The AIDC Southern Light Award celebrates luminaries of the Australian documentary and factual industry.
Expanding the eligibility scope of the pre-existing Stanley Hawes Award, presented from 1997 – 2023, the AIDC Southern Light Award is a $5,000 cash prize presented by AIDC to an Australian industry professional for their outstanding contribution to nonfiction screen, digital and/or audio media.
The recipient of the 2025 Southern Light Award will receive a $5,000 cash prize from AIDC and will be invited to speak at the AIDC Awards Presentation on Wednesday 5 March 2025.
The Southern Light Award complements six other category awards that are part of the 2025 AIDC Awards.
Nominees for the AIDC Southern Light Award must fulfil the following criteria:
- Be nominated by a current AIDC member.
- Be a producer, director, editor, cinematographer, sound recordist, presenter, facilitator, educator, broadcaster, distributor, commissioning editor or any profession deemed significant within the nonfiction screen, digital and/or audio media sector.
- Have made an outstanding contribution to the Australian nonfiction screen, digital and/or audio media sector for at least 10 years.
- Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
Nominations will be judged against this criteria via secret ballot by the AIDC Board of Directors.
Nominating a candidate for the AIDC Southern Light Award is simple and free of charge.
If you wish to nominate someone for the Southern Light Award you must:
- provide a 200-word written statement as to why you are nominating this candidate
- be a current AIDC Member who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident. An AIDC member is anyone who is a citizen or permanent resident of Australia who attended AIDC 2024 or has purchased an AIDC Membership.
To purchase a membership please complete and submit an AIDC Membership Application Form, along with a fee of $38.50 (GST inclusive). Once processed, payment confirmation will be sent to you via email and your membership will be valid for one calendar year from the date that payment of membership is received. Please note that membership does not grant access to AIDC 2025.
Prepare your 200-word statement about your nominee and submit your nomination via the link below.
AIDC Southern Light Award Nomination Form
For more information on how to nominate, please download the
- AIDC Southern Light Award Nomination Guidelines .pdf
- AIDC Southern Light Award Nomination Guidelines .docx
The deadline for nominations is 23:59 AEDT Sunday 12 January 2025.
Have questions? Contact awards@aidc.com.au.
The award recognises entrepreneurship and vision as reflected by the nominee’s body of work or their contribution to the screen sector.
Nominations will be judged against this criteria via secret ballot by the AIDC Board, with the winner invited to accept their award at the 2025 Award Presentation on Wednesday 5 March 2025.