The Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) is the Southern Hemisphere’s premier gathering and marketplace for documentary and factual content, taking place from Sunday 2 March – Wednesday 5 March 2025 at ACMI, Melbourne / Naarm, followed by an online international marketplace.
The doc-loving team have curated their favourite films to watch on DocPlay – discover their recommendations below, and start watching today!
Subject
Hoop Dreams, The Wolfpack, The Staircase, Capturing the Friedmans, and The Square - What do the “stars” of these iconic documentaries have in common? They all appear in the ground-breaking and revelatory documentary Subject (2022) by co-directors Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall. For what seems really, like the first time ever, Tiexiera and Hall grant us deep insight into the life-altering experience of sharing one’s life on screen - the highs and the lows, as well as the everyday realities of having your life put under a microscope. If you’ve ever watched a documentary, or plan to watch a documentary in the future…this is essential viewing!
Alice McShane, Conference Programmer
We're Livin' On Dog Food
An Australian music documentary classic and tribute to the Melbourne underground music scene of the late 70s, Richard Lowenstein's WE'RE LIVIN' ON DOG FOOD is a personal and enduring favorite of mine. Through incredible archive footage and interviews, the film perfectly captures the grungy unruly energy of Melbourne's Little Band scene that spawned musicians including Nick Cave, Rowland S. Howard, The Birthday Party, the Primitive Calculators and the iconic music venue The Crystal Ballroom. This film is transportative to a specific time and place in Melbourne's cultural history, that still reverberates in the present day. An absolute must watch for any music documentary fans out there!
Lauren Valmadre, Industry Manager
The Mole Agent
The Mole Agent is a heartwarming yet poignant blend of documentary and detective story. Directed by Chilean filmmaker Maite Alberdi, the film follows Sergio, an elderly man hired by a private investigator to infiltrate a nursing home to uncover potential abuse of one of its residents. What begins as a covert operation evolves into a touching exploration of aging, loneliness, and human connection. This is creative film making that manages to capture the essence of the ageing process whilst forcing the audience to consider the terrible reality of what we may all someday face. At times rather funny, this is a beautiful, and heartbreaking watch.
Melanie DiMattina, Event Manager
The Bibi Files
Current awards season contender! This investigative documentary, produced by Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side) blends real-life interrogation footage with analysis to outline the corruption charges against Benjamin Netanyahu. It explores how his personal family history has shaped his relationship to power, and how the corruption accusations have impacted his political relationships and the current geopolitical circumstances in the region. Essential viewing as we enter a fragile period of ceasefire.
Natalie May, Industry Coordinator
The Lost City of Melbourne
This film surprised me for its incredible treasure trove of archive that I’ve never seen. I am a Melbourne girl at heart, despite not having been born here and this film captures a city that was the cultural and innovation hub of the world. The first feature film in the world was made here. Crowds of the well-to-do did blockies on Collins St on a Saturday afternoon. And the number of grand picture palaces! The photos, illustrations and old film are alive with energy and interwoven are history lessons in architecture and photography. Director Gus Berger has made me wonder at the Melbourne that I tram though every day.
Joany Sze, Partnerships & Industry Development Manager
