The Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) have announced the full program for its 2024 event – including over 40 sessions, more than 70 speakers and 100-plus industry decision makers – taking place in-person at ACMI in Melbourne / Naarm, from 3-6 March 2024 with an online-only international marketplace 7-8 March 2024. Inspired by the theme Frontlines: Shaping the Future of Documentary & Factual, the program features talent working at the cutting edge of every facet of documentary and factual, including Oscar®-nominated and Oscar®-winning filmmakers, groundbreaking Australian and international storytellers, and some of the industry’s most successful business insiders.
“In a time of radical change – where the rise of each dawn poses new challenges and possibilities in the pursuit of truth and courageous and authentic representations of the world around us – documentary and factual storytelling has never been more vital. At AIDC 2024 we are framing the frontlines of our sector as both a site of progress and resistance where we shape what’s to come and defend what has come before. We are thrilled to announce such a world-class program of speakers, sessions and screenings for the 2024 program, all of which are guaranteed to challenge, celebrate and inspire. Joined by an incredible line-up of local and international decision makers as part of the industry program, AIDC 2024 is set to drive new creative and business outcomes, and pave the way for the sustainability, recovery and growth of our industry.” Natasha Gadd, CEO / Creative Director, AIDC commented.




“AIDC is back in 2024 with another electric program jam-packed with panels featuring world renowned talent, unmissable screenings, and a bustling industry marketplace. VicScreen is proud to continue our long-standing partnership with the conference, supporting vital business and development opportunities for both local and international filmmakers.” Caroline Pitcher, CEO, VicScreen commented.
“We can’t wait to welcome AIDC delegates back to Australia’s museum of screen culture! As a hub for connecting people, communities, technology and ideas, ACMI is proud to be the continuing home for non-fiction storytellers to come together to discuss the future of documentary and factual. Our state-of-the-art facilities and technical expertise will be showcased across four days of the conference, backed by a film program of extraordinary non-fiction stories at ACMI cinemas.” Seb Chan, Director & CEO, ACMI commented.
Leading AIDC’s Spotlight speaker line-up are award-winning director and nonfiction pioneer R.J. Cutler and his longtime producer partner Trevor Smith of This Machine Filmworks, the creative team behind hit documentaries like The September Issue, Big Vape: The Rise & Fall of Juul, Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry, Listen to Me Marlon, Belushi, and The World According to Dick Cheney. Joining them on the Spotlight sessions bill is writer, director and producer, Rachel Perkins, one of Australia’s most significant storytellers and founder of Blackfella Films, responsible for landmark documentary series First Australians and The Australian Wars; and Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist, filmmaker and war correspondent Mstyslav Chernov, director of the multi-award-winning and dual 2024 Oscar®-nominated documentary 20 Days in Mariupol. Other highlights include Spotlight sessions with Kaouther Ben Hania, Tunisian director of the 2024 Oscar®-nominated and 2023 Cannes Film Festival Best Documentary winner Four Daughters; and Luke Lorentzen (Midnight Family) and Ashleigh McArthur, director and co-producer/additional editor respectively of the 2024 Oscar®-shortlisted A Still Small Voice.
Plus, further Spotlight Sessions include an expert deep-dive into factual business with Shaminder Nahal, Head of Specialist Factual at the UK’s Channel 4, commissioning and working across titles like The Piano, SAS: Who Dares Wins, and Depp v. Heard; and a focus on the art of documentary score composition with Nainita Desai, multi-award-winning composer and sound designer for acclaimed nonfiction titles including the Critics Choice Award-winning The Deepest Breath, the Oscar®-nominated and Cannes-winning For Sama, the Sundance Audience Award-winning The Reason I Jump, and the Emmy-nominated Body Parts.
On the marketplace front, AIDC 2024 will see participation by an extensive line-up of decision makers from global streamers, including Amazon Prime Video, Stan, Hulu, DocPlay, ESPN and Docsville. Plus, representatives from local and international broadcasters, such as National Geographic, Channel 4, BBC Storyville, ARTE G.E.I.E, PBS, POV, CBC, Sky New Zealand, NHK Enterprises, DW, EBS Korea, TRT World, ABC, SBS and NITV. Not to mention studios, distributors and producer-distributors for some of the world’s most interesting documentaries and releases, including Time Studios, Red Bull Studios, Sandbox Films, Autlook Films, TVF International, BossaNova, Abacus Media Rights, MetFilm Sales and many others. For those seeking new pathways to funding and financing, AIDC 2024 will also host an array of representatives from leading documentary development funds and foundations, like the International Documentary Association (IDA), Impact Partners, Catapult Film Fund, The Whickers, Participant, International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA), Documentary Australia, Doc Society, Shark Island Foundation and more.  And as a result of a suite of exciting industry initiatives and partnerships, including pitch partners Screen Australia, Shark Island Foundation and The Post Lounge; Awards partners AFTRS, Deakin Motion Lab and Film Finances; FACTory pitch prize partners; and Leading Lights industry donors, AIDC 2024 will unlock over $275,000 in project development, awards, prizes and professional development opportunities for new nonfiction content and support for documentary practitioners.  Through its central theme – Frontlines: Shaping The Future of Documentary & Factual – AIDC 2024 will highlight the integrity, urgency, and creative potential of nonfiction storytelling. This year, we explore how creators, industry leaders and advocates are actively shaping what’s to come, while also defending against challenges to the very foundations of practice. Turning our lens to the Frontlines allows us to see how practitioners strive to secure the future of the sector, ensure its sustainability, and pave the way for unique, bold and engaging nonfiction stories. The conference will explore the following subthemes through Spotlight sessions, industry panels, screenings and initiatives: Edge of Reality (innovation, new technologies and future visions); Courage of Conviction (frontline storytelling, impact and changemaking); Future of Truth (authenticity, integrity and truth-telling); Persistence of Vision (craft, creative nonfiction and experimentation in form); Depth of Field (access, inclusion and representation); and State of Play (policy change, sector reform and sustainability).AIDC and ACMI will once again join forces for public screening program Documented, featuring documentary works associated with AIDC 2024 guests. The first two screenings announced are the Victorian Premiere of Mstyslav Chernov’s Oscar®-nominated 20 Days in Mariupol, and the Berlin Film Festival award-winner Marungka tjalatjunu (Dipped in Black) featuring an extended Q&A with creators Derik Lynch and Matthew Thorne. The remaining films in the Documented public screening program will be announced soon. More Information

