Screen Australia, SBS and NITV have announced nine new projects set to take part in the first round of the annual Digital Originals initiative, which is designed to encourage the development of new screen projects from underrepresented voices.
The teams selected will get the opportunity for direct mentorship from experienced Australian screen producers (including talents who’ve worked on The Australian Wars, Four Years Later, Flower and Flour and First Day), as well as the chance to further develop their projects.
Screen Australia, SBS and NITV announce new Digital Originals – quick links
The teams selected for the 2026 Digital Originals initiative
As shared, the nine shortlisted teams will take part in ‘immersive’ development workshops to expand and refine their ideas, as well as strengthen their storytelling and prepare a viable pitch for development partners.
Up to five of the projects in the initiative will be selected to receive further development funding, and up to three scripted series will progress to production with the support of Screen Australia, SBS and NITV.
The projects selected for the first round of the 2026 Digital Originals initiative are:
- Boychick – ‘An ultra-Orthodox rabbi’s child comes out as transgender just weeks before their Bat Mitzvah, igniting a community crisis.’
Team: Ben Strum, Carly Brand, Bec Gallo.
- Foul Play – ‘A Muslim theatre wunderkind grapples with the fragments of her marriage on the opening night of her hotly anticipated comeback show. With two mistresses, one missing husband and the critics banking on her failure, the show must go on.’
Team: Hebah Ali, Mohammad Awad.
- Fourteen Straws and Eighteen Eggs – ‘Five years ago, besties Maddy and Leo froze their eggs and sperm in the wake of a massive breakup and cancer, respectively. Now, single and in their 30s, the pair must confront what parenthood means to them as they struggle to decide what to do with their frozen DNA.’
Team: Marisa Nanakhorn-Brown, Alberto Di Troia.
- Liars – ‘Upon learning she could save her father’s life as his stem cell donor, a wannabe comedian moves back home resolved to come clean about her life, knowing full well the truth could kill him faster than his illness.’
Team: Urvi Majumdar, Sheila Jayadev, Nicole Reddy.
- RORRIM – ‘In a secret underground research facility, a burnt-out Aboriginal scientist uses forbidden technology to meet a parallel version of himself in hopes of securing a long-denied promotion. As their lives diverge, his own reflection becomes his most dangerous adversary.’
Team: Jared Langmaid, Joseph Meldrum.
- Saplings – ‘Two teenage best mates live by the rule “brothers don’t snitch” until a home invasion forces them to choose between loyalty and survival.’
Team: Hannah Belanszky, Chloe Rickard.
- That F**cker Next Door – ‘Former party girl Grace is struggling to accept she’s disabled when she’s forced into an alliance with her cantankerous neighbour, Ed. With social worker Mabel, the two navigate disability, dementia and grief in this pitch-black comedy about chosen family, defiant joy and learning to love the lives they never wanted.’
Team: Anthea Williams, Nancy Denis, Huna Amweero, Chidiebube Uba.
- Old Mate – ‘When a gay millennial moves into the duplex beside a terminally ill 85-year-old, they each imagine the worst about each other – some of it correct. But as their neighbourly feud escalates, they are forced to comprehend the depths of each other’s inner-worlds.’
Team: Samuel Leighton-Dore, Bradley Tennant, Steve Anthopoulos.
- The Empty Cradle – ‘As Karra and Luke await the birth of their first child, a series of horrifying visions turn their dream home into an unimaginable nightmare. As their grip on reality begins to unravel, can they protect the family they’ve always longed for when they no longer trust their own perceptions?’
Team: Lilla Berry, Matthew De Nieuwe, Pearl Berry.
SBS on the latest round of Digital Originals projects
There is hope this program will allow for more underrepresented and diverse voices to find a place in the Australian screen industry. As Screen Australia notes, the Digital Originals initiative has already helped a number of creatives gain industry recognition and success.
AP Pobjoy’s Homebodies, which released via SBS in 2026, was a product of the initiative and went on to achieve Logies success, with actor Claudia Karvan taking out the Best Supporting Actress in a Drama award for the series.
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Past screen projects Moonbird, Appetite, Night Bloomers and Latecomers were also very successful, going on to achieve local and international recognition across various screen awards shows and festivals.
‘Digital Originals exists to unearth extraordinary talent and bold stories that belong on screen,’ Nakul Legha, SBS Head of Scripted and Industry Partnerships says. ‘Seeing our creatives earn global recognition and build brilliant careers is a testament to the power of this initiative. We’re proud to carry that legacy forward and thrilled to collaborate with this year’s cohort to bring their vital stories to life.’
We look forward to seeing what results from the latest cohort of the Digital Originals initiative.
