Meet our new Board Co-Chair and Directors 💼

AIDC is pleased to announce the formal appointment of highly regarded screen and creative industries leader and Bundjalung woman Kyas Hepworth - the newly appointed Associate Dean, Indigenous Leadership and Engagement, and Professor at UTS Faculty of Design and Society - to the role of Co-Chair of the AIDC Board of Directors.

Kyas has an expansive understanding of Australia`s media and creative industries, having held senior roles with national organisations including SBS/NITV, the AFTRS, Screen Australia, and Screen NSW.

She will join AIDC Co-Chair Sarah Thornton, Head of Unscripted for Paramount ANZ - who was appointed in 2025 after the retirement of Kate Pappas - in sharing the leadership, responsibilities and official duties of running the AIDC Board of Directors.

Alongside Kyas`s appointment, AIDC welcomes incoming members Stephanie King, Impact Director, @documentaryaustralia, and Michael Hilliard, Managing Director, Producer, Boardwalk Pictures Australia, to the AIDC Board of Directors.

The inclusion of three new NSW-based board members follows the recent announcement of Sydney, NSW as the location for AIDC’s 40th Anniversary edition, with support from @screennsw as Principal Partner.

The appointments come after the completion of two consecutive three-year terms by outgoing Co-Chair Paul Wiegard, and Board members Hollie Fifer and Andrew Arbuthnot. AIDC would like to thank Paul, Hollie and Andrew for their service to the AIDC Board.

Alongside fellow Directors Sarah Thornton (Co-Chair), Matthew Carter (Treasurer), Marco Angele (Secretary), Paul Williams, Kelrick Martin, Bernadine Lim and Marissa McDowell, Paul, Hollie and Andrew have supported the AIDC Management Team in achieving several milestones, including the expansion of both the Indigenous Creators Program and Leading Lights Program to record participation levels, the introduction of The Showroom production company slate pitch and the Southern Light Award for outstanding contribution to the sector, as well as shepherding in a new era for AIDC from Melbourne to Sydney.

🔗 Read more about the appointments on link in bio

#AIDC #AIDC2027

☀️ 🎥 Documentary and factual practitioners gathered in Maroochydore on Friday 7 August for the third Regionality Sunshine Coast event, bringing together local and international talent for a wide-ranging one-day program.

Presented by AIDC and @screenqueensland, with the support of @sunshinecoastcouncil and in association with @screencollective, the event drew 146 delegates, including 22 national and international speakers and industry guests, to Maroochy RSL for a packed day of panels, meetings, and networking.

🔗 Read our wrap for the day on link in bio!

Photos by @amandagoochcreative

#regionality #regionalitysunshinecoast #documentary #factual #screenqueensland

We`re excited to welcome a new addition to the Regionality Sunshine Coast 2026 speaker line-up - Emmy® Award-winning producer Jo-anne McGowan (@strangerthanfictionfilms)

Jo-anne joins the panel for Play the Next Episode: The Art of Documentary and Factual Series, alongside Bethan Arwel-Lewis (@sbs_australia), Bettina Dalton (@wildbeartv) and John Harvey (Brown Cabs), moderated by Stephen Oliver (@abcaustralia).

Jo-anne and Stranger Than Fiction Films’ credits include:
🎬 ‘Silenced’
🎬 Jennifer Peedom`s ‘Deeper’, ‘River’ and ‘Mountain’
🎬 the Emmy®-winning ‘Harley & Katya’
🎬 and currently: ‘Empire in Colour’ (SBS & TVO/TVF)

She joins a lineup led by Academy Award®-winner Chai Vasarhelyi (@littlemonsterfilmsofficial, ‘Free Solo’, ‘The Rescue’, ‘Love+War’, ‘Everest: The Other Side’) and many more.

📅 Friday 7 August | Maroochy RSL, Maroochydore

Presented by AIDC and @screenqueensland, with the support of @sunshinecoastcouncil, in association with @screencollective

Full program and speaker details - link in bio! 🔗

Att: documentary filmmakers in South East Queensland, sign-ups for Doc Chat 1:1 Meetings with decision makers and industry experts at Regionality Sunshine Coast 2026 close on Monday 27 July at 11.59pm.

Get a Regionality pass and submit your choices on the link in our bio for the opportunity to meet with representatives from @abcaustralia, @sbs_australia, @nitv_au, @screenaustralia, @screenqueensland, @changerstudios, @screencollective, @wildbeartv, @docplaynow, @documentaryaustralia, and more.

Regionality Sunshine Coast 2026 takes place Friday 7 August at Maroochy RSL, presented by AIDC and Screen Queensland, with support from @sunshinecoastcouncil in association with Sunshine Coast Screen Collective.

#Regionality #Regionality2026 #documentary #factual