Filmmakers selected to receive Doc Edge Rei Foundation Film Fund

The Doc Edge Rei Foundation Film Fund supports short film projects made for youth aged 11 to 17 years.

40 submissions were received from New Zealand and around the world for the second round, which closed in mid-2020.

The four projects named below will each receive $20,000 to support production of the films. When completed, the films will premiere as Doc Edge Originals at the Oscar-qualifying Doc Edge international documentary film festival.

Congratulations to the selected filmmakers (listed alphabetically by project title):

MAKE IT 16
New Zealand | Director: Jess Feast | Producer: Ruth Korver
Rangatahi are ready to make history as they challenge the current lawful voting age in New Zealand. The film follows a group of inspiring young people leading the campaign to create a more inclusive and robust democracy.

PAPER DOLLS
New Zealand | Director: Andrea Kahukiwa | Producer: Bradley Walker
Kiwi teens share their fashion foraging skills, hunting in op-shops and surplus stores to find sustainable style and the freedom to be who they want to be.

SEA WITHIN A SEA
Cambodia | Director: Danech San | Producers: Daniel Mattes, Davy Chou
Across Cambodia’s coast, seahorses are under threat from bottom trawling, poor fisheries management and illegal fishing. The film investigates the factors that impact seahorse populations and conservation planning.

WHO AM I
Australia/New Zealand | Director: Naomi Ball | Producer: David Elliot-Jones
A transgender teen who’s also on the spectrum learns to stand up for himself and find the support he needs, with the help of his own original characters, The Fallens.