The FACTory is AIDC’s international pitching forum for new documentary and factual projects, proudly presented by VicScreen.
Do you have a unique documentary or series project in development that has global appeal and is market-ready? Would you like the opportunity to pitch your project to a world-class line-up of Australian and international broadcasters, streamers, sales agents, funders, festivals, and distributors at AIDC 2026?
Applications for the 2026 edition of AIDC’s international pitching forum for new documentary and factual projects – The FACTory – are open from Thursday 18 September 2025.
Up to 15 projects with strong market potential will be selected to pitch to international and local decision makers across three strands: Central Showcase, New Talent Showcase and Rough Cut Showcase. Decision makers will include a wide range of representatives from broadcasters, streamers, sales agents, distributors, funders, and festivals.
In 2026, AIDC welcomes all producers and decision makers to attend the FACTory in-person while still providing the opportunity to participate online if needed.
In 2026, The FACTory will feature:
- an enhanced line-up of international decision makers assessing and providing feedback on projects;
- access to tailored online mentoring conducted by experienced screen practitioners, in addition to group and individual pitch training;
- greater opportunity for one-on-one meetings with key decision makers by having high visibility and priority in the marketplace.
Over the last nine editions, AIDC has supported 132 project teams to participate in The FACTory. Don’t miss your chance to pitch to the people who can help take your project to new heights!
Ready to submit? Hit the ‘Apply Now’ button (regular deadline 5 Nov / late deadline with late fee 9 Nov). Or read more about the showcase strands below.
“I FOUND THE FACTORY PROGRAM TO BE TOP NOTCH EXPERIENCE. FROM THE STUNNING VENUE TO THE TERRIFIC PANEL OF HIGHLY RESPECTED AND VERY THOUGHTFUL PANEL OF DECISION MAKERS, THE CLEAN TECHNICAL EXECUTION, TO EVEN THE CAMARADERIE THAT WAS FOSTERED WITH THE OTHER PARTICIPANTS – EVERYTHING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE REPRESENTED THE UTMOST PROFESSIONALISM AND WARMTH THAT INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATE WITH THE AIDC. FROM OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE FACTORY, WE WERE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF BROADCASTERS AND POTENTIAL CO-PRODUCING PARTNERS.”
– CHAZ BEAUDETTE
NIKAN PRODUCTIONS
AIDC’s Industry Team works closely with an international assessment committee to shortlist projects for the prestigious FACTory program.
The program will offer tailored feedback and training from industry experts in the lead-up, and increased opportunities for business outcomes by hosting both a live pitch and a tailored one-to-one meeting program with decision makers during AIDC.
Selected projects will pitch and present their trailers over 7 minutes (or 15 minutes for Rough Cuts), and will also be required to submit a pre-recorded pitch ahead of AIDC (with trailer or footage included in this edit), to be made available to decision makers who cannot physically attend. Select decision makers will then:
- Request meetings with projects to occur during AIDC
- Provide feedback on the projects
Entry to the FACTory is competitive, so please ensure your projects are original ideas that will appeal to buyers across Australian and international markets.
The FACTory’s Central Showcase is designed to present experienced project teams to international decision makers, including commissioners, funders, streamers, distributors, sales agents, and festivals. Projects in development and production demonstrating strong international potential will be automatically considered for this showcase.
The FACTory Central Showcase will be held in The Edge amphitheatre at Fed Square. Click ‘Read More’ below for information about Applicant Eligibility and Project Eligibility.
Applicant Eligibility
- Australian and international filmmakers are eligible to apply.
- Individuals, teams or companies may apply.
- Applicants must be the rights holder in the work.
- Applicants must be 18 years of age or over.
- There is a fee to cover handling and administration of your application.
- Entry for each project must be submitted via the FACTory portal (see below).
Project Eligibility
- Entry is open to feature films, singles, and series.
- Projects should be at development or production stage (projects in post-production may be eligible for the FACTory’s Rough Cut Showcase – refer to the submission guidelines below for this strand).
- Projects need to be recognised factual or documentary formats intended for broadcast and distribution. The Australian Content Standard defines documentary as ‘a program that is a creative treatment of actuality other than a news, current affairs, sports coverage, magazine, infotainment or light entertainment program’. For more info, visit the ACMA website.
Successful applicants will be offered a 10% discount on AIDC 2026 All Access Passes as FACTory participants. (An All Access Pass is required for participation The FACTory). Refer to relevant Submission Guidelines for further details.
The FACTory’s New Talent Showcase is designed to present the brightest new screen talents to decision makers and production companies around the world. Projects in development and production featuring a director or producer presenting their first major work will be automatically considered for this showcase.
The FACTory New Talent Showcase will be held in The Edge amphitheatre at Fed Square. Click ‘Read More’ below for information about Applicant Eligibility and Project Eligibility.
Applicant Eligibility
- Australian and international filmmakers are eligible to apply.
- Individuals, teams or companies may apply.
- Applicants must be the rights holder in the work.
- Applicants must be 18 years of age or over.
- There is a fee to cover handling and administration of your application.
- Entry for each project must be submitted via the FACTory portal (see below).
PLUS
- The director or producer must be presenting their first major documentary or factual work (excluding shorts).
