- Published:
- Wednesday 25 February 2015
The Andrews Labor Government and Film Victoria have secured the rights to host the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) in Melbourne in 2016. The announcement was made today by the AIDC Board at its Annual General Meeting.
The Annual Conference – titled Net-Work-Play – is a major screen industry event that brings together around 500 Australian and international delegates from across the factual film, television and digital media industries. It focuses on issues such as media convergence, technology and entrepreneurship, and helps the industry connect with new markets and new ways of doing business.
The Conference’s new Melbourne home will be at ACMI in Federation Square, which will partner with AIDC to present a series of public evening screenings and an industry exhibition.
As well as the extensive conference program, Net-Work-Play will include Australia’s only international documentary market. This is a forum for those working in the industry to strengthen business relationships with international and local broadcasters, sales agents and distributors.
Since it began in 1986, the AIDC has grown from a local biennial conference into a significant annual event on the international documentary calendar. The 2015 event has just ended in Adelaide, where it has been held since 2007. AIDC was last hosted in Melbourne in 2006.
There’s an event in Victoria for every part of Australia’s screen industries, including the Melbourne International Film Festival’s (MIFF) 37 Degrees South Market, Screen Producers Australia’s Screen Forever Conference, the Australian Directors Guild Conference, the Australian Writers’ Guild Awards, the Logies and the Penny Arcade Games Expo.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Creative Industries, Martin Foley
“The return of AIDC to Melbourne is a significant win for Victoria’s creative industries and will highlight Victoria’s strengths in the documentary production business.”
Quotes attributable to Film Victoria CEO, Jenni Tosi
“Our support of this conference plays an important role in ensuring that Australian audiences will continue to see Australian stories on their screens.”
Quotes attributable to AIDC Co-Chairs, Karena Slaninka and Ray Pedretti
“The relocation to Victoria promises to be an exciting time for the AIDC, with an opportunity for some new energy to build on the achievements to date, strengthening the relevance of the conference and the market to the factual and documentary screen industry.”
Quotes attributable to ACMI CEO, Katrina Sedgwick
“We look forward to welcoming hundreds of delegates to ACMI from across Australia and around the world to celebrate and explore the challenges, opportunities and trends for documentary film making next year."