Shark Island Foundation is inviting pitches for feature-length documentaries, with up to four projects to receive a $25,000 development grant and a place in the four-day Shark Island Kangaroo Valley Development Lab.
The Shark Island Foundation Feature Docs Pitch, delivered through AIDC’s Cut to the Chase, builds on the Foundation’s longstanding commitment to Australian documentary filmmakers and its continuing relationship with AIDC. It offers selected teams more than development funding: dedicated time, space and creative support to interrogate their stories and move their projects forward.
Producers are invited to submit a feature-length documentary project (75 mins+) in development, with a plan for theatrical or streaming release. Projects can be of any genre but should be character-driven, have a distinctive point of view, a clear creative vision and artistic style, and ideally the potential to shift thinking.
Shark Island Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation supporting Australian documentary storytelling, from established filmmakers to emerging voices, across a broad range of subjects. It backs outstanding storytellers prepared to explore new ground, investigate, reveal, inspire and entertain. Projects should have clearly identifiable audiences and strong engagement strategies, realistic budgets and funding pathways, and the potential to inspire social change.
Shortlisted projects will have the opportunity to pitch to Shark Island Chair Ian Darling and Foundation Executive Director Kate Hodges at AIDC 2027.
Up to four projects will each receive a $25,000 development grant and a place in the Shark Island Kangaroo Valley Development Lab.
Launched in 2026, the four-day residential Development Lab is designed to give documentary teams something increasingly rare: uninterrupted time to think deeply about story, test ideas and develop their work in an immersive creative environment. Teams will work closely with acclaimed filmmaker and story consultant Joseph Nizeti, alongside Shark Island Kangaroo Valley Residency Director Samantha Chester and the Shark Island team, combining intensive story development with the exchange, reflection and connection that comes from bringing filmmakers together in residence.
Applications for the Shark Island Foundation Feature Docs Pitch, delivered through AIDC’s Cut to the Chase, close Friday 29 January 2027 at 23:59 AEDT.
“EVERY YEAR AT AIDC WE’RE STRUCK BY THE CALIBRE OF FILMMAKERS AND STORIES COMING THROUGH CUT TO THE CHASE. WE’RE THRILLED TO RETURN IN 2027 TO SUPPORT FOUR MORE TEAMS WITH $25,000 IN DEVELOPMENT FUNDING AND, IMPORTANTLY, THE TIME AND CREATIVE SUPPORT TO GO DEEPER THROUGH THE FOUR-DAY SHARK ISLAND KANGAROO VALLEY DEVELOPMENT LAB.
“WE KNOW HOW RARE IT IS FOR FILMMAKERS TO STEP AWAY FROM THE PRESSURES OF PRODUCTION AND FUNDING TO THINK, EXPERIMENT AND EXPLORE THEIR IDEAS ALONGSIDE OTHER FILMMAKERS. BRINGING THE TEAMS TOGETHER WITH JOSEPH NIZETI, SAMANTHA CHESTER AND THE SHARK ISLAND TEAM CREATES SPACE FOR RIGOROUS STORY DEVELOPMENT, CREATIVE EXCHANGE AND CONNECTION. FOR US, THE GRANT IS THE BEGINNING OF THE RELATIONSHIP, NOT THE END.”
– KATE HODGES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SHARK ISLAND FOUNDATION
Newly included in 2026 as part of the Shark Island Foundation Feature Docs Pitch, up to four projects will once again have the opportunity to receive a place in the four-day in the Shark Island Kangaroo Valley Development Lab.
Two practitioners from each Pitch project selected for funding will be invited to participate in a four-day creative residency at Shark Island Kangaroo Valley in New South Wales (11-14 May, 2027), where acclaimed filmmaker and story consultant Joseph Nizeti and the Shark Island team will provide tailored guidance to help shape and elevate their stories.
Co-director and co-writer of River (2021) with Jennifer Peedom, writer and director of the ABC Arts documentary Anatomy of a String Quartet (2022), and co-writer of Onefour: Against All Odds (2023), Nizeti is also a versatile composer, music producer and story consultant working with artists and filmmakers across the Australian film/music industry.
The Shark Island Kangaroo Valley Development Lab placements offered as part of the Shark Island Foundation Feature Docs Pitch are exclusive to pitches made through AIDC 2027’s Cut to the Chase program.
To be eligible to apply for the Shark Island Foundation Feature Docs Pitch applicants must:
- Be 18 years of age or over;
- Have at least one Australian team member with an Australian ABN to be eligible to apply;
- Submit a feature documentary project (75 mins+) in development for consideration;
- If selected, be available to attend an in-person pitching session with Shark Island representatives during AIDC, Sydney between Monday 8 – Thursday 11 March 2027
- Have been approved by Documentary Australia or intend to submit an application to Documentary Australia
- Two team members to be available to participate in the Shark Island Kangaroo Valley Development Lab, a four-day creative residency in Kangaroo Valley 11 – 14 May 2027
If selected to receive a grant, applicants must submit their projects to, and be approved by, Documentary Australia to receive the grant funding. It is recommended but not required that applicants have submitted their project to Documentary Australia before submitting their project to AIDC. The round before AIDC closes on 25th January 2027. All applicants should ensure that they are familiar with the Documentary Australia requirements to ensure eligibility. (Documentary Australia application submissions are reviewed four times each year. The Shark Island Foundation grant cannot be paid until your project has been approved by Documentary Australia.)
All applicants must register for an AIDC Business Pass / Online Business Pass or an All Access Pass / Online All Access Pass and apply through AIDC’s Cut to the Chase program to be eligible for the Shark Island Foundation Feature Docs Pitch.
AIDC is currently accepting applications for the Shark Island Foundation Feature Docs Pitch. Documentary projects (75 mins+) in the development stage are eligible to apply.
Applications for the Shark Island Foundation Feature Docs Pitch are made through AIDC’s Cut to the Chase program with applications closing on Friday 29 January 2027 at 23:59 AEDT.
“THE SHARK ISLAND DEVELOPMENT GRANT AND AIDC’S CUT TO THE CHASE HAVE BEEN VALUABLE IN HELPING US BRING MARLIYA TO LIFE. AS A FIRST NATIONS-LED DOCUMENTARY FROM FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND, THE SUPPORT HAS HELPED US STRENGTHEN OUR STORY, BUILD MEANINGFUL INDUSTRY RELATIONSHIPS AND MOVE THE PROJECT FORWARD. IT’S IMPORTANT THAT STORIES LIKE MARLIYA, WHICH CELEBRATE THE STRENGTH, VOICES AND JOURNEYS OF YOUNG ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER WOMEN, ARE SUPPORTED AND GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH AUDIENCES ACROSS AUSTRALIA AND BEYOND. WE’RE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO SHARK ISLAND FOUNDATION FOR BELIEVING IN THIS STORY AND SUPPORTING OUR FILMMAKING JOURNEY.”
– SHONTELL KETCHELL & EWAN CUTLER, PRODUCERS, MARLIYA | PANDAMONIUM FILMS (AWARDED A DEVELOPMENT GRANT OF $20,000 AT AIDC 2025)
