I’m delighted to share some news about the documentary scene in this part of the world. Australia’s only dedicated documentary and factual awards returns with seven categories, including a new digital-first award, as applications open for the 10th anniversary Leading Lights program.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2027, the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) has opened submissions for the 2027 AIDC Awards, with refreshed categories and eligibility criteria recognising the evolving landscape of Australian documentary and factual storytelling.
Now in their eighth year, the AIDC Awards are the only dedicated awards for the nonfiction sector, recognising excellence across seven categories, with winners to be announced on the closing night of AIDC 2027 (11 March) in Sydney.
For the first time, documentary and factual series will be recognised in separate categories, while a new Best Digital First Documentary award will expand the scope of the previous interactive and immersive category to recognise documentaries created for platforms including YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
AIDC is now calling for Awards submissions across seven categories:
Best Feature Documentary
Best Documentary Series
Best Factual Series
Best Documentary / Factual Single
Best Short Documentary
Best Audio Documentary
Best Digital First Documentary.
To be eligible, projects must be able to demonstrate a public release – a premiere in Australia or internationally – between 1 February 2026 and 1 February 2027.
Submissions close Sunday 22 November, with late entries accepted until Wednesday 25 November.
More information here: https://www.aidc.com.au/2027-aidc-awards-open-for-submissions-with-new-categories/
2027 LEADING LIGHTS PROGRAM
Applications are also now open for the 2027 Leading Lights Program, which celebrates its 10th anniversary next year.
The philanthropic funding initiative supports emerging and diverse Australian nonfiction practitioners to attend AIDC for the first time and participate in a customised professional development program co-presented by AIDC and AFTRS.
Since its launch, Leading Lights has secured more than $214,000 in donations and enabled 356 emerging and early-career practitioners, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQIA+, d/Deaf, disabled and neurodiverse, regional and remote, and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) creatives, to attend AIDC.
Funding for 22 Leading Lights participants has already been pledged for 2027, with AIDC’s Leading Lights Donor Drive continuing to secure additional donations and open up more places for recipients.
Successful Leading Lights recipients receive a complimentary AIDC Sessions Pass and access to exclusive professional development activities co-presented by AFTRS, including skills workshops, networking opportunities and the Leading Lights Pitch.
Leading Lights applications close Sunday 6 December 2026.
AIDC 2027 will take place 8-11 March in Sydney, NSW, on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, State Library of NSW and Botanic Gardens of Sydney, followed by an online international marketplace 23-24 March.
