Screen Australia has announced over $5.7 million in funding for the production and development of 47 Australian-made documentary features, all charting unique aspects of the world, history and culture.
As shared, the fund will be provided to teams both established and emerging, all joined by their intentionality to bring ‘distinctive’ Australian voices and perspectives to the screen.
‘The funded documentaries reflect Screen Australia’s commitment to supporting stories that are both local and globally relevant,’ Richard Huddleston, Screen Australia Head of Documentary says. ‘From emerging to established creatives, it showcases an ambitious documentary sector finding new ways to collaborate and connect with viewers, from significant international co-productions to exciting direct-to-audience partnerships.’
‘Screen Currency 2026 found 71% of Australians have 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.’
Screen Australia shares recipients of documentary funding – quick links
Highlights from Screen Australia’s funded documentaries
As shared, there are a diverse array of stories presented in the lineup of funded documentaries. These include:
- Bondi – ‘From the multi-award-winning producers at Mint Pictures (The Hunt for the Last Nazis) and director Amanda Blue (After the Wave), Bondi chronicles one of Australia’s darkest days through the voices of survivors, victims’ families, everyday heroes and first responders, examining an event that shattered lives and reverberated deeply through the Australian Jewish community.’
- Saving Tuvalu – ‘An Australian / German co-production directed by Kate Blackmore (Make It Look Real), Amelia Tovey (It Starts With Us) and Bernard ‘Kato’ Ewekia and produced by Chris Kamen, Rebecca Barry, Madeleine Hetherton-Miau, Blackmore and Tovey, the film follows three young Tuvaluans using digital preservation to safeguard their culture and identity as rising seas threaten their homeland.’
- The Brain Garden – ‘A deeply personal feature documentary from multi-award-winning filmmaker Randall Wood (Flyways: The Story Of Migratory Shorebirds), producer Cathy Rodda (Bromley: Light After Dark) and executive producer Sonya Pemberton. Through a multidisciplinary approach that fuses science, research and factual storytelling, The Brain Garden sees Wood turn the camera on himself after a traumatic brain injury, embarking on a global journey to explore the brain’s recovery as a living ecosystem and uncover the connections between neuroscience, nature and healing.’
- My City, My Backyard – ‘A ten-part direct-to-audience series from Skip Ahead alumni Never Too Small. My City, My Backyard celebrates the joy of living small as inspiring local architects, artists and designers around the world step outside their homes, revealing the community they’ve found in their own backyards.’
- Australia’s Lost Eden – ‘From Southern Wild Films and led by Tasmanian director/producer and wildlife cinematographer Nick Hayward (The Platypus Guardian) Australia’s Lost Eden is the untold story of one of the last great wilderness areas on earth. Shot across one year, this coming-of-age story is an intimate and emotional portrait of a young Tasmanian devil growing up in a changing world.’
- Stella: I Am Not Your Inspiration – ‘Blending documentary storytelling with cinematic recreations, filmmakers Sarah Barton and Liz Burke (Defiant Lives) bring to life the defining moments of disability activist, comedian and broadcaster Stella Young. The documentary traces her rise from a small Australian town to the verge of international stardom, before her untimely death at the age of 32.’
- Estranged – ‘Blending observational footage, audio recordings and stop-motion animation, Estranged is a deeply personal documentary from Olivia Martin-McGuire (China Love) produced by No Thing Productions and Media Stockade. The film follows Olivia and her trans sibling Jack as they reconnect after two years of estrangement and embark on a global road trip, exploring queer community perspectives on healing separation.’
- Hell Has No Fire Escape – ‘A Closer and Try Hard Films production, this debut feature film from South African / Australian award-winning producer Georgina Savage follows a grieving South African pastor drawn into an online love scam that leads to heartbreak, financial ruin and a crisis of faith.’
- Leigh Bowery: Eternal Sunshine – ‘A feature documentary exploring the life and legacy of trailblazing Australian artist, performer and cultural provocateur Leigh Bowery. Directed by Ilinca Calugareanu, created and produced by Elinor Hughes and produced by Vee Shi (Time and Tide), Michael McMahon and Ned Williams, Leigh Bowery: Eternal Sunshine uncovers the Australian roots of a creative force whose radical vision transformed London’s underground scene and established him as a global cultural icon.’
You can view the full list of documentary production blocklines and projects funded for documentary development on the Screen Australia website.
