Sessions 2025

Lens on the Self: 'Black Box Diaries' and Shiori Ito

Join journalist and filmmaker Shiori Ito in conversation with Santilla Chingaipe as she discusses Black Box Diaries, her fearless Sundance-debut and 2025 Oscar®-nominated documentary exposing Japan’s silence on sexual assault, blending investigative rigour with deeply personal storytelling.

The Cinema of Documentary: Creative Producing with Oscar-Winner Shane Boris

Oscar®-winning producer Shane Boris (Hollywoodgate, Navalny, Fire of Love) delves into the craft of creative producing. Discover how he shapes powerful narratives, collaborates with directors, and redefines nonfiction storytelling through boundary-pushing, award-winning documentaries.

A Cultural Reckoning - Truth-Telling, Documentary Cinema, and First Nations Resilience in 'Sugarcane'

Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie reveal the storytelling craft behind their Oscar®-nominated documentary Sugarcane. This investigation into a large-scale coverup of abuse in a Canadian residential school is a truth-telling tour de force revealing the ongoing resilience of First Nations communities.

The 'Censored' Collection: The Story Behind the $55 Million NFT Impact Project that Helped Free Assange

Join filmmaker Gabriel Shipton, producer of Ithaka (2022) and brother of Julian Assange in this revelatory session about how his collaboration with artist Pak created the 'Censored' collection, which raised $55 million USD for Assange's defense and freedom by engaging 30,000 participants to redefine activism and impact through crypto art.

Herzog in the Machine: Piotr Winiewicz and Finding Humanity in an AI-Generated Documentary

In this unmissable spotlight session, filmmaker Piotr Winiewicz takes us inside his AI-assisted documentary About a Hero, which opened IDFA 2024. Trained on the works of Werner Herzog, the film is a reality-bending, self-reflexive exploration of our relationship to the real.

Hybrid Documentary and Co-Creation: The Making of 'The Wolves Always Come at Night'

Venture to the heart of the award-winning and revelatory documentary The Wolves Always Come at Night as director Gabrielle Brady and producer Ariunaa Tserenpil share how co-creation brought the story of protagonists Daava and Zaya to the screen.

Will You Regret Creating an AI Clone? - Evan Ratliff's 'Shell Game' and our Relationship with the Machine

Explore the ethical, creative, and existential questions of AI with Evan Ratliff in conversation with documentarian Patrick Abboud. Evan's savvy and playful podcast Shell Game experiments with an AI voice clone revealing unsettling truths about humanity and connection.

A Deep Dive into Visual Research and Archive Storytelling with Elizabeth Klinck

A not-to-be-missed workshop into the art and craft of archives with Elizabeth Klinck, producer, researcher and clearance specialist whose work on hundreds of international documentary films has garnered BAFTA, Emmy, FOCAL UK, Canadian Screen, Peabody, and Academy Awards. 

High Risk, High Reward: Filming in Extreme Conditions

Journey into the captivating world of adventure docs including Deeper, The Rescue, Sherpa and Meru with this bold panel of creators as they explore the unique skill sets, complex challenges, significant risks and commercial opportunities that come from working within this genre.

A Vision for the Future of Documentary

In this interactive session led by Hollie Fifer (Doc Society) and Alex Kelly (Unquiet Collective) - Prash Naik, Ian Darling, Kimberley Benjamin, Mitch Nivalis, and Eliorah Malifa journey into the future of the documentary sector, inviting a bold discussion about what we need to put in place to actively shape it for the better.

Broadcast Horizons: Redefining TV in the Digital Age

Unpack the radically transforming media landscape with BBC’s Kylie Washington in conversation with broadcast leaders Kathryn Fink (SBS), Jennifer Collins (ABC), Sarah Thornton (Paramount) and Adrian Swift (Nine Network). In this session, we explore the future of Australian television and how these broadcasters are innovating to meet the ever-changing landscape.

Resilience Beyond the Market: Community Distribution with Impact

Meet visionaries from community-led organisations including GARUWA, Ashoka, AFLAMUNA and Unquiet Collective who are forging pathways outside of the limits of market-driven distribution. Their groundbreaking models enable filmmakers to amplify their social impact and catalyse cultural, environmental or social transformation.

Dokpolitik: The State of Play for Policy and Advocacy

We survived to 2025, so what's next? Join screen leaders from Screen Producers Australia, Screen Australia, Documentary Australia, and Screenrights as they reflect on the year that has been for the sector, and the state of play for documentary policy and advocacy in the year to come.

Embarking on the Journey to a Successful Development Process

Development is a crucial stage of the filmmaking process. Led by Richard Huddleston (Screen Australia) this expert panel including Katrina McGowan (iKandy Films), Patrick Abboud (Only Human Productions / Dreamchaser Studios) and Darren Dale (Blackfella Films), will share insights on how to build a strong foundation for success when your project is at its most nascent.

Demystifying the Complex World of International Co-Productions

Join us as we navigate the world of co-productions with an esteemed panel of broadcasters and producers. Get tips and insights from the experts into the benefits and challenges of official, unofficial, and co-finance models, before you embark on your next co-pro adventure.

Distribution and Audience Futures for Feature Docs

Explore the future of documentary distribution with global leaders representing distribution (Madman), festivals (Sundance) and sales (Limonero) as they share case studies and innovative strategies to highlight new pathways for reaching global audiences.

Getting Important Stories out of Impossible Places

Led by Walkley-winning documentarian Patrick Abboud, this session connects you to groundbreaking creators producing critical stories from within hard-to-access countries, ensuring they make it onto our screens.

