Saatchi & Saatchi NZ Showcases Doc Edge Documentary Festival with 'Sapiosexy'

Saatchi & Saatchi NZ has launched ‘Sapiosexy, the documentary’ and a supporting campaign to showcase New Zealand’s Doc Edge Documentary Festival.

Doc Edge is New Zealand’s Oscar-qualifying international documentary festival, celebrating its milestone anniversary of 20 years this year.

The documentary short premiered at the festival’s Opening Gala Night on June 26th. It follows lead character Jack, who wakes up one day feeling sapiosexy -- a term used to describe people who are so smart it’s downright sexy. The documentary takes a tongue-in-cheek approach, where the audience learns more about Jack’s condition and its possible link to documentary watching.

Dan Shanan, Doc Edge co-founder and executive director, said, “We challenged Saatchi & Saatchi NZ to come up with a disruptive idea for this year’s festival and to make documentaries sexy… and they did just that. Sapiosexy, in fact.”

The documentary was made by Saatchi Studio and directed by Saatchi & Saatchi NZ’s ECD Lee Sunter.

“I had a lot of love for the Sapiosexy idea from our creative talents, Zach Hall and Gina Morgan,” said Lee.

“Once we decided to make a documentary, writer Zach pulled in his comedian friends and I got them to bring their own interpretations to the material, refining as we went. This leads to what you see on screen -- equal parts written and adlibbed -- which is always an excellent place to be.”

Beyond the documentary, the wider campaign explores how attending the festival and watching the 90 films will make you sapiosexy. Messaging on billboards, street posters, festival guides, social, merch and cinema spots warn you that ‘you may become Sapiosexy at Doc Edge’ -- with audio voiced by Neil Waka and fellow festival ambassador and New Zealand broadcaster, Judy Bailey.

Of the festival’s relationship with Saatchi & Saatchi NZ, Rachael Penman, general manager and festival producer, said, “20 years ago was not just when our festival was born, but also our relationship with Saatchi & Saatchi NZ. They came up with the line we still use today ‘Life Unscripted’. Now 20 years on, and to celebrate this milestone year, it felt natural to rekindle our relationship.”

Doc Edge co-founder and director Alex Lee said, “78 films, 12 immersive projects, four days of industry events, and an Oscar-qualifying awards ceremony, Doc Edge is the Asia Pacific centre for all things documentary and the home for storytelling that provides a more nuanced understanding of the world -- that’s so Sapiosexy!”.

‘Sapiosexy, the documentary’ features an excellent cast: Jordan Mooney (Panthers, Westside, Auckland Theatres 2025 Romeo & Juliet); Angella Dravid (NZ Comedy Festival 2025 Fred Award winner); ‘The Honourable’ Tom Houghton (Star of ‘Bad Manors’ podcast and ‘Very British Problems: LIVE’); Zach Hall (2021/22 Comedy Raw Finalist & Saatchi writer); Lane Pilkington (2019 Raw Finalist, 4x NZ Most Original Comic Nominee & Saatchi writer); Michelle Wiley (2023 Raw Comedy Quest Finalist); and an accidental cameo from New Zealand broadcaster, journalist and Doc Edge ambassador,  Neil Waka.