Where’s Feature Doco At?

It’s encouraging to see NZ feature documentary alive and well, with five docos screening at the New Zealand International Film Festival.

You wouldn’t think so if you went to TVNZ+, though. Not a single NZ documentary feature sits in the ‘Kiwi Films’ strand, and under ‘All Documentary’ I only found one. Yes, there were plenty of NZ single TV docos and factual series. But only one documentary feature? Of course, licence periods could have run out…

It’s not so encouraging when you look at the box office for NZ documentary films in the theatres, either. I went back over the last seven months of the weekly box office records, and the NZ feature docs I did find didn’t do well. But then, comparatively, a good number of NZ narrative films don’t do well at the box office either.

This doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for NZ feature documentary and that it can’t find an audience. It’s the same for NZ narrative feature.

Our myopic fixation on NZ theatrical box office, though, constricts our ability to adapt to the changed environment for documentary (and narrative) globally. And it has changed incredibly dramatically, particularly since COVID. Funders AND documentary makers need to accept this.

As Videomaker Dot Com pointed out in their article on the state of documentary—In a nutshell:

• The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally altered the documentary film industry, with the transition to virtual film festivals and streaming platforms becoming more prominent.
• The pandemic has led to a redefinition of documentary filmmaking, with changes in production methods, storytelling focus and ethical considerations, emphasizing the resilience and creativity of filmmakers.
• Despite the increased availability of platforms for documentary viewing, the financial and market constraints, particularly for independent filmmakers, remain significant, highlighting the industry’s ongoing challenges and the necessity of adaptability.

Read the full article here.

The recent success of both a New Zealand documentary director and a New Zealand documentary producer I know tells me that this vital art form is alive and well in New Zealand, both for projects and for careers. I’m also excited by those NZ docos I’m aware of that are in production right now.

It’s a necessity for documentary stories to be told in this world of misinformation, disinformation and corporate spin-doctoring like we’ve never seen before. And while the box office is still being used as a measure of success here, please get out and watch those NZ docos in the theatres. They need your support.

Tui Ruwhiu
Executive Director

Last updated on 1 August 2024