A huge congratulations to Territorian director Danielle MacLean and producers Anna Grieve and Danielle MacLean (Tamarind Tree Pictures) on winning Best Documentary / Factual Single at the Australian International Documentary Conference Awards 2026 for the extraordinary film Emily: I Am Kam.

The jury praised the film, highlighting its powerful blend of archival recordings, expert commentary and vérité scenes on Country. Through a deeply visual connection to place, the documentary explores Australia’s unreconciled history while celebrating authorship, art and ownership.

Jury statement: 'We found the winning work to be exceptionally moving and beautifully crafted, making excellent use of archival recordings, and combining expert commentary with vérité scenes on Country – creating a wonderful balance between Australia’s unreconciled history, and a real time journey through Indigenous authorship, art, and ownership. The careful use of drone footage of Country evokes the artist’s work, creating visual and metaphoric connection to place. The film doesn’t just celebrate the extraordinary work of an iconic Australian female artist but celebrates the power of place, community, and evolving perspectives. We unanimously chose Emily: I am Kam.'

Emily: I Am Kam honours the remarkable legacy of iconic artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye, while celebrating the enduring power of place, community and evolving perspectives.

Presented at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image during AIDC 2026, attended by more than 740 delegates and the global documentary community, these awards recognise the very best in Australian factual storytelling.

A powerful and moving achievement for Australian documentary.