The latest funding round includes documentaries examining the aftermath of a dark day in Bondi, Tuvalu’s response to climate change and filmmaker Randall Wood’s recovery from a traumatic brain injury.

Screen Australia has announced more than $5.7 million in production and development funding for 47 documentary projects spanning feature films, online series and international co-productions.

The latest slate brings together established filmmakers and emerging creative teams, with projects exploring subjects including climate change, disability advocacy, queer identity, wildlife conservation, faith and recovery from traumatic brain injury.

Screen Australia head of documentary Richard Huddleston said the projects demonstrated the strength and diversity of Australia’s documentary sector.

“The funded documentaries reflect Screen Australia’s commitment to supporting stories that are both local and globally relevant,” Huddleston said.

“From emerging to established creatives, they showcase an ambitious documentary sector finding new ways to collaborate and connect with viewers, from significant international co-productions to exciting direct-to-audience partnerships.”

Huddleston pointed to findings from the agency’s Screen Currency 2026 report, which found that 71 per cent of Australians had taken some form of action after watching local screen content.

“This speaks to the importance of documentaries as a catalyst for social change and shared understanding,” he said.

Among the projects receiving principal production funding is Bondi, a feature documentary from Mint Pictures and director Amanda Blue. Told through the perspectives of survivors, victims’ families, first responders and everyday heroes, the film examines an event that devastated lives and reverberated through Australia’s Jewish community.

The project is produced in association with SBS, with support from Screen NSW and international sales handled by TVF Media.

The Australian-German co-production Saving Tuvalu will follow three young Tuvaluans using digital preservation to protect their culture and identity as rising seas threaten their homeland.

Directed by Kate Blackmore, Amelia Tovey and Bernard “Kato” Ewekia, the film is a co-production between Media Stockade, Tellus Films and Filmtank. It has been commissioned by ZDF/ARTE for French and German-speaking territories, with Bonsai Films handling local distribution.

Filmmaker Randall Wood will turn the camera on himself in The Brain Garden, a feature documentary examining his recovery from a traumatic brain injury. Combining science, research and personal storytelling, the film follows Wood on a global journey exploring the connections between neuroscience, nature and healing.

Wood is joined by producer Cathy Rodda and executive producer Sonya Pemberton. The project was developed with assistance from Screen Queensland.

Other funded projects include Australia’s Lost Eden, an intimate portrait of a young Tasmanian devil growing up in a changing wilderness. The feature is led by Tasmanian director, producer and wildlife cinematographer Nick Hayward, whose previous credits include The Platypus Guardian.

Stella: I Am Not Your Inspiration will explore the life and legacy of disability activist, comedian and broadcaster Stella Young. From filmmakers Sarah Barton and Liz Burke, the documentary blends factual storytelling with cinematic recreations to trace Young’s journey from a small Australian town to the brink of international recognition before her death at 32.

In Estranged, filmmaker Olivia Martin-McGuire and her transgender sibling Jack reconnect after two years apart and undertake a global road trip exploring queer community perspectives on separation and healing. The documentary combines observational footage, audio recordings and stop-motion animation.

The slate also includes Hell Has No Fire Escape, the debut feature from South African-Australian producer Georgina Savage. Filmed across several years, it follows a grieving South African pastor who becomes caught in an online romance scam, leading to financial ruin and a crisis of faith.

Direct-to-audience projects include the 10-part series My City, My Backyard from Never Too Small. The series will visit architects, artists and designers around the world to explore the communities surrounding their compact homes.

Screen Australia has also provided development funding to Leigh Bowery: Eternal Sunshine, a feature documentary examining the Australian roots and international legacy of artist, performer and cultural provocateur Leigh Bowery. The film is directed by Ilinca Calugareanu and created and produced by Elinor Hughes.

Further documentary funding announcements will be made in conjunction with the ABC Media Showcase on October 21.