Culture 2 min read By Lauren Baxter
AIDC Names Poh Si Teng and Tamara Kotevska as First 40th-Edition Speakers
Organizers of the 40th Australian International Documentary Conference have announced the first group of speakers, including Oscar contender Poh Si Teng, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Tamara Kotevska and Basil Tsiokos.
The Australian International Documentary Conference, known as AIDC, has announced the first group of speakers for its 40th edition, with filmmakers Poh Si Teng and Tamara Kotevska among the names confirmed so far. Basil Tsiokos is also on the initial lineup. The announcement, published by Deadline in November 2026, marks the start of programming for one of the industry's longest-running documentary gatherings.
Poh Si Teng is the director of American Doctor, a film considered an Oscar contender in the current awards season. She founded Tiny Boxer Films, the production company through which she develops and makes her work. Her presence on the roster places a recent awards-season title in front of the conference audience of filmmakers, programmers and financiers who gather each year to discuss the form and its business.
Tamara Kotevska is an Oscar-nominated filmmaker whose credits include The Tale of Silyan and Honeyland. Honeyland, the Macedonian documentary she co-directed, earned Oscar recognition and became one of the best-known international documentaries of its period. Her inclusion connects the early lineup to the festival and awards circuit, linking the conference to films that reached audiences far beyond the documentary field.
The first group also reflects the scale of a conference that has reached its fortieth edition, a milestone that places AIDC among the established forums for documentary makers in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Longevity of this kind tends to draw returning delegates, and the early speaker names give the community an early indication of the perspectives that will shape discussions this year.
The announcement did not include further speaker names, session titles or dates. Organizers have not yet detailed the program structure, and the complete schedule remains to be published. Additional speakers are expected to be confirmed in the coming months as the 40th edition takes shape.
Source: deadline.com
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