by FIlmInk Staff
A powerful national celebration of First Nations storytelling, culture and connection across SBS, NITV and SBS On Demand from July 5-12
Celebrating the NAIDOC Week theme of 50 Years of Deadly in 2026, SBS and National Indigenous Television (NITV) invite all Australians into a powerful week of First Nations storytelling, culture and connection across television, streaming, audio and digital platforms from Sunday July 5 to Sunday July 12 on SBS, NITV and SBS On Demand.
As both the home of National NAIDOC Week, and the principal media partner, SBS and NITV continue to bring Australians together through storytelling that is authentic, accessible, and deeply meaningful – creating space for audiences across the country to experience, understand and engage with First Nations voices, cultures and perspectives. The 3-year media partnership supports the ongoing visibility and impact of NAIDOC across the country and reflects a longstanding relationship between NAIDOC, SBS and NITV in championing First Nations storytelling and community leadership.
For over 50 years, NAIDOC Week has stood as a powerful expression of Culture, resistance, pride and survival – amplifying the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and championing truth-telling, justice and self-determination. Held annually across the first week of July, NAIDOC Week invites all Australians to learn about First Nations histories and cultures, celebrate the world’s oldest continuing living cultures, and take part in conversations that connect communities across the country.
For SBS and NITV, this is more than a celebration – it is a moment to reconnect.
Tanya Denning-Orman, proud Birri and Guugu Yimidhirr woman and Director, First Nations at SBS, said: “50 Years of Deadly celebrates the generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who fought to have our voices heard and our cultures recognised – often against enormous odds. NAIDOC Week has always been more than a celebration; it’s a platform for truth-telling, resistance, pride and survival.
“This year’s programming honours that legacy while celebrating the storytellers, artists, leaders and communities shaping the future. Across NITV and SBS, audiences will experience stories grounded in culture, led by community and reflective of the extraordinary strength and diversity of First Nations experiences across Australia.
“As principal media partner, we’re proud to stand alongside NAIDOC for another three years – supporting a movement led by community and helping share the significance of this milestone with audiences across the country. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to amplifying First Nations voices, stories and perspectives at a time when connection, understanding and representation matter more than ever.
“These stories remind us not only where we’ve come from, but where we’re going. The next generation is rising strong in culture, identity and voice – still deadly, always.”
National NAIDOC Committee Co-Chairs, Steven Satour and Lynette Riley, said: “The 2026 NAIDOC Week theme, ‘50 Years of Deadly’, celebrates five decades of strength, culture, achievement, and the enduring contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We’re proud to see SBS and NITV mark this significant milestone with a powerful line-up of programming that reflects the richness and diversity of First Nations stories and experiences.
“From the generations of Indigenous leaders, storytellers and changemakers who helped shape this proud history to the young people carrying our stories into the future, this programming embodies the spirit of 50 Years of Deadly. It honours the past, celebrates the present and inspires the next generation.”
Powerful Stories. Enduring Voices.
This year across television, streaming, digital and audio, SBS and NITV will deliver an unrivalled breadth of content – from landmark documentaries and bold current affairs to powerful films, music, sport and emerging First Nations voices shaping the future. Together, the network commemorates five decades of NAIDOC Week while celebrating the enduring strength, survival, and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Elder in Residence Oration with Richard Frankland
Sunday July 5 at 5:30pm | NITV | SBS On Demand
Building on the extraordinary legacy of the late Widjabul Wiyebal woman of the Bundjalung nation, Aunty Rhoda Roberts AO, acclaimed filmmaker, writer and proud Gunditjmara Elder Richard Frankland delivers this year’s SBS Elder in Residence Oration reflecting on storytelling, cultural responsibility and the role of First Nations voices in shaping Australia’s future.
Drawing on a lifetime of work across film, activism and community leadership, Frankland speaks to the enduring power of culture, the importance of truth-telling, and the responsibility of storytelling to create understanding and meaningful change.
The Oration provides a platform for First Nations voices to be amplified — creating space for reflection, connection and learning for all Australians while capturing Indigenous thought leadership at a pivotal moment for the nation.
Frame by Frame
Premiering weekly from Thursday July 9 at 8:30pm | NITV
All episodes available on SBS On Demand
Hosted by acclaimed filmmaker and proud Arrernte and Kalkadoon woman Rachel Perkins, Frame by Frame is a compelling interview and short-film series celebrating the creative vision and cultural legacy of First Nations filmmakers.
Across the series, Perkins sits down with influential storytellers including Leah Purcell, Sally Riley, Erica Glynn, Tanith Glynn-Maloney and Hunter Page-Lochard to explore their careers, creative process and contribution to First Nations screen storytelling. Pairing deeply personal conversations with curated short film screenings, the series honours the storytellers who paved the way while illuminating pathways for the next generation of Indigenous creatives.
Blue Water Empire
Ep 1 Sunday July 5 at 7:30pm | Ep 2 Sunday July 12 at 7:30pm | NITV | SBS On Demand
Hosted by Aaron Fa’aoso, Blue Water Empire charts the extraordinary history of Torres Strait Islander peoples across more than 200 years of change, resistance and survival.
Blending dramatic re-enactments, archive footage, animation and an original score by Will Kepa, the series explores the impact of colonisation while celebrating the resilience, leadership and enduring seafaring traditions of Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Living Black | Kutcha Edwards – Becoming One
Monday July 6 at 8:30pm | NITV | SBS On Demand
In a special edition of Living Black, host Karla Grant sits down with proud Aboriginal singer-songwriter Kutcha Edwards for an intimate and deeply personal conversation. Removed from his family at just 18 months old as part of the Stolen Generations, Edwards reflects on the lifelong impact of separation and his journey of reconnection with his mother and culture. Speaking candidly about healing, survival and finding his identity, Edwards shares what it means to be “deadly”, and how music has become a powerful vehicle for storytelling, truth-telling and cultural strength.
