AIDC 2023 EARLY BIRD PASSES ON SALE AND APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR THE FACTORY
THE JOURNEY TO AIDC 2023 BEGINS
MEDIA RELEASE, TUESDAY 4 OCTOBER 2022
AIDC 2023 EARLY BIRD PASSES ON SALE AND APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR THE FACTORY, AIDC’S INTERNATIONAL PITCHING SHOWCASE FOR NEW DOCUMENTARY AND FACTUAL PROJECTS
The Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) today opens sales of discounted early bird passes for its next annual event, inviting the Australian and international documentary and factual community to gather in-person from 5-8 March 2023 at ACMI, Melbourne, with an additional online marketplace taking place 9-11 March 2023.
With the first look at the AIDC 2023 program coming on 3 November 2022, the event is set to continue building its reputation as the premier conference and marketplace in the Southern Hemisphere for the nonfiction film, television, streaming and digital media industries.
Applications are also now open for AIDC’s centrepiece live pitch for new documentary and factual projects, the FACTory International Pitching Forum, presented by VicScreen, set to take place during AIDC 2023.
The FACTory provides a platform for the most exciting new feature documentary and series projects from around Australia and the world. Up to 15 teams will be selected to present their work to a world-class line-up of Australian and international commissioners, sales agents, funders, and distributors at AIDC 2023.
In 2023, the FACTory will feature an enhanced selection of in-person and online international decision makers assessing and providing feedback on projects; access to more extensive mentoring and pitch training conducted by experienced screen practitioners; and greater opportunity for one-on-one meetings with key international decision makers.
Applications are now being accepted for projects including features, singles, and series (limited and returnable) across three strands: Central Showcase, New Talent Showcase, and Rough Cut Showcase.
Project submissions will be assessed by a panel of international experts, including, Keoni Kailmai, Assistant Commissioning Editor BBC Storyville and Factual Acquisitions, BBC (UK); Aleksandra Derewienko, Sales & Acquisitions, CAT&Docs (France); Heejung Oh, Founder & Producer, Seesaw Pictures (South Korea); Rufus Richardson, Documentary Executive, DocPlay (ANZ); and Iva Dimitrova, Program Coordinator, Chicken & Egg Pictures (USA).
Entry to the FACTory is competitive, and assessors will consider criteria like originality, marketplace viability, and international appeal.
Since its inception in 2016, more than 70 projects have been pitched in the FACTory, including acclaimed documentaries Mystify: Michael Hutchence, Under the Volcano, No Time For Quiet, There’s No ‘I’ in Threesome, Delikado, 2022 Hot Docs Best International Documentary winner, Blue Island, and 2022 AACTA Awards Best Documentary nominees Clean and Franklin.
The regular submission deadline for projects is Wednesday, 23 November 2022. Projects submitted by the late deadline of Sunday, 27 November 2022, will accrue an additional fee. Applicants can submit through the FACTory online portal.
FRANKLIN (2022)
CEO of VicScreen, Caroline Pitcher, said, “AIDC continues to be the premier nonfiction screen event in the Southern Hemisphere, amplifying and celebrating the power of documentaries and factual content. VicScreen is proud to continue our partnership with AIDC, supporting the vital development and marketplace opportunities for the sector, including the coveted FACTory pitching showcase. We are excited to welcome everyone back to Melbourne in March.”
CEO / Creative Director of AIDC, Natasha Gadd, said “From quietly observed character docs, to bold investigative features, raucous music docs, gripping series – and anything in between – The FACTory is the ideal forum for documentary storytellers to pitch their projects to AIDC’s stellar line-up of decision makers. This year, thanks to our Principal partner VicScreen, The FACTory returns bigger and bolder than ever to provide pitching teams with invaluable opportunities to secure support, greenlight projects, and take their stories to the world.”
CAROLINE PITCHER
NATASHA GADD
A very limited number of Early Bird All Access Passes and Business Passes for AIDC 2023 are available now until 2 November 2022 or until sold out.
AIDC is made possible through the support of Principal Partner VicScreen, Presenting Partners Screen Australia and ACMI, Major Partners ABC and SBS and all our industry partners and supporters.
AIDC 2023
5-8 March 2023, ACMI, Melbourne
Online International Marketplace
9-11 March 2023