by FilmInk Staff
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) today opens 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, and 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.
AIDC CEO / Creative Director, Natasha Gadd, said, “In an increasingly challenging climate for documentary and factual creators, the AIDC Awards are an opportunity to spotlight and celebrate bold and unique projects that have been released in the last year across a range of forms, formats and topics. “Recognising that documentary and factual filmmakers are continually required to adapt to an evolving sector landscape, AIDC has refreshed our awards categories and eligibility criteria to better reflect changing release strategies across online platforms, direct to audience models and new funding eligibility as well as to distinguish the different approaches to crafting documentary series and factual series. The new categories and criteria will ensure a wider variety of nonfiction storytellers and projects will be eligible.
“We look forward to seeing the breadth and diversity of projects across these seven categories and to celebrating the excellence of our documentary and factual filmmakers at the 2027 AIDC Awards.”
2027 AIDC AWARDS
Following a review of new trends and pathways, AIDC has refreshed its Awards categories and criteria for 2027. Alongside Best Feature Documentary, Best Documentary/Factual Single, Best Short Documentary and Best Audio Documentary, the series awards will be split across two distinct categories for the first time: Best Documentary Series and Best Factual Series.
The Best Digital First Documentary category will also be introduced, which expands the scope of the previous Best Interactive / Immersive Documentary category to accept other non-traditional formats. These may include documentaries for platforms like YouTube, Instagram and Tik Tok, as well as interactive / immersive works. Full eligibility guidelines can be found on the AIDC website.
Previous AIDC Award winners include some of Australia’s most acclaimed documentary and factual productions, including The Australian Dream, The Australian Wars, Stuff the British Stole, See What You Made Me Do, Left Write Hook and Yurlu | Country. Nominations for the annual $5,000 Southern Light Award for outstanding contribution to nonfiction screen, digital and/or audio media will open later this year.
Submissions close Sunday 22 November, with late entries accepted until Wednesday 25 November.
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 Thursday 15 October 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.
“AIDC and Leading Lights was an excellent opportunity for me and my team to connect with the industry. As emerging filmmakers, half the battle is just getting in the room with people who can provide the guidance, feedback, support and connections to make it possible to bring your work to life,” said 2026 Leading Light recipient, Tess Brading.
“Our time at AIDC helped us clarify important directions for our feature film and gave us valuable connections. Without the support of Leading Lights, we would not have been able to attend.”
AIDC extends its heartfelt thanks to Leading Lights program partner AFTRS and early donor supporters, including SBS, Minderoo Pictures, Documentary Australia, Paul Wiegard, Above the Line Accounting, Bunya Productions, Jana Blair, Joany Sze, Mint Pictures and Princess Pictures. “At AFTRS, we believe that creativity and talent exist everywhere; opportunity does not. Leading Lights helps address that imbalance by opening doors to mentorship, industry networks and career-shaping opportunities for emerging documentary practitioners,” said Mathieu Ravier, AFTRS Director of Partnerships & Development.
“We’re proud to partner with AIDC to support diverse storytellers from across Australia, ensuring that the documentary sector benefits from the broadest possible range of voices, experiences and perspectives.”
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.
