Our CEO and founder, Mette Hoffmann Meyer, received the 2026 Doc Edge Superhero Award in New Zealand.

She was introduced as an "international icon" by Alex Lee, co-founder and director of the Documentary New Zealand Trust, which hosts the Doc Edge Film Festival.

The festival is an Academy Award-qualifying international documentary festival that was founded in 2005 as a space for bold, diverse and socially engaged storytelling.

Mette received the Doc Edge Superhero Award, a special lifetime achievement honour presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the documentary filmmaking industry.

The award itself is a Korowai, which is a traditional woven Māori cloak. As described on the back of the award:

"The Korowai is worn as a mantle of prestige and honour. The name Korowai is symbolic of leadership and includes the obligation to care for the people and environment."

Alex delivered a heartfelt tribute to Mette before presenting her with the award, recognising her long-standing contribution to documentary filmmaking. Not only has she produced a myriad of award-winning films, including Taxi to the Dark Side and, most recently, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, but he also applauded the years she has spent investing in documentaries. That dedication ultimately led to her being dubbed the documentary industry's "mogul" by Hot Docs.

"She's courageous, and that's what Doc Edge is about. We truly believe that documentary and documentary filmmakers embody the fearlessness we need in this society, as it has become so noisy."

The kind words left Mette moved as she proudly accepted the award. With the Korowai in her hands, she summed up the driving force behind her life's work:

"What I focus on is making sure films are seen, and I put just as much effort into that. That they're seen all over the world, in places where there is censorship, and trying to break down these walls, which I think is super important."

She concluded with a final message of encouragement to the audience:

"Documentaries are an art form, but they're the most important art form we have to tell us about the world we live in. They also enable us, hopefully, to navigate a world that is complex. We have to be really strong now and stay true to our ethics and our values, and I know you all do that in this room. So thank you so much, good luck, stay calm and go on!"

It was a tremendous honour, and the award now stands proudly in THE WHY office as we continue our founder's mission: to inform people across the world, one documentary at a time.

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