Are you an emerging, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, d/Deaf, disabled or neurodiverse, and/or culturally and linguistically diverse screen creative, and/or live in regional or remote Australia? Do you have an interest in documentary, factual or unscripted screen content production, but haven’t been to AIDC before?
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, 258 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 2025 and are eligible to participate in the Leading Lights professional development program.
AIDC believes that inclusivity and diversity in documentary and factual storytelling is vital to a healthy and sustainable nonfiction screen industry.
Want to help usher in the next generation of emerging and diverse storytellers? AIDC is now calling for industry donors as part of our 2025 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 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*:
- $695 – 1 x Leading Lights recipient
- $1,390 – 2 x Leading Lights recipients
- $2,085 – 3 x Leading Lights recipients
- $2,780 – 4 x Leading Lights recipients
- $3,475 – 5 x Leading Light recipients
*Additional donations are welcome in increments of $695.
Leading Lights donors are acknowledged across AIDC platforms and at the conference including:
- AIDC 2025 program guide acknowledgment
- AIDC website acknowledgment
- On-screen acknowledgment before every conference session/screening at AIDC 2025
- 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
AIDC gratefully acknowledges our 2025 Leading Lights donors:
Funds pledged for 5 x Leading Lights recipients
Funds pledged for 3 x Leading Lights recipients
Funds pledged for 2 x Leading Lights recipients
- Documentary Australia
- Paul Wiegard
Funds pledged for 1 x Leading Lights recipient
“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
Who can apply?
Applicants must be Australian citizens / permanent residents with an interest in documentary and factual content, who have never attended AIDC before, and who identify with one (or more) of the following groups: emerging/early-career*, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQIA+, d/Deaf, disabled and neurodiverse, regional and remote, and/or from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.
*early-career = 0-5 years experience in screen or interactive media production
How many recipients are chosen?
The number of recipients chosen is dependent on the level of support provided by our generous Leading Lights donors. Each donation of $695 subsidises one emerging and/or diverse nonfiction practitioner to experience AIDC.
How are recipients selected?
An industry committee of experienced industry professionals will assess applications and create a shortlist.
“THE TEAM AT AIDC WEREN’T LYING WHEN THEY SAID TO WEAR YOUR LEADING LIGHTS BADGE WITH PRIDE AND THAT THE OTHER DELEGATES WOULD WELCOME US WITH OPEN ARMS… BEING A FIRST-TIME DOCUMENTARY MAKER AND FIRST-TIMER AT AIDC I FELT INCLUDED, SUPPORTED AND WELCOMED INTO THE VIBRANT WORLD OF DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS WHO WERE ALL SO APPROACHABLE AND EAGER TO POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND HELP ME START MY CAREER OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK.”
– KAYLENE LANGFORD, LEADING LIGHTS RECIPIENT 2024