SBS, NITV, and Screen Australia have announced the next crop of Digital Originals – six standout projects selected for development funding as part of the long-running initiative.
Digital Originals is all about championing emerging and under-represented voices in Australian screen storytelling, and this year’s slate is characteristically bold and genre-fluid. From accidental exorcists and body swaps to houseboat disasters and anti-parent rants gone viral, each original concept is exciting and rich with nuance.
Each of the six projects was chosen from a shortlist of ten, developed through a workshop held in November 2024. Up to three will now be greenlit for production and commissioning.
‘We’re thrilled to be working closely with this talented cohort,’ said SBS Head of Scripted Nakul Legha. ‘For any emerging creatives with a killer story to tell, the Digital Originals initiative offers an unmatched pathway into the industry.’
ScreenHub: SBS and NITV unveil bold new Digital Originals lineup for 2025
The 2025 Digital Originals slate includes:
Banana Milkshake (NSW)
A teenage filmmaker attempts to blackmail a teacher to protect his cousin, only to find himself spiralling into a moral quagmire of his own design.
- Producer: Georgia Noe (Floating Leaf Pictures)
- Writers: David Ma, Jonathan Lo
- Director: David Ma
Hardly a Wallflower (VIC)
A blind novelist goes undercover in a florist shop and finds herself reluctantly swept up in the romance she thought she’d left behind.
- Producer: Scarlett Koehne (Pikelet Pictures)
- Writer: Olivia Muscat
- Writer/Director: Jessica Smith
In Her Body (QLD)
Two migrant women – one a high-flying architect, the other a cleaner – wake up in each other’s bodies and are forced to reckon with the life decisions they’ve each made.
- Writers/Directors: Rachel Maxine Anderson, Rae Choi
Mangrove Mansion (QLD)
Two brides-to-be hijack a houseboat to get their estranged father to the wedding, only to become literally and emotionally stuck in the mud.
- Writer/Producer: Mary Duong (Super Fruity)
- Writer/Director: Rhianna Malezer
Nailing It! (TAS)
After an awkward Welcome to Country mishap, a disconnected Aboriginal woman opens a portal to the spirit world, triggering chaos and a quest for identity.
- Writers: Kartanya Maynard, Takani Clark
Tantrum (VIC)
A rising comic’s career is derailed by a screaming toddler and a viral anti-parent rant that sends her friendship – and reputation – into freefall.
- Writers: Sunanda Sachatrakul, Vidya Rajan
- Directors: Jemma Cotter, Vidya Rajan
Backed by SBS, NITV and Screen Australia, Digital Originals has become a launchpad for titles that not only resonate locally but have also made a splash on the global stage. Recent success stories include Moonbird (Series Mania 2025), Appetite (Canneseries 2023, Rose d’Or nomination), and Latecomers (AACTA winner, Series Mania 2023).
For NITV’s Head of Indigenous Commissioning and Production Dena Curtis, the initiative remains a critical space for First Nations creatives: ‘We continue to see powerful and entertaining stories emerge—stories that connect with all Australians,’ Curtis said.
Applications for the 2025 round of Digital Originals are now open and close on 17 July. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to participate in a workshop in October, with selected projects moving into further development after a November pitch day.
To help applicants, an information webinar will be held on 13 June, featuring speakers from SBS, NITV and Screen Australia. Auslan interpretation and accessibility support will be provided.
‘This program continues to uncover the next generation of Australian screen voices,’ said Louise Gough, Screen Australia’s Director of Narrative Content. ‘We’re proud to support work that reflects the richness of contemporary Australia.’
Meanwhile, the 2023 cohort—Moonbird, Warm Props and Moni—will premiere weekly on SBS On Demand and NITV from 19 June.
Applications for the next round of Digital Originals are now open, and close on 7 July 2025, 5pm AEST. More info via Screen Australia