- The director or producer may have experience working in XR, online, commercials, fiction or theatre, and previous credits in these fields will not disqualify them.
- The director or producer may have experience working in documentary, factual or unscripted production, in roles other than their Central credit on the submitted project (e.g. cinematographer, editor, assistant director, etc).
Project Eligibility
- Entry is open to feature films, singles, and series.
- Projects should be at development or production stage (projects in post-production may be eligible for the FACTory’s Rough Cut Showcase – refer to the submission guidelines below for this strand).
- Projects need to be recognised factual or documentary formats intended for broadcast and distribution. The Australian Content Standard defines documentary as ‘a program that is a creative treatment of actuality other than a news, current affairs, sports coverage, magazine, infotainment or light entertainment program’. For more info, visit the ACMA website.
Successful applicants will be offered a 10% discount on AIDC 2026 All Access Passes as FACTory participants. (An All Access Pass is required for participation The FACTory). Refer to relevant Submission Guidelines for further details.
The FACTory’s Rough Cut Showcase is designed to present projects in late stages and post-production that need to close financing gaps, and secure sales, distribution and festival opportunities.
The FACTory Rough Cut Showcase will take place in ACMI, Fed Square. Click ‘Read More’ below for information about Applicant Eligibility and Project Eligibility
Applicant Eligibility
- Australian and international filmmakers are eligible to apply.
- Individuals, teams or companies may apply.
- Applicants must be the rights holder in the work.
- Applicants must be 18 years of age or over.
- There is a fee to cover handling and administration of your application.
- Entry for each project must be submitted via the FACTory portal (see below).
Project Eligibility
- Entry is open to feature films and singles at post-production stage that will not be completed before AIDC in March 2025.
- Applicants must submit up to 20 minutes of footage (max), which can comprise of either a length of consecutive film or an assembly of sequences, provided in a single streamable link. Please do not submit an entire film.
- In addition to the Rough Cut footage submission, you may supply a trailer or teaser of up to three minutes.
- If selected, the team will have 15 minutes to pitch (approximately 5 minutes for a verbal pitch and 10 minutes of footage).
- Projects need to be recognised documentary formats intended for broadcast and distribution. The Australian Content Standard defines documentary as ‘a program that is a creative treatment of actuality other than a news, current affairs, sports coverage, magazine, infotainment or light entertainment program’. For more info, visit the ACMA website.
Successful applicants will be offered a 10% discount on AIDC 2026 All Access Passes as FACTory participants. (An All Access Pass is required for participation The FACTory). Refer to relevant Submission Guidelines for further details.
All 2026 submissions for the FACTory will be independently assessed by a panel of highly experienced screen professionals hand-picked by AIDC.
Projects are assessed and shortlisted based on the following criteria:
- Strength and originality of the project;
- The commercial viability of the project in the marketplace;
- The project’s international appeal;
- The track record of the creative team and any finance already in place.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide visual materials (trailer, teaser, or footage from the project) as part of their submission.
MEET THE ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE
- Robert Y. Chang, Co-Producer POV, American Documentary | POV (USA)
- Pamela Martínez Martínez, CEO / Sales & Acquisitions, Limonero Films BCN SL (Spain)
- Dean Gibson, Co-Founder, Producer, Writer, Director, Allstory Pictures (AUS)
- Michael Hilliard, Executive Producer, Boardwalk Pictures Australia (AUS)
- Mita Suri, Film Programme Manager, Sheffield DocFest (UK)
- Julian Etienne, Climate Story Fund Officer, Doc Society (UK)
CLICK HERE to learn more about the Assessment Committee members.
“I HAD AN EXCELLENT EXPERIENCE ATTENDING AIDC 2025. THE OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET THE VIBRANT FILMMAKERS AND DECISION MAKERS FROM AUSTRALIA AND BEYOND IN THE MOST CASUAL AND OPEN ATMOSPHERE IS UNPRECEDENTED. IT OWES ITS EXCELLENCE TO THE MOST DEDICATED ORGANISERS AND THE STAFF WHO HELP CONNECT PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY NOT ONLY DURING, BUT ALSO BEFORE AND AFTER THE EVENT. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ATTENDING THIS REMARKABLE EVENT FROM OVERSEAS.”
– KEIKO TSUNEKI
SENIOR PRODUCER, NHK ENTERPRISES (JAPAN)
Click the button below to submit a project for The FACTory.
Regular Deadline: Wednesday, 5 November 2025 at 23:59 AEDT
Submission cost AUD $60.00 (inc GST) per project*
Late Deadline: Sunday, 9 November 2025 at 23:59 AEDT
Submissions cost AUD $70.00 (inc GST) per project*
Note: To complete your application you will first need to register for a free MY AIDC account (or login to your existing account). The application form link above will prompt you to register (or login) to your MY AIDC account before you are able to access and complete your form. Please contact info@aidc.com.au if you encounter any issues.
Submissions received after 23:59 AEDT, 16 November 2025 will not be accepted. Once the submission process is complete, submissions can no longer be amended.
Questions? pitch@aidc.com.au
*a 2.5% credit card is added to all purchases at checkout.
