Australian International Documentary Conference announces 2023 program

The Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) announces the full program for its 2023 event – including over 40 sessions, more than 120 speakers and 100-plus industry decision makers – taking place in-person at ACMI in Melbourne, from 5-8 March 2023 with an online-only international marketplace 9-11 March 2023.

Responding to the theme Agents of Change, the program features lauded and vital talents from across the fields of screen and digital media, including three directors of 2023 Academy Award-nominated documentaries, and a screening of Laura Poitras’ Academy Award-nominated All the Beauty and the Bloodshed. Leading the line-up is American director and producer Sara Dosa, whose Academy Award-nominated Fire of Love has received over 29 international awards, alongside Indian director Shaunak Sen, whose similarly Academy Award-nominated All That Breathes has secured 19 awards, including the Cannes Golden Eye and Sundance Grand Jury Prize. Joining them from the Academy Awards frontline is Canadian director Daniel Roher, whose gripping documentary Navalny picked up the 2022 Sundance Audience Award, among 11 others. From the factual programming side, Fatima Salaria, managing director of wildly successful UK production house Naked Television (Grand Designs), will be on hand to provide a masterclass in producing documentary series.

Other notable guests include New Zealand’s David Farrier, responsible for left-field documentary hits like Tickled, Netflix’s Dark Tourist, and Mister Organ; Emmy and AACTA-winning immersive installation artist and filmmaker Lynette Wallworth, acclaimed Aboriginal filmmaker Dean Gibson, director of Incarceration Nation, Wik vs Queensland, and the upcoming First Weapons; Quechua filmmaker, technologist, writer, and artist Violeta Ayala (Prison X, The Fight), and Australian filmmaker Emma Sullivan, director of true crime documentary Into The Deep.

On the screen business front, AIDC 2023 will see an extensive line-up of decision makers from global streamers in attendance, including Prime Video, Stan, Netflix, Hulu, DocPlay, Paramount ANZ, and ESPN. Plus, representatives from more than 20 broadcasters, like Nat Geo, BBC, ARTE, PBS, NHK, ZDF, EBS Korea, TRT World, A&E, Al Jazeera, ABC, SBS, NITV, and Channel 10. Not to mention studios, distributors and producer-distributors for some of the world’s most interesting documentaries and releases, including A24, Dogwoof, Sandbox Films, Cat&Docs, Autlook Films, TVF International, Sideways Film, Off the Fence and others.

For those seeking new pathways to funding and financing, AIDC 2023 will also host an array of representatives from leading documentary development funds and foundations, like Blue Ice Docs (Canada), Catapult Film Fund (USA), Chicken & Egg Pictures (USA), Documentary Australia, Doc Society, Participant (USA), Shark Island Foundation, The Whickers (UK) and many more.

And as a result of a suite of exciting industry initiatives with key partners, including Screen Australia, Shark Island Foundation, DocPlay, and The Post Lounge, and Awards partnerships with AFTRS, Deakin Motion Lab, Artisan Post Group and Film Finances, AIDC 2023 will unlock over $350,000 in project development, awards, prizes and professional development opportunities for new nonfiction content and support for documentary practitioners.

AIDC 2023’s central theme – Agents of Change – celebrates the people and the practices working to elevate documentary and factual storytelling. Through this theme, AIDC 2023 will highlight the changemakers of nonfiction storytelling, and bring focus to the champions of the craft leading the way for the creation of bold stories with real world impact. The conference will explore the following subthemes through keynotes, industry panels and initiatives: Upcoming (new voices, new audiences), Breaking Ground (truth-telling, investigation and impact), Shifting Perspectives (craft, storytelling and representation), In Focus (advocacy, reform, ethics and integrity), and Future Horizons (innovation, technology, sustainability and regeneration).

Natasha Gadd, CEO / Creative Director, AIDC, said, “Since the first frames of 35mm footage rolled through the gates of a film camera, documentary storytellers have been at the forefront of crafting bold stories that have instigated cultural, social and political change. At AIDC 2023: Agents of Change, we invite you to celebrate those trailblazers of our field that paved the way and the future storytellers taking up the mantle to create courageous stories that have the power to shift perspectives and transform our view of the world around us. We are thrilled to announce such a word-class program of speakers, sessions and screenings, guaranteed to entertain and inspire. Not to mention the incredible lineup of local and international decision makers as part of the industry program, set to drive creative and business outcomes, and contribute to the sustainability, recovery and growth of our industry.”

Caroline Pitcher, CEO, VicScreen, said, “We’re proud to continue our longstanding partnership with AIDC, and celebrate today’s unveiling of an epic 2023 program. From unforgettable sessions to the bustling marketplace, AIDC is a major event on Victoria’s annual screen calendar which provides valuable opportunities for delegates to connect with industry leaders at the top of their game. Victoria’s screen events combined with our cutting-edge infrastructure, spectacular locations, and in-demand talent and crew, is why Victoria is known globally as a premium screen destination.”

