Ray Edwards is an award-winning New Zealand director and cinematographer whose career bridges narrative filmmaking and commercial storytelling. A member of Whakatōhea and Raukawa iwi and fluent in te reo Māori, Edwards was among the first students to complete his education entirely in Ao Māori immersion. He began his career in 2010 after earning a film school scholarship, completing a double major diploma in Camera and Directing. Over a decade as a cinematographer, Edwards earned the Al Guilford Emerging Cinematographer Award in 2021 and multiple New Zealand Cinematographers Society awards, including Gold for a Unicef commercial shot in Ethiopia and Silver for the short film Falling Up. He became only the second Māori cinematographer to shoot a feature film with Cousins, directed by Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace Smith. Transitioning to directing in 2021 with his 16mm short True Love, Edwards has since helmed campaigns for Adidas, Z Energy, BP, BNZ, and Basketball New Zealand. He joined Collider's New Zealand roster in March 2023 and The Bakery Collective in April 2026. Edwards is currently in pre-production on his debut feature film True Love and developing the series Hotel Matipo.