AIDC 2024 SPOTLIGHT SESSIONS

• Mstyslav Chernov: Standing Ground
  Explore the perils and possibilities of frontline filmmaking with the director of 20 Days in Mariupol, Mstyslav Chernov, whose on-the-ground footage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine became his Oscar®-nominated debut feature. 

• The Cutting Edge with This Machine’s R.J. Cutler and Trevor Smith
  Join prolific industry stalwarts R.J. Cutler and Trevor Smith (Big Vape; Billie Eilish; Belushi) in this sweeping keynote, as they provide insight into producing compelling documentary features and series. 

• Rachel Perkins: Truth to Power
  Join us for an unmissable spotlight session with one of Australia’s most accomplished filmmakers, Rachel Perkins, director of trailblazing series The Australian Wars and First Australians and co-founder of Blackfella Films. 

• The Future of Factual with Shaminder Nahal
  Channel 4’s Head of Specialist Factual, Shaminder Nahal, brings her wealth of experience to the Australian stage. With audience habits constantly evolving, we ask: what does the future hold for factual storytelling?

• Reconstructing Memory with Kaouther Ben Hania
  Join Oscar®-nominated director Kaouther Ben Hania for an in-depth exploration of her creative approach to fact, memory and reconstruction in the daring hybrid documentary, Four Daughters.

• The Art of Composing for Documentary with Nainita Desai
  Nainita Desai is behind the scores of numerous documentaries, including the Oscar®-nominated For Sama. The award-winning composer offers insights into her artistry, and the unique power of score in documentary filmmaking.

• Editing the Extraordinary with A Still Small Voice’s Luke Lorentzen and Ashleigh McArthur
  A Still Small Voice is the Oscar®-shortlisted latest from Luke Lorentzen (Midnight Family). Join Lorentzen and producer/co-editor Ashleigh McArthur as they reveal their process of editing profoundly intimate stories.