Leading Lights is a philanthropic funding initiative designed to enable emerging and diverse practitioners to attend AIDC for the first time and participate in a customised professional development program.
Leading Lights eligibility spans a range of backgrounds and contexts, including emerging and early-career, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQIA+, d/Deaf, disabled and neurodiverse, regional and remote, and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) nonfiction practitioners.
The program provides vital assistance to industry newcomers in establishing themselves as part of Australia’s documentary, factual and nonfiction practitioner community.
Thanks to the contributions of industry donors, over 300 emerging and diverse screen creatives have been able to attend AIDC and participate in Leading Lights since the program’s launch in 2018.
All selected Leading Lights recipients receive a Sessions Pass to attend AIDC and are eligible to participate in the Leading Lights professional development program.
AIDC’S LEADING LIGHTS PROGRAM HAS HELPED ADVANCE CONFIDENCE IN MYSELF AND MY CAREER. I IMMEDIATELY FELT WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS. I FELT SUPPORTED TO MAKE MEANINGFUL PEER AND INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM … I’M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN THIS EXPERIENCE. THE KEY INSIGHTS FROM KEY DECISION MAKERS AND PRACTITIONERS I GAINED ARE ALREADY FORGING MY CAREER PATH FORWARD. I’M EXCITED TO RETURN AGAIN IN 2026 TO CONTINUE TO NOURISH THESE NEW RELATIONSHIPS AND MAKE EVEN MORE CONNECTIONS!”
– JARRYD DOBSON, LEADING LIGHTS RECIPIENT 2025
AIDC believes that inclusivity and diversity in documentary and factual storytelling is vital to a healthy and sustainable nonfiction screen industry.
Want to light the way for the next generation of emerging and diverse storytellers? AIDC is now calling for industry donors as part of our 2026 Leading Lights campaign.
With your support, AIDC can continue to provide vital assistance to industry newcomers in establishing themselves as part of Australia’s documentary and factual community.
Any Australian screen company or individual professional can make a tax-deductible donation to our Leading Lights Fund.
AIDC is committed to delivering an exclusive, bespoke program that provides maximum opportunities for our Leading Lights but can only do this with your donation.
Donation Tiers*:
- $705 – 1 x Leading Lights recipient
- $1,410 – 2 x Leading Lights recipients
- $2,115 – 3 x Leading Lights recipients
- $2,820 – 4 x Leading Lights recipients
- $3,525 – 5 x Leading Light recipients
*Additional donations are welcome in increments of $705.
Leading Lights donors are acknowledged across AIDC platforms and at the conference including:
- AIDC program guide acknowledgment
- AIDC website acknowledgment
- On-screen acknowledgment before every conference session/screening at AIDC
- Donor and Application communications campaigns
AIDC is a registered charity with deductible gift recipient (DGR) status. All donations are tax-deductible.
To make a donation at any time, please visit our DONATE page, or contact accounts@aidc.com.au
“WE LOVE THAT LEADING LIGHTS PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SO MANY FILMMAKERS TO ATTEND THE MOST IMPORTANT ANNUAL DOCUMENTARY CONFERENCE IN AUSTRALIA, AND IT’S PARTICULARLY FANTASTIC TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE BEING INCLUDED FROM THE REGIONS AND DIVERSE AREAS OF OUR COUNTRY.”
– RACHEL CLEMENTS & TRISHA MORTON-THOMAS, BRINDLE FILMS