In the lead-up to the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) 2026, taking place 2–5 March at ACMI, Melbourne / Naarm, AIDC is proud and thrilled to reveal the nominees for the 6th Annual AIDC Awards – Australia’s only dedicated awards for documentary and factual storytelling. The conference also celebrates the announcement of its first-ever dual recipients of the 2026 AIDC Southern Light Award, recognising outstanding contributions to nonfiction screen, digital, and audio media.
Together with ACMI, AIDC is also pleased to announce the line-up for this year’s Documented public screening program. Complementing the AIDC 2026 program, this tightly curated selection of documentaries from around the world gives conference attendees and the wider public the opportunity to celebrate the power of non-fiction storytelling on the big screen, featuring some of the year’s most acclaimed documentary titles.
2026 AIDC AWARDS
Recognising excellence in new Australian documentary and factual content, the AIDC Awards return for is sixth year, supporting local documentary making across six categories: Best Feature Documentary, with a $5,000 cash prize presented by Film Finances; Best Documentary / Factual Series; Best Documentary / Factual Single; Best Audio Documentary; Best Short-Form Documentary, with a $2,000 cash prize presented by AFTRS; and Best Interactive/Immersive Documentary.
The 2026 AIDC Awards presentation will take place on the final day of AIDC 2026 at ACMI, hosted by Whadjuk Noongar journalist, presenter and author Narelda Jacobs OAM, whose career spans a quarter of a century with Network 10, and includes appearances on NITV and SBS, the ABC, podcasts, documentaries and Australian dramas.
AIDC CEO / Creative Director, Natasha Gadd, said, “AIDC is delighted to pay tribute to the extraordinary talent of the doc and factual creators and projects nominated for our sixth edition of the AIDC Awards. The incredible quality of submissions across all categories made for considered and extensive discussions to select the 26 nominated projects - which reflect an impressive breadth of styles and stories. Congratulations to all the nominees and thank you to the AIDC 2026 pre-selection committees and juries for their time, expertise and thoughtful deliberations.”
Dan Read, CEO of Film Finances, said, "AIDC remains an incredibly important platform for celebrating outstanding storytelling, and we’re delighted to be part of it. Documentary filmmaking reminds us of the importance of holding true to what matters - authenticity, integrity, and the human stories that connect us all. We’re really excited to once again sponsor the Best Feature Documentary award at the 2026 AIDC Awards."
Robbie Miles, AFTRS Head of Industry & Alumni Engagement, said, “AFTRS is proud to once again support the Best Short‑Form Documentary Prize at AIDC, an award that helps elevate emerging practitioners in this highly impactful and accessible format. This year’s nominees reflect the strength, diversity and innovation of Australia’s non-fiction storytellers, and we are pleased to stand alongside AIDC in recognising and nurturing talent in this vital sector of the documentary ecosystem.”
The shortlisted titles represent the broad spectrum of Australia’s documentary storytelling, spanning culturally significant stories to powerful portraits of people and places shaping our world.
2026 AIDC SOUTHERN LIGHT AWARD
Complementing the category awards, and presented for the third time, the AIDC Southern Light Award awards a $5,000 cash prize presented by AIDC to an Australian industry professional for their outstanding contribution to nonfiction screen, digital and/or audio media.
In a first for the award, two winners have been selected for their excellence. Thanks to a donation by an anonymous AIDC Board member, the winners will each receive a $5,000 cash prize and be invited to speak at the AIDC Awards Presentation on Thursday 5 March 2026.
The 2026 Southern Light Award winners are: Karla Hart, one of Australia’s most influential First Nations screen practitioners — a Noongar filmmaker, producer, and cultural leader whose work has reshaped nonfiction and narrative storytelling on national platforms; and Simon Nasht, a passionate advocate for documentary storytelling, with a career spanning the globe and encompassing hundreds of hours of nonfiction filmmaking.
AIDC CEO / Creative Director, Natasha Gadd, said, “A huge round of applause for both of our 2026 Southern Light Award winners, Karla Hart and Simon Nasht, who individually exemplify the scope of what is meant by ‘outstanding contribution’ to the industry and the form. Their dedication and commitment to our sector and our stories, and their advocacy and bravery in staying true to themselves and their craft is to be commended, honoured and celebrated.”
Karla Hart said, “Thank you to AIDC for this extraordinary honour. I’m deeply humbled to receive an award that recognises contribution to nonfiction storytelling — a form that is a powerful platform for making incredible change, and one I feel privileged to work within. I acknowledge the storytellers, broadcasters, communities and Elders who have trusted me with their stories, and the incredible production teams who help bring them to the screen. This work is never done alone. As a Noongar woman working in this space, I carry responsibility as much as opportunity — to tell stories with care, joy, integrity and courage, and to help build pathways for the next generation of First Nations filmmakers. Thank you for recognising the impact of this work — and for backing stories that truly matter.”
Simon Nasht said, “What an honour to receive this recognition from AIDC. Thank you to the many wonderful, passionate people I have worked with over the years who have contributed to my success. We are all a little crazy to pursue this calling, but also brave. Our role as documentary filmmakers has always been important, but perhaps never more so than now. Everywhere we turn, truth is under attack, and the biggest threat of all, a technology that outsources humans from the driver’s seat, is about to reinvent the very notion of reality. We have a job ahead of us to try and make sense of all of this, so stay brave. “
The 2026 AIDC Awards Presentation will be held at ACMI in Melbourne / Naarm on Thursday 5 March 2026.
DOCUMENTED 2026
Taking place alongside this year’s AIDC program, the annual Documented screening program returns with a tightly curated selection of documentaries from around the world, available to the public.
Happening during AIDC 2026, from 2–5 March, screenings will be held at ACMI Cinemas in Fed Square, Melbourne / Naarm.
Informed by the AIDC 2026 theme, Hold True, this year’s Documented public screening program will deliver a timely line-up of documentary films, including:
● The Australian premiere of the irreverent Deepfaking Sam Altman, directed by AIDC 2026 Spotlight speaker Adam Bhala Lough.
● The gripping, Oscar®-shortlisted 2000 Metres to Andriivka by previous AIDC 2024 guest headline speaker Mstyslav Chernov (20 Days in Mariupol).
● A special screening of 2026 Oscar®-nominee Cutting Through Rocks; and
● A free screening of short documentaries from PBS documentary platform POV (Executive Producer Erika Dilday is an AIDC 2026 guest)
Natasha Gadd, AIDC CEO / Creative Director, said, “As part of our ongoing partnership with ACMI, we are excited to present another selection of spectacular documentaries inspired by the AIDC 2026 conference program and our theme, Hold True. This year’s Documented screening program features four unmissable screenings, including acclaimed films like 2000 Meters to Andriivka and Cutting Through Rocks that haven’t yet had Australian theatrical runs. Not to mention the Australian premiere of the timely and deeply irreverent Deepfaking Sam Altman, and compelling shorts from the always incredible POV. Congratulations to AIDC Programming Manager Alice McShane for putting together this year’s screening program alongside the AIDC 2026 conference sessions.”
Screening sessions are open to the public and tickets can be purchased online via the ACMI website or in person from the ACMI ticket desk. Please note that while the session of short films presented by POV is
free, all attendees will require a ticket to be admitted. For full session details and links to ticketing, please visit AIDC’s SCREENINGS page.
For details about all AIDC programs and to book 2026 passes, visit www.aidc.com.au. AIDC 2026: Hold True takes place 2-5 March in-person at ACMI, Melbourne / Naarm, with an online international marketplace happening 11-12 March.