Inside AIDC 2025: Reflections from an emerging filmmaker

By Aprille Asfoura

Since 1987, the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) has stood as the Southern Hemisphere’s premier gathering for nonfiction storytellers—a dynamic marketplace and forum where global documentary professionals collaborate, showcase new work, and discuss the future of factual content creation.

This year, thanks to a place in the Leading Lights program, I made the trip from the Blue Mountains to Naarm/Melbourne—accompanied by my toddler’s enthusiastic backseat singing and my night-before handmade business cards.

For those unfamiliar, Leading Lights is an initiative designed to provide first-time attendees from Indigenous, regional, remote, culturally and gender-diverse backgrounds, as well as neurodiverse practitioners and those with disabilities, with access to the conference. Thanks to a host of generous donors, including Documentary Australia, attending became a reality at a time when it felt particularly significant.

This year’s theme, “Future Telling”, wasn’t about gazing into the abyss—it was about actively shaping the narratives and truths that will define our collective future. That forward-thinking approach set an invigorating tone for the event.

AIDC has a very particular energy. The first day felt like diving headfirst into a pool of industry buzz—jam-packed schedules, back-to-back meetings, and an overwhelming amount of information. Having stepped back from the industry for a few years, I initially felt a little disoriented. But as the days unfolded, conversations deepened, and suddenly, it wasn’t just about the hustle—it was about reconnecting with familiar faces, having meaningful exchanges, and remembering why we do this work in the first place.

As part of Leading Lights, we had the opportunity to submit a project for a closed pitching session, and I was fortunate to have the project I am producing selected alongside three other remarkable projects. The program also provided one-on-one mentorship leading up to the pitch, with invaluable guidance from Dr. Cathy Henkel (Edith Cowan University). Cathy helped sharpen my project’s development and prepared me to stand before a packed theatre, pitching to an industry panel—no small challenge for someone with ridiculous public speaking nerves. Thankfully, the panel were very kind and responsive, offering both affirming and practical advice for moving forward.

Beyond the pitch, Leading Lights offered deeper industry connections. Past alumni shared their experiences, providing generous guidance on how to navigate the conference and encouragement for the future. I’m especially grateful to Joany Sze and Laura Bailey, who ran the program with tremendous care. Their support, along with the broader AIDC team, made the experience not just valuable but genuinely energising.

One of AIDC’s greatest strengths is the direct access it provides to industry decision-makers. Instead of sending emails into the void and hoping for a reply months later, I could engage directly with delegates—and, pleasantly, some reached out to me about potential collaborations and impact work.

This was especially true in Cut to the Chase, a structured marketplace where filmmakers meet industry representatives in rapid-fire pitch sessions. Think of it as speed dating for documentary projects: every fifteen minutes, the bell rings, and off you go, introducing yourself and your project in a room buzzing with simultaneous pitches. It’s a unique and high-pressure experience, particularly for those unfamiliar with film markets.

The delegate database extends this access beyond the conference itself, allowing for follow-ups and meetings in the weeks after. In some ways, this proved even more beneficial, giving time and space for deeper conversations, particularly with international delegates.

The Roundtable with POV’s Robert Y. Chang was tremendous, offering a rare chance to hear directly from a commissioner in a small-group setting. Instead of a one-way panel discussion, it was an intimate, no-nonsense space where we could ask direct questions and get honest insights.

Watching The FACTory—AIDC’s central pitching forum—was equally illuminating. Selected projects were pitched live to an industry panel, offering insight into how filmmakers present their work and how funders and commissioners respond. The success of a project isn’t just about having a great idea but knowing how to position it for the right distributor and audience.

For those interested in alternative distribution, ‘Resilience Beyond the Market: Community Distribution with Impact’, featuring Alex Kelly (Unquiet Collective), Amelia Haspari (Ashoka), Stefano Mendelek (AFLAMUNA), and Genevieve Grieves (GARRUWA), was a particularly strong panel. This session challenged traditional models and made a compelling case for rethinking how we connect stories with audiences—particularly for impact-driven work.

‘A Deep Dive into Visual Research and Archive Storytelling’ revealed resources I hadn’t previously considered by the fountain of archival knowledge herself, Elizabeth Klinck. As someone who loves a good research deep dive, this session felt like unlocking a whole new set of tools.

‘Accessing Philanthropic Funds Locally and Globally’, featuring Documentary Australia, Women Make Movies, Doc Society, and Shark Island Foundation, was particularly timely. Given the current funding landscape, having multiple financing strategies is crucial, and this panel laid out different pathways to consider.

The emotionally charged ‘Getting Important Stories Out of Impossible Places’, with Ahmed Hassouna and Avani Dias (ABC), moderated by Patrick Abboud (Only Human Productions/Dreamchaser Studios), left a heavy impression. Featuring filmmakers from the collective documentary Ground Zero, the discussion tackled the realities of documenting war and crisis. Given current global events, I wished more people had been in the room. But in that intimate setting, the conversation felt raw, urgent, and deeply personal—especially in relation to my own work.

Some of the most rewarding moments, however, happened outside the official schedule. The Garruwa team organised an industry gathering where sharing space with fellow filmmakers provided a much-needed moment to decompress. From listening to a broadcast commissioner speak in a formal setting to later chuckling at their excitement over experiencing Melbourne’s Puffing Billy, these in-between moments were very humbling. Whether in the foyer between sessions or at evening venues, some of the most memorable connections happened in these unexpected spaces.

And let’s not forget—AIDC isn’t just about goal-oriented networking and pitching sessions. It’s also pretty damn fun. Yes, your brain will be overloaded and overcaffeinated, but there’s something electric about being surrounded by people who care deeply about storytelling and its impact. Even now, I’m still catching up on session recordings because there was simply too much to take in at once.

In an industry that often feels fragmented, gatherings like AIDC are a reminder of the power of community. At a time when the nonfiction sector faces so many challenges—funding cuts, distribution hurdles, and shifting audience behaviours—there’s something profoundly reaffirming about coming together, exchanging ideas, and collectively pushing the form forward.

A big thank you to Mitzi Goldman and Stephanie King from Documentary Australia for their encouragement to apply for Leading Lights. Turns out, I wasn’t too old after all!

Aprille is a Palestinian-Australian emerging documentary filmmaker and impact producer. Her career spans documentary production, international distribution, and government funding through roles at Screen Australia and Motto Pictures. An AFTRS graduate, her diverse experience includes producing work for the European Partnership for Democracy, and working to support projects such as Kirsten Johnson’s Cameraperson. Aprille recently completed the Impact Producer program with Documentary Australia and produced a documentary directed by Gaza-based journalist Ruwaida Amer. She is currently producing a documentary in-development with Aseel Tayah called One Last Lullaby.