AIDC AWARDS

The AIDC Awards were established in 2021 to recognise outstanding completed works of new Australian documentary and factual content across six categories.

Best Feature Documentary 

Best Documentary/Factual Series

Best Documentary/Factual Single 

Best Short-Form Documentary 

Best Audio Documentary

Best Interactive/Immersive Documentary 

The AIDC Awards recognise the exceptional talent and expertise of Australian content creators across long and short-form documentary and factual content, as well as audio documentary and documentary storytelling through new and emerging media.


PREVIOUS AIDC AWARDS


SOUTHERN LIGHT AWARD

AIDC also presents the annual Southern Light Award, a $5,000 cash prize presented to an Australian industry professional for their outstanding contribution to nonfiction screen, digital and/or audio media. To learn more about the prize, visit the Southern Light Award page.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Submissions are required to meet the category definitions outlined in the 2026 AIDC Awards Submission Guide (see below) and to adhere to the below requirements:

  • Pay the submission fee for the category in which you are entering (see the How to Submit section for more information).

  • Be able to demonstrate a public release – which is considered a premiere – between 1 February 2025 and 1 February 2026. AIDC will make exceptions for entries that have had an international premiere within these dates but which have not yet premiered in Australia. 

  • Show that at least one key creative (producer, director, writer) on the production is an AIDC member. An AIDC member is an Australian resident who attended AIDC 2025 or has purchased an AIDC Membership. To purchase a membership visit AIDC Membership.

  • Demonstrate one Australian citizen or permanent resident as a key creative. 

For full eligibility criteria, as well as a definition of each AIDC Award, please refer to the

HOW TO SUBMIT

To submit an entry for Best Feature Documentary, or Best Documentary/Factual Series, please submit a Long-Form application.

LONG-FORM

Note: late deadline fees apply after 16 November 2025.


For categories including Best Documentary/Factual Single, Best Short-Form Documentary, Best Audio Documentary, or Best Interactive/Immersive Documentary, please submit a Short-Form & Other application.

SHORT-FORM & OTHER

Note: late deadline fees apply after 30 November 2025.


A sample of the submission questions can be found in the 2026 AIDC Awards Submission Guide (.pdf) (.docx).

For any enquiries about the Awards submission process, please email awards@aidc.com.au

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DEADLINES & FEES

APPLICATION DEADLINES

  • Long Form
    • Regular Fee Deadline: 11.59pm (AEDT) Sunday 16 November, 2025
    • Late Fee Deadline: 11.59pm (AEDT) Sunday 23 November, 2025
  • Short Form & Other
    • Regular Fee Deadline: 11.59pm (AEDT) Sunday 30 November, 2025
    • Late Fee Deadline: 11.59pm (AEDT) Sunday 07 December , 2025

ENTRY FEES

  • Short Form – $95 (Late Submission – $145)
  • Long Form – $195 (Late Submission – $295)

Submission fees are inclusive of GST. A 2% credit card fee is payable at checkout.

Judging Process

Each category of the 2026 AIDC Awards is assessed by an independent jury comprising national and international experts in the field.

Jury members will be announced in November 2025.