Australian International Documentary Conference Announces 2027 Lineup as Landmark Event Returns to Sydney
The Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) has unveiled the first speakers and marketplace participants for its 2027 edition, marking the organisation’s 40th anniversary with a return to Sydney for the first time in more than three decades.
Running from March 8 to 11, 2027, the conference will bring together Australian and international documentary filmmakers, producers, commissioners and distributors for four days of industry discussions, screenings and development opportunities.
The event will take place across three Sydney venues — the Art Gallery of New South Wales, State Library of NSW and Botanic Gardens of Sydney — before continuing with an online international marketplace on March 23–24.
Supported by a new principal partnership with the NSW Government through Screen NSW, the milestone edition represents a significant move for AIDC, which has been held in Melbourne in recent years.
The 2027 conference will adopt the theme REFRAMED, examining the changing nature of truth and representation in documentary filmmaking at a time when misinformation, artificial intelligence and questions of authenticity are increasingly shaping the industry.
AIDC CEO and Creative Director Natasha Gadd said the anniversary presented an opportunity to reflect on the documentary sector’s past while considering its future.
“Through our 2027 theme, REFRAMED, AIDC provides a vital forum to explore and interrogate who gets to frame the truth, the forces that shape our understanding of reality, and to consider what becomes visible when we change the frame,” Gadd said.
Among the first international speakers announced is North Macedonian filmmaker Tamara Kotevska, whose documentary Honeyland made Academy Awards history by earning nominations for both Best Documentary Feature and Best International Feature Film.
Kotevska will be joined by American filmmaker Poh Si Teng, director of American Doctor, which received a Grand Jury Prize nomination at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.
Australian producer and filmmaker Darren Dale, managing director of Blackfella Films, is also among the confirmed speakers.
Dale’s credits include First Australians, First Contact and The Dark Emu Story, alongside his directorial debut 2.6 Seconds: Death in the Outback, which is scheduled to premiere on SBS on November 10.
Other announced participants include Sundance Film Festival senior programmer Basil Tsiokos, Archival Producers Alliance co-founder Rachel Antell and Mandy Chang, CEO of the United Kingdom’s Documentary Film Council.
Antell’s involvement comes as the documentary industry continues to grapple with the ethical implications of generative artificial intelligence, particularly its use in archival footage and historical storytelling.
The conference will also welcome a range of commissioning executives, broadcasters and distributors, with representatives from ABC, SBS, BBC Storyville, ESPN, Foxtel/BINGE, Paramount ANZ and Sundance Film Festival among the confirmed marketplace participants.
Screen NSW Executive Director Kylie Munnich welcomed the conference’s return to the state, highlighting its role in connecting Australian documentary makers with international decision-makers.
“We’re excited to see Sydney become a hub for discussion and collaboration, reinforcing NSW’s position as a leading destination for the screen industry,” Munnich said.
Beyond the speaker program, AIDC 2027 will offer more than $275,000 in project development funding, professional development opportunities and prizes through its combined marketplace, industry development and awards initiatives.
The conference’s FACTory International Pitching Forum will return for its 12th edition, providing selected documentary projects with opportunities to pitch directly to international buyers and compete for seven international pitch prizes.
Additional initiatives include the $100,000 Shark Island Foundation Feature Docs Pitch, offering development grants of $25,000 each to up to four projects, and the $20,000 DocPlay Indie Booster, supporting independent documentary theatrical campaigns.
AIDC’s Leading Lights program will also celebrate its 10th anniversary, continuing its focus on emerging and diverse documentary storytellers.
The event will conclude with the seventh annual AIDC Awards on March 11, recognising Australian documentary and factual productions across seven categories.
The 2027 edition follows a conference that attracted more than 750 Australian and international delegates in 2026.
The full conference session program is scheduled to be announced on February 2, 2027, with registration and passes available through the AIDC website.