The Point
Tuesday July 7 at 7:30pm | NITV | SBS On Demand
As The Point turns 10, NITV and SBS’s National Indigenous Affairs Editor John Paul Janke looks back over a decade of groundbreaking Indigenous affairs coverage. Since launching with Stan Grant’s exclusive interview with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in March 2016, The Point has delivered unflinching, in-depth coverage of the issues that impact the lives of Australia’s First Nations people. Join award-winning host JP Janke as he revisits some of the stories that have challenged the mainstream Australian media narrative and platformed the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders peoples.
SBS PREMIERE
Journey Home, David Gulpilil
Premiering Friday July 10 at 7:30pm | SBS
Winner of the 2026 AACTA Awards for Best Documentary and Best Original Score, and the 2025 DIFF Audience Award, Journey Home, David Gulpilil follows a powerful 4,500-kilometre journey to fulfil the final wish of legendary Yolŋu actor David Gulpilil. Travelling to his Homeland in Gupulul in remote East Arnhem Land, the documentary offers rare and intimate insight into ceremony, family and connection to Country. Narrated by Hugh Jackman and Baker Boy, the film stands as a moving tribute to Gulpilil’s enduring cultural legacy.
A National Multiplatform Celebration
Alongside its flagship programming, SBS and NITV will deliver extensive multilingual and multiplatform coverage throughout NAIDOC Week. A dedicated hub of iconic First Nations films, documentaries and television will stream free on SBS On Demand, while SBS Audio will share news and information in more than 60 languages across the network, reflecting the broadcaster’s unique role connecting the newest Australians with the world’s oldest living continuous culture.
NITV NEWS
Monday July 6, Tuesday July 7, Thursday July 9 at 6:30pm | NITV
Wednesday July 8 at 7:10pm | NITV
NULA, Friday July 10 at 5:30pm | NITV & 3:00pm | SBS | SBS On Demand
Covering NAIDOC Week events and stories from communities around the country, NITV News returns with comprehensive Indigenous led news coverage hosted by proud Mudburra and Wagadagam woman Natalie Ahmat. The week culminates with a special edition of Nula on Friday July 10, featuring NAIDOC marches and community gatherings from across the country.
SBS AUDIO
SBS Audio will cover NAIDOC Week in more than 60 languages, delivering multiplatform stories and explainers that explore diverse perspectives about this important week. NITV Radio and SBS Audio content will celebrate the theme ’50 years of Deadly’, while deepening understanding and connection with First Nations peoples across multicultural communities.
SBS FOOD
SBS Food is proud to premiere new NAIDOC themed episodes of The Cook Up with guest host Nornie Bero (Island Echoes with Nornie Bero), premiering weekdays from Monday 6 July to Wednesday 8 July at 7:00pm. Nornie will share stories and create incredible dishes with guests including artists BARKAA and Baker Boy, journalists Brooke Boney and Matty Mills, actor Sherry-Lee Watson, and comedian Kevin Kropinyeri.
SBS WORLD MOVIES
SBS World Movies will host a curated collection of acclaimed Australian cinema telling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ stories from Monday 6 to Friday 10 July at 9:30pm, including Focus On David Gulpilil, a curated season celebrating the extraordinary life and legacy of David Gulpilil — one of Australia’s most influential and internationally recognised First Nations actors. Spanning iconic films and documentaries, the collection showcases the breadth of his talent and offers deeper insight into his life, culture and Country and includes Journey Home, David Gulipilil, Walkabout, Storm Boy, Charlie’s Country, The Tracker and Walkabout To Hollywood.
SBS LEARN
SBS Learn’s 2026 NAIDOC Week education resource, developed by proud Yankunytjatjara, Kokatha and Wirangu educator Shelley Ware, invites students and teachers to explore this year’s theme through culturally informed classroom learning from Early Childhood to Year 10. Featuring a distinctive visual identity created by Leticia Forbes, Wiradjuri Artist and Founder of Yirra Miya, First Nations creative agency, the resource includes activities, discussion prompts, videos, significant First Nations contributors from across Australia, and practical teaching support such as cultural protocols and a glossary of terms. Accompanied by a practical guide and companion videos featuring Shelley Ware and students exploring the use of Yarning Circles in schools, the resource is designed to help teachers meaningfully embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into learning throughout the year.
2026 NATIONAL NAIDOC AWARDS CEREMONY
The 2026 National NAIDOC Awards Ceremony will air later this year, with live coverage of the black carpet direct from national host city, Mparntwe (Alice Springs) on SBS On Demand, NITV’s Facebook and YouTube channel, and be available on request to First Nations Media Australia (FNMA). The Awards shine a spotlight on those who lead with strength, creativity, and Cultural pride. NITV as the principal media partner will be on the ground to capture the colour, celebration, and community spirit — from Blak carpet arrivals and powerful performances to exclusive interviews with this year’s winners and changemakers.
Ongoing Commitment
SBS’s National NAIDOC Week activation continues the work outlined in SBS’s Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan 2022–2026, reinforcing the network’s commitment to reflecting, exploring and embedding First Nations stories, cultures, knowledges and languages across all platforms.
Through storytelling that is bold, accessible, and grounded in community, SBS and NITV continue to connect the oldest continuous culture on Earth with the newest Australians.
Still Deadly. Always.
Image: Journey Home, David Gulpilil, L-R Peter Djigirr, Lloyd Garrawurra performs Crocodile Dance to welcome David back to Ramingining, in honour of David Gulpilil’s mother’s dreaming. Photo by Maggie Miles
