by FilmInk Staff
Finalists were determined by a confidential vote of SPA members, making this recognition particularly meaningful as it reflects the views of your peers across the independent production sector.
This year’s finalists represent the breadth, ambition and diversity of Australian screen production spanning animation, children’s content, comedy, premium drama, factual storytelling, feature film, online innovation and more.
Winners will be announced at the SPA Awards ceremony on Thursday 30 April 2026, the final evening of SCREEN FOREVER 40, at The Star Gold Coast.
Below are the 24th Annual SPA Awards Production finalists:
Animated Production of the Year
Do Not Watch This Show – Lee Bones Productions (ABC)
Kangaroo Beach S3 – Cheeky Little (ABC)
Space Nova S2 – SLR Productions (ABC)
Tales From Outer Suburbia – Flying Bark & Highly Spirited Productions (ABC)
Children’s Production of the Year (Excluding Animation)
Dreaming Big – Wirrim Media (NITV)
Fizzy & Suds S2 – Tilt Media & Entertainment (ABC)
Hard Quiz Kids – Thinkative TV (ABC)
Knee High Spies – Werner Film Productions (ABC)
Comedy Program or Series Production of the Year
Austin – Northern Pictures & ITV Studios Australia (ABC)
Bump S5 – Roadshow Rough Diamond (Stan)
Ghosts: Australia – BBC Studios Productions (Paramount/Network 10)
Good Cop/Bad Cop – Jungle Entertainment (Stan)
Top End Bub – Goalpost Pictures (Prime)
Documentary Series Production of the Year
End Game with Tony Armstrong – Allstory Pictures & Barking Mad Productions (ABC)
Muster Dogs: Collies & Kelpies – Ambience Entertainment (ABC)
Revealed: Death Cap Murders – Dreamchaser Entertainment & Den of Martians (Stan)
The Assembly S2 – Helium Pictures & Bus Stop Films (ABC)
The Kimberley – Wild Pacific Media (ABC)
The People Vs Robodebt – CJZ (SBS)
The Piano S1 – Eureka Productions (ABC)
When The War Is Over – Mint Pictures (ABC)
Drama Series Production of the Year
Black Snow: Jack Of Clubs – Goalpost Pictures (Stan)
Mystery Road Origin S2 – Bunya Productions (ABC)
Playing Gracie Darling – Curio Pictures (Netflix)
Reckless – BBC Studios Production (SBS)
Scrublands: Silver – Easy Tiger Productions (Stan)
The Family Next Door – Beyond Entertainment (ABC)
The Newsreader S3 – Werner Film Production (ABC)
The Twelve: Cape Rock Killer S3 – Easy Tiger Productions & Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia (Foxtel & BINGE)
Factual Series Production of the Year
A Girl’s Guide to Hunting, Fishing, and Wild Cooking S2 – Broken Yellow & Barking Mad Productions (SBS)
Australia: An Unofficial History – Stranger Than Fiction Films (SBS)
Grand Designs Australia – Eureka Productions (ABC)
Outback Truckers S11 – Prospero Productions (7 Network)
Restoration Australia – Eureka Productions (ABC)
Feature Documentary Production of the Year
Ballkids – Run Wild Productions & Mischief Media
Edge of Life – Stranger Than Fiction Films
Jimmy Barnes – Working Class Man – CJZ
Joh: Last King of Queensland – WildBear Entertainment
Journey Home: David Gulpilil – Savage Films & Brindle Films
PNG Road to Independence – WildBear Entertainment
Surviving Malka Leifer – In Films
The Raftsmen – WildBear Entertainment
Feature Film Production of the Year
How to Make Gravy – Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia
Jimpa – Closer Productions & Mad Ones Films
Kangaroo – STUDIOCANAL, Brindle Films & Bunya Productions
Lesbian Space Princess – We Made A Thing Studios
One More Shot – GoodThing Productions & Truce
The Correspondent – Pop Family Entertainment
Together – Princess Pictures
Spit – Freshwater Pictures
Light Entertainment Production of the Year
Dancing With The Stars S23 – BBC Studios Productions (7 Network)
Farmer Wants A Wife – Eureka Productions (7 Network)
Hard Quiz – Thinkative TV (ABC)
MASTERMIND – BBC Studios Productions (SBS)
The Weekly with Charlie Pickering – Thinkative TV (ABC)
Online Series Production of the Year
Moonbird – Sheoak Films and Kutikina Productions
Not Russian Anywhere – Lucinda Bruce, Annisa Belonogoff & Nicole Scharf
Ruff & Ruby – Jessica Trinity Fisher
Run Club – Laughlines AU
The Worst That Could Happen – Haven’t You Done Well Productions
Reality Series Production of the Year
Australian Idol – Eureka Productions (7 Network)
The Amazing Race Australia S10 – Eureka Productions (7 Network)
The Great Australian Bake Off S8 – BBC Studios Productions (Foxtel & BINGE)
Short Film Production of the Year
I’m The Most Racist Person I Know – Suriyna Sivashanker
Safe Haven – Blue Sparrow Entertainment
The Day We Saved the Zoo – Media Stockade
They Kill By Night – Grace Uther
Writers in Love – Jacqueline Kerwick
Telemovie or Mini Series Production of the Year
Apple Cider Vinegar – See-Saw Films & Picking Scabs (Netflix)
Invisible Boys – Asphodel Films & Feisty Dame Productions (Stan)
Mix Tape – Aquarius Films (Foxtel & BINGE)
The Narrow Road to the Deep North – Curio Pictures (Prime)
The Survivors – Matchbox Pictures & Tony Ayres Productions (Netflix)
Congratulations to all finalists. We look forward to celebrating with you on Queensland’s Gold Coast at SCREEN FOREVER 40.
Register now at www.screenforever.org.au.
