The Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) will return to Melbourne in 2026 with the theme Hold True.
As Australia’s premier event for documentary and factual storytelling, it’s a rallying call for the industry to remain steadfast in its pursuit of truth, creativity, and resilience amid an ever-evolving global media landscape.
Supported by VicScreen, ACMI, Screen Australia, ABC and SBS, the Southern Hemisphere’s leading doc and factual conference will run 2–5 March 2026 at ACMI, followed by an online international marketplace from 11–12 March.
Among the first guests confirmed are some of the world’s most influential documentary figures, including Aloke Devichand, Head of Documentaries at Louis Theroux’s Mindhouse (UK), and Rita Baghdadi, Emmy®-winning filmmaker and co-founder of Lady & Bird Films (USA).
Also joining are Tom McDonald, EVP of Content at National Geographic (UK), and Maya Daisy Hawke (pictured below), acclaimed editor of Navalny and Sugarcane, bringing global expertise to AIDC 2026.
New buyers and decision-makers from major players such as National Geographic, Channel 4, Dogwoof, and Hulu will join returning partners like ABC, SBS, and Blue Ant Media for AIDC’s expanding marketplace, which continues to be a key platform for documentary sales, funding, and international collaboration.
The 2026 program will explore sub-themes including Truth States, Forward Focus, Change Agents, Field of Vision, and State of the Nation, alongside the return of initiatives like The FACTory Pitching Forum, The Showroom, and Leading Lights.
AIDC CEO Natasha Gadd said the 2026 theme speaks directly to the heart of documentary storytelling:
“As the foundations of our storytelling practice come under threat, Hold True asks how we can stand by the principles of truth — and to each other — in telling the stories that demand to be told.”
The conference will conclude with the AIDC Awards, celebrating Australia’s best factual and documentary storytelling across six categories.
Passes for AIDC 2026 are now on sale, with the full session program to be unveiled in January.
More information HERE.
