Call for Entries: Unfinished Prize for Documentary

A major new prize, the $50,000 Unfinished Prize for Documentary, has been announced by the Australian International Documentary Conference.

The Unfinished Prize for Documentary will be awarded to the best pitch for an in-development documentary feature film, one-off or series at The FACTory International Pitching Forum, held during AIDC 2018.

“The Unfinished Prize reinforces the importance of documentary in bringing to light significant issues and in increasing our understanding of the world through deep and engaging narratives. It’s wonderful to have the support of Wide Open Road and The Saturday Paper whose generosity will ensure a deserving project gets made and seen by a wide audience,” said AIDC Conference Director Alice Burgin.

 

To be eligible for the prize, projects must be selected to pitch in The FACTory. AIDC is encouraging producers of documentary and nonfiction screen content to prepare projects for entry, with applications open 4 October 2017 to 18 December 2017.

aidc.com.au/the-unfinished-prize

Shortlisted projects will have the opportunity to pitch directly to national and international decision makers, and compete for The Unfinished Prize for Documentary at The FACTory on 6 March 2018.

Co-presented by partners Wide Open Road Coffee Roasters, The Saturday Paper and AIDC, the Prize will be presented for the first time at the AIDC in March 2018 and will support new nonfiction screen works.

Comprising $10,000 cash from Wide Open Road Coffee Roasters and a $40,000 film advertising plan in The Saturday Paper, the prize enables the realisation and promotion of new documentary projects.

Wide Open Road Coffee Roasters Founder, Jono Hill, said: “At Wide Open Road we understand what it’s like to set out to create something with limited resources, and the notion that great ideas are more valuable when turned into action. Coming from a background in the film industry, we felt the opportunity to get behind the AIDC and engage with the documentary making community, was too great to pass up. Above all, we love the opportunity to help realise a great idea which otherwise may not have come to fruition.”

Editor of The Saturday Paper, Erik Jensen, said: “The Unfinished Prize for Documentary builds on The Saturday Paper’s history of spotting stories before they have run their course, of picking issues and seeing them through. This prize will ensure that projects on the cusp of realisation are given the best chance of being finished.”