Australia’s premier gathering for documentary and factual storytelling returns to ACMI in 2026.
In 2026, AIDC celebrates the solidarity and resilience of the documentary and factual community by inviting practitioners to 'Hold True': to come together, to safeguard creative practice and the principles of truth, and to fortify a sustainable future for our filmmakers, our sector, and our stories.
As our sector navigates shifts in the global media landscape, increased censorship, unregulated new technologies, and industry contraction, it is meeting change head-on. 'Hold True' is a rallying cry to remain steadfast in the face of challenges and adversity, and a call to action for legislators, policymakers, and funders to support the sector and drive vital change.
Through a curated program of industry sessions, spotlight speakers, screenings, and initiatives, AIDC 2026 will celebrate the work of those navigating the evolving media landscape and call for a joining of forces to protect the ongoing viability and sustainability of our sector - a goal we collectively share.
Featuring over 40 sessions and panels, and Australia’s only dedicated nonfiction screen content marketplace, AIDC 2026 will present an unmissable four-day program of knowledge, networking and business opportunities for anyone working in documentary or factual media.
This includes exclusive spotlight sessions featuring international creative and professional luminaries like:
- Aloke Devichand, Head of Documentaries at Mindhouse (UK), the BAFTA-winning production company founded in London by filmmaker Louis Theroux
- Rita Baghdadi, the Emmy®-winning US filmmaker known for the Natasha Lyonne and Maya Rudolph executive-produced Sirens (2022) and Nat Geo’s Photographer - Muhammed Muheisen: Finding the Light (2024)
- Tom McDonald, National Geographic’s EVP of Content, overseeing television, streaming, editorial, digital and social across all platforms, including Disney+
- Maya Daisy Hawke, editor of the Oscar® and double Sundance Award-winning Navalny and the Oscar®-nominated Sugarcane, and co-editor of Werner Herzog’s Cave of Forgotten Dreams.
Additional highlights for industry guests and the public include:
- The FACTory International Pitching Forum, AIDC’s centrepiece pitch for new documentary and factual projects.
- The 6th Annual AIDC Awards, recognising outstanding new Australian documentary and factual features, series, audio documentaries, and more.
- The curated Cut to the Chase marketplace, which carefully matches creators and producers with industry decision makers for one-on-one meetings.
- A public access program of compelling film screenings and talks, co-presented with ACMI.
AIDC 2026 offers a full range of pass options depending on attendee needs and means, including All Access Passes (marketplace, sessions, and networking), Sessions & Networking Passes (for attendees without marketplace projects), and Sessions Only Passes (for those wanting session access only).