Accessing Philanthropic Funds Locally and Globally

Join this impressive lineup of industry leaders representing Documentary Australia (AUS), Women Make Movies (USA), Doc Society (Global) and Shark Island Foundation (AUS) as they delve into current global trends, funding strategies, audience engagement, international collaboration, and how you can seek philanthropic support for your next project.

Harnessing the Creator Economy with YouTube

Every month, 2.5 billion people are active on YouTube — and viewing around 47 minutes of content a day. In this session, we explore the possibilities for documentary and factual storytellers to launch original content on YouTube, offering innovative opportunities for creators to thrive outside traditional commissioning pathways.

Levelling the Playing Field: Celebrating Trailblazers in Sports Docs

Join the powerhouses behind Renee Gracie: Fireproof, Skin in the Game and Queens of Concrete, who are pushing boundaries and tackling industry inequities to create a more level playing field — on screen and beyond.

Short Circuit: Crafting Powerful Short Documentaries that Resonate Globally

Explore the artistry and creativity that define short documentaries and hear from leading filmmakers and representatives from media outlets about how the platforms that elevate the form could connect your next short with a global audience.

Global Perspectives: Meet the Internationals

Meet AIDC's international guest decision makers - representing broadcasters, funds, festivals, distributors and sales agents - as they reveal what they are looking for in Australian projects and how you can best collaborate with their organisations. 

Fast Track to Commission: Secrets of Getting Your Show Away with the ABC

Meet the ABC Documentary and Specialist team as they share valuable insights into what they are looking for in 2025 and beyond – and where opportunities lie for local creators.

Factual Forecast - Invention, Innovation, and Challenging Form with SBS

Led by Marc Fennell, join SBS, Northern Pictures and Eureka, A Fremantle Company for an illuminating session exploring the ways in which inventive form can impact and influence factual storytelling.

Not Your Usual Suspects - True Crime on the ABC

True crime is an enduring and evolving genre. In this session, discover the ABC's unique approach to true crime, what they are seeking, and how to work with them across screen and podcasts.

Do Look Back: How History Docs Are the Way Forward with SBS

History is an enduring genre, so how can we tell it through a fresh lens? Join Santilla Chingaipe, Jacob Hickey (Blackfella Films), Jo-anne McGowan (Stranger than Fiction), and Joseph Maxwell (SBS) for a timely discussion on the importance and power of the history genre.

Craft

Design for Documentaries with 21-19

Dive deep into the impact of design on nonfiction narrative, character development, and the viewer's experience with design studio 21-19.

Archives and the Implications of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

Join Archive Specialist Elizabeth Klinck, Scott Limmer (NFSA) and Arran Birchenough (Getty Images) for a timely discussion, moderated by Rita Arrigo (National AI Centre), about the perils and possibilities of machine learning and artificial intelligence on our collective archives, and how we protect authenticity and transparency whilst also harnessing the opportunities this new technology can offer.

What is an Access Coordinator and How Can They Benefit Your Production?

In this upskill session, learn from trained Access Coordinator Chanel Bowen and Hard as Puck director Isaac Elliott about the ways in which documentary filmmaking can be supported by this important position - from development, to production, and beyond.

Screenrights Cultural Fund: Unquiet Impact Lab

Learn about the Screenrights Cultural Fund grant round in 2025 and hear from funding recipient the Unquiet Collective on their Distribution and Impact Lab.

Indigenous Creators Program: Yarning Circle

To open the 2025 Indigenous Creators Program, join all AIDC First Nations Practitioners - from Australia and across the globe - and hosts Douglas Watkin, Kaylene Butler and Devina McPherson, for a welcome yarning circle. 

First Nations practitioners only

Indigenous Creators Program: Future of First Nations Funding

An opportunity for Indigenous Creators Program participants to hear from broadcasters and funds seeking Indigenous-authored stories, including ABC Indigenous, NITV, CBC, and Screen Australia. 

First Nations practitioners only

Indigenous Creators Program: Our Craft Our Way

First Nations visionaries Kimberley Benjamin (Re-imagining Our Futures), Karla Hart (Our Medicine) Jazz Money (WINHANGANHA), and Julian Brave NoiseCat (Sugarcane), reveal their unique creative processes in the art of First Nations documentary storytelling and craft.

First Nations practitioners only

Indigenous Creators Program: Indigenous Creators Pitch

Indigenous Creators Program participants are invite to join us for the debut Indigenous Creators Pitch. Four Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creators will pitch their projects in development to a closed room of local and international buyers looking to support Indigenous-led nonfiction stories.

First Nations practitioners only

Leading Lights Pitch Workshop

In this exclusive workshop for Leading Lights participants, hear from industry experts about the art of the pitch to help make your documentary project ideas stand out.

Leading Lights participants only

Leading Lights Pitch

Four Leading Lights practitioners pitch their projects in development to Leading Lights donors representing broadcasters, producers and funds, as well as the 2025 Leading Lights cohort.
 
Leading Lights participants only

The FACTory - Central Showcase

Presented by VicScreen, The FACTory’s Central Showcase brings experienced project teams face-to-face with local and international decision makers in a live pitch format. Come and support the pitching teams and celebrate The FACTory's 10th annivesary at AIDC 2025.

The FACTory - New Talent Showcase

Presented by VicScreen, The FACTory’s New Talent Showcase presents pitches from the brightest new screen talents from five nations to industry decision makers from around the world.

The FACTory - Rough Cut Showcase

Presented by VicScreen, The FACTory’s Rough Cut Showcase spotlights works at their final stages to a panel of local and international decision makers.