Seb Chan, Director & CEO, ACMI, said: “ACMI is once again proud to be a Presenting Partner of AIDC with our facilities and technical expertise supporting the delivery of a world-class conference program. In partnership with the AIDC, we’ll also present a daring program of the world’s newest documentary films, enabling both conference delegates and the general public to experience unforgettable true stories in ACMI’s state-of-the-art cinemas.”

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AIDC 2023 SPOTLIGHT SESSIONS

Sara Dosa – Love in the Time of Archive
Join Sara Dosa, director of the multi-award-winning Fire of Love, as she shares insights into her bold filmmaking process across story, editing, narration and score to create an intimate, archive-driven love story about volcanologists, Maurice and Katia Krafft. Presented by VicScreen.

Taking Flight with Shaunak Sen
The story of two Muslim brothers rescuing birds in New Delhi became a historic winner at Cannes and Sundance. Join All That Breathes director Shaunak Sen for a deep dive into his craft and his masterful observational documentary style.

Courage of Conviction in Investigative Storytelling
Join Daniel Roher, director of the Academy Award®-nominated Navalny, and Emma Sullivan, director of Sundance-screened Into the Deep, as they discuss how to balance journalistic integrity and storytelling craft when creating complex, high stakes and layered stories of the real events behind major global headlines.

First and Foremost: First Nations Knowledge Through Documentary 
An exclusive insight into two of the most anticipated factual series upcoming in 2023 – First Weapons and The First Inventors – and the importance of First Nations-led filmmaking practices in ensuring authenticity and respect when handling First Nations knowledge. Featuring producer Dena Curtis and director Dean Gibson (First Weapons), alongside producer Cian Mungatj McCue and director Larissa Behrendt (The First Inventors). Presented by Screen Territory.

David Farrier: Documentary of the Absurd
Balancing humour in documentary is a fine art. Join one of Aotearoa / NZ’s most fascinating filmmakers, David Farrier (Tickled & Mister Organ) as he shares his work in investigative journalism, podcasting and documentary.

Fatima Salaria: A Masterclass in Doc Series Producing
Managing director of Naked Television, Fatima Salaria gives an exclusive masterclass on successfully creating non-fiction series, global formats, current trends and her ambitions for the future of factual. Presented by VicScreen.

OTHER SESSION HIGHLIGHTS

In addition to AIDC 2023’s Spotlight Sessions, the program includes an array of inspiring local and international guests, with over 40 sessions devoted to business, innovation, craft and more, each linked by the 2023 conference sub-themes.

Upcoming 

Indigenous Voices, Future Visions 
A spotlight on innovative international First Nations artists working at the nexus of storytelling and cutting-edge technologies. Presented by VicScreen.

Docs in the Age of TikTok: The Algorithmic, Economic, and Cultural Potential of Social Media Docs.  
As younger audiences consume the majority of content on social media platforms, what opportunities are there for quality nonfiction storytelling in this bite sized, user-generated, algorithmic landscape? Presented by City of Melbourne.

Generations: Looking Back at First Nations Factual
Join First Nations new voices as they look back on the powerful history of First Nations filmmaking. Presented by Screen Queensland.

Breaking Ground

Investigative Journalism to Long Form Screen Features  
Join leading Australian journalists and filmmakers as they discuss the work they have created for Stan Originals Revealed slate, a new series of original documentaries based on major investigative stories. Presented by Stan.

Trust Matters – How Journalistic Rigour Underpins the Success of ABC Docs
How does the ABC support filmmakers in applying journalistic rigour to documentary films, especially when there has never been more interest in journalism as the foundation for compelling true stories? Presented by ABC.

Shifting Perspectives

True Romance: The Ethics of Love, Sex and Relationships in Documentary 
Audiences love, love, but how do you responsibly tell a compelling real-life love story? Join series creators as they delve into crafting sex, love and dating shows with dignity and care.

Soundwaves: Anatomy of an Audio Scene
Hear from award-winning audio storytellers as they unpack how to utilise the powers of audio documentary, in play-by-play breakdowns of scenes from their work.

Unearthing the Art of Archives
Archival sound and vision provides a rich tapestry to bring non-fiction works to life. In this session, an esteemed panel shed light on their work researching and clearing archive for productions. Presented by Getty Images.

Getting Queer-ious: Can You Believe?
Queer content creators share personal experiences of working in the documentary space: secrets for success, mistakes made, lessons learned, and tactics and techniques for engaging and inclusive storytelling. Presented by VicScreen.

In Focus

The Documentary Participant: At What Cost?
Subjects, Collaborators, Participants. How much do we understand about those whose lives become documentaries? A panel of filmmakers, experts and participants discuss ethics, integrity, and duty of care in doc-making.

The Future of Theatrical Documentary 
Theatrical feature docs are vital to the fabric of nonfiction storytelling, but after a challenging few years, industry leaders ask the question – what would a thriving theatrical documentary sector really look like? Presented by VicScreen.

