Culture Vultures: Life Itself (USA, Steve James)

For more information and to keep up to speed with the latest news regarding the 2014 season, visit
www.documentaryedge.org.nz

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