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Auckland city centre is pretty diverse, so much so that there might be a few spots you’ve haven’t quite managed to visit yet...
75 films. 12 immersive exhibitions. 3 days of industry events. And an Oscar®‑qualifying awards ceremony.
The 21st Doc Edge Festival returns with a bold showcase of documentary film and immersive storytelling from Aotearoa and around the world - work that confronts, challenges, and connects audiences through urgent, real‑world stories.
This year’s programme features a standout mix of 49 feature films, 26 short films, and 12 immersive projects. The festival spans global issues, powerful local voices, and deeply human narratives across screenings, exhibitions, and industry events.
With its Oscar‑qualifying status secured for another four years, Doc Edge continues to attract world premieres and cement its reputation as a major fixture on both the local and international documentary circuit.
World Press Photo & Doc Edge Immersive Exhibition
24 JUN - 12 JUL, 2026
World Press Photo & Doc Edge Immersive Exhibition 2026 is a landmark new exhibition that merges the internationally acclaimed World Press Photo Exhibition with the Doc Edge Immersive Exhibition into a single, unmissable cultural event. Together, the exhibition creates a journey from seeing to feeling, from bearing witness to becoming part of the story.
Learn more about this unmissable cultural event, here.
Films
Music and the Mystical Experience | World Premiere | NZ Film
Director: Isabel Corfiatis
Sound engineer Michael Sutherland assembles twenty of New Zealand’s most talented musicians to score the psychedelic experience. Through performance and expert insight, the film explores music as a transformative tool for therapeutic healing.
Inside Gaza | Asia Pacific Premiere | International Film
Director: Hélène Lam Trong
Trapped in a conflict closed to the international press, a group of AFP journalists documents the war from within. A searing exploration of the moral dilemma of survival, and the vital role of field journalism in an era of growing attacks on media freedom.
Unlikely Kin | World Premiere | NZ Film
Directors: Kim Webby, Michael Jonathan
A father and son fight to uphold Māori guardianship — harvesting stranded whales and protecting endangered fauna. They reveal how ancestral knowledge may be the essential key to healing the land and saving New Zealand’s forests.
Discover more films, here.
Doc Edge Industry
29 JUN - 1 JUL | Grand Millennium Auckland | From $99
Doc Edge Industry is a three-day event connecting documentary filmmakers with the global screen industry through talks, pitching and networking during the festival.
The event brings together 30+ speakers across 15+ sessions, with more than 200 industry professionals expected to attend. Click here to learn more.
The Doc Edge Awards will take place on 1 July 2026.
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The finalists for the 2026 Iconic Auckland Eats are here, and 28 are from our delicious city centre restaurants!
Stay a little longer
Bespoke cocktail bar tucked away in Snickel Lane where timeless classics meet modern mixology and bold flavour pairings.
Perched 15 levels above the city, Aka is Australasia’s largest outdoor rooftop dining space,
combining panoramic 260-degree...
Hidden away on O'Connell Street, this unique hidden bar serves delicious, inventive small-batch cocktails.
Hand crafting small batch ice cream in the Waikato since 2015
Snow Bingsu & Souffle Pancakes - open late in Courthouse Lane
Machi Machi is a new generation of beverage shop that believes in taste, comfort and art.
Disappear downstairs on Roukai Lane and step back in time with this beautiful cocktail lounge.
The cosy and sophisticated atmosphere is the perfect place to slow down, relax and sip on delicious cocktails, beautiful wine...
Enjoy one of the city’s largest rooftop terraces—complete with a bar and restaurant—right in the heart of the city at Darling...
Enjoy two hours of free parking or $5 evening and weekend rates. Find out more.
Ride on public transport from as little as $2 each way. Find out more.
Last updated:
30 April 2026