Collective Action – Co-ops, Community TV and Collectives
What can we learn from looking back to the film collectives of the 1960s and 1970s and who are the new collectives leading the charge today?

Band of Broadcasters: Global Collaborations and Alliances
Featuring public broadcasters from across the globe, this session explores how broadcasters are adapting in the streaming era, and how a new age of collaboration can benefit producers and audiences alike.

Future Horizons 

Film Futurism with Violeta Ayala
Film futurist, visionary filmmaker, artist and writer Violeta Ayala illuminates the path for creators to embrace new technology and set the visual language for a more promising future. Presented by VicScreen.

Experiential Storytelling with Lynette Wallworth and Marie Foulston
Join award-winning artist Lynette Wallworth and curator Marie Foulston as they explore the craft of interactive and immersive storytelling to create complex sensory experiences that push the documentary form and help us reimagine the world and our place in it. Presented by ACMI.

Deep Dive: Filming into the Big Blue
Take a deep dive into the big blue as we explore the power and perils of working on the ocean with recent docs and series Ningaloo, Facing Monsters and Shipwreck Hunters Australia. Presented by Screenwest.

Riding the Green Wave 
An indepth look at how the screen industry is putting the planet in the picture – and how it’s not as hard or as costly as you might think. Presented by Screen Queensland.

AIDC MARKETPLACE

In addition to its expansive program of sessions, AIDC will also continue its tradition as the must-attend marketplace for documentary and factual projects with a formidable contingent of decision makers taking part in the 2023 event. More than 100 decision makers from around the world will be looking for new projects to support and content to commission, including representatives from broadcasters, distributors, festivals, publishers and markets, like  The Guardian, TVF International, VICE Media, Lyfta, LiSTNR, Red Bull Studios, Mediawan, Cargo Film & Releasing, Reservoir Docs, NZ On Air, Fremantle, Journeyman, Cinetic, Audiocraft, Sundance Film Festival, Hot Docs, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Dok.Leipzig, Melbourne International Film Festival, EFM/Berlinale, Sunny Side of the Doc, Dhaka Doc Lab and Docs by the Sea.

AIDC producer delegates can meet these decision makers through the Cut to the Chase curated pitch meetings program, which has a deadline for project submissions of Sunday 29 January 2023.

AIDC’s marketplace centrepiece, The FACTory International Pitching Showcase, also returns, with 15 in-development and unreleased national and international projects participating in a live pitch on Day 3 (7 March) of AIDC 2023.

One of the most exciting new marketplace programs is the Fresh Cuts Documentary Pitch, presented by Screen Australia and aimed at generating documentary content for young adult audiences, with five teams vying for up to $30,000 in development funding per project.

AIDC INITIATIVES & AWARDS

AIDC 2023 will see the return of a number of popular initiatives and programs, including:

• Innovation Day, presented by VicScreen, exploring the conference sub-theme of Future Horizons on Sunday 5 March with a full day devoted to non-traditional documentary storytelling. Focusing on innovation, regeneration and potential futures for the sector. AIDC’s Doc.Lab.Interact storytelling lab, hosted by award-winning UK studio Anagram will also return as part of the day.
• AIDC’s Indigenous Creators Program, a strand of sessions for and by First Nations documentary and factual practitioners, providing new opportunities to upskill, network, and pitch market-ready projects to decision makers seeking Indigenous-led stories
• The Leading Lights Program, now in its sixth year, brings new learning, networking and pitching opportunities for emerging and culturally and linguistically diverse practitioners. Presented by AFTRS.
• A Canadian Delegation of mid-career filmmakers from historically underrepresented communities, supported by Hot Docs and the Canadian Media Fund.

AIDC 2023 will also see the presentation of the third annual AIDC Awards celebrating outstanding achievement in Australian documentary and factual, and the 24th $5,000 Stanley Hawes Award for contribution to the sector, in a special celebration on 8 March 2023 at ACMI.

SCREENING PROGRAM

And finally, presented by ACMI in association with AIDC, a public screening program will run in parallel with AIDC 2023 and feature key AIDC speaking guests. Aside from an AIDC delegate-exclusive in-conference screening of Laura Poitras’ Academy Award®-nominated All The Beauty & the Bloodshed, the screenings will be open to anyone and tickets can be purchased through ACMI. The first two screenings to be announced are:

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
Directed by Oscar-winner Laura Poitras, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is an epic story about artist and activist Nan Goldin, told through her groundbreaking photography and footage, as she fights to hold the Sackler family accountable for the opioid crisis.

Agents of Change Shorts Screening – Presented by The New York Times Op-Docs
A selection of award-winning short documentaries by independent filmmakers, curated by the New York Times for ACMI and AIDC. Featuring an introduction by Christine Kecher, Senior Commissioning Editor for Op-Docs.

The remaining films in the public screening program will be announced soon.

Registration for AIDC 2023 is open now, with Business, All Access, Sessions and individual Day passes available, opening up AIDC’s many opportunities to industry players at all experience levels