Webby and Cluka Honoured at the 2026 Doc Edge Awards
The 2026 Doc Edge Awards were a successful night for DEGANZ members, with DEGANZ board member Kim Webby receiving the Raye Freedman Legacy Award and fellow member Aaron J Cluka winning the Best Tertiary Film Award for Stoats’ Last Stand.
Held at the Grand Millennium Hotel in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, the awards celebrated outstanding documentaries, immersive projects, and filmmakers from around the world, with more than 30 accolades presented across the evening. The winners were selected by an 11-member jury from Aotearoa and overseas, including DEGANZ board member and documentarian Rebecca Tansley.
After its debut last year, the Raye Freedman Legacy Award is in its second year of honouring a woman who embodies the spirit of Raye Freedman, a passionate supporter of education, music and the arts. Kim was recognised not only for her documentary Unlikely Kin, which screened as part of this year’s festival, but also for her decades-long contribution to documentary filmmaking and journalism. Alongside the award itself, Kim will receive a $5,ooo cash prize.
Aaron received the Best Tertiary Film Award for Stoats’ Last Stand, a short documentary exploring Waiheke Island’s community-led efforts to eradicate stoats, an invasive predator that has devastated Aotearoa’s native birdlife. Backed by iwi, local communities, and sponsors, the project highlights the positive impact of these conservation efforts, with stoat numbers declining and native bird populations beginning to recover.
Executive Director Tui Ruwhiu attended the awards, which he reflected on in his blog ‘Documenting Winners‘ this week.
Congratulations, Kim, Aaron, and all the Doc Edge Award winners!
Last updated on 2 July 2026
