AFTRS First Nations

16/10/2026

Big congratulations Sajarn!

17/09/2026

We're thrilled to see AFTRS alum Tace Stevens named a finalist in the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2026 People's Choice Award (National Portrait Gallery).

Tace's portrait, STAR, is a pigment photographic print of her younger sister, capturing strength, tenderness and care.

Voting is open until Wednesday 30 September 2026. Cast your vote here: https://www.portrait.gov.au/image/112759

15/09/2026

Connecting the global screen industry to Australia

15/09/2026

Screen Territory’s premier networking and industry development event will transform Darwin into a major meeting place for Australia’s screen industry, September 18–20, with the 2026 NT Screen and Cinematic Craft Summit.

03/09/2026

TICKET GIVEAWAY: THE ART OF STORYTELLING
TOMORROW - FRIDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2026

Ready to take your storytelling to the next level? Join the Africa Film Fest Australia and AFTRS for The Art of Storytelling, an inspiring masterclass featuring acclaimed writers, filmmakers, and industry professionals:
Ratidzo Mambo – Moderator
Malla Nunn – Writer & Filmmaker
Huna Amweero – Screenwriter, Filmmaker and AWGIE-Award winner (Grad Dip Screenwriting, 2012)
Jenevieve Chang – Screenwriter and BA Discipline Lead AFTRS
Together, they'll explore the craft of creating stories that move audiences and shape culture. Hear directly from leading creatives as they share their journeys, practical insights, and the realities of working in today's screen industry.

WHEN: Friday, 4 September 2026, 2:00–5:00 PM
WHERE: Playhouse, Sydney Opera House, NSW
MORE INFO: https://africafilmfest.au/storytelling
TO WIN: Email [email protected] asap with your contact details to snap up a free ticket

🎙️ Meet the screenwriter behind a Tribeca premiere.
We’re excited to welcome multi-award-winning screenwriter Huna Amweero to the panel for our Art of Storytelling Masterclass. Huna’s writing spans feature film, television and short-form content — she co-wrote Blaze, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and won the 2022 AWGIE Award for Best Original Feature Film Screenplay, and has since written for Netflix’s Surviving Summer (Season 2) and the series Krystal Klairvoyant. In 2023 she received the Betty Roland Prize for Scriptwriting at the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, and she has just been awarded the 37 South PFM Prize, which will see her attend Film London’s Production Finance Market.
Huna joins fellow panellists Zamo Mkhwanazi, Malla Nunn and Jenevieve Chang, moderated by Ratidzo Mambo, for a session exploring how ideas become stories, stories become scripts, and scripts become films — followed by an audience Q&A.
🎤 Presented in partnership with AFTRS, with support from the African Caribbean Writers Festival Australia and African Youth Initiative.
🗓️ Friday 4 September 2026, 2:00–5:00PM
📍 The Playhouse, Sydney Opera House
🎟️ Tickets: https://africafilmfest.au/

17/08/2026

Last Friday, AFTRS welcomed audiences to Pacific Film Dialogues, a special event exploring storytelling, screen cultures and creative practice across the Pacific.

The event was a partnership between AFTRS, Western Sydney University and the University of Sydney, and featured a conversation with acclaimed Pacific filmmakers Dr Letila Mitchell and Leonardo Pakarati, followed by screenings of their films Armea and Ŋa Hinarere [The Children].

The dialogue highlighted the vital role of film in sustaining cultural knowledge, strengthening community connections and sharing Indigenous perspectives across generations.

Thank you to Iane Tavo Atalifo, Paula Rossetti, Professor Heather Horst and Professor Juan Francisco Salazar and our partners, speakers and attendees for making this such a great evening.

25/07/2026

Actor, writer, director, and producer Hunter Page-Lochard is optimistic about the future of storytelling, highlighting a new generation of First Nations creatives who are bringing fresh voices and perspectives to Australian screens.

Following an AFTRS Screenwriting course, Hunter has built an impressive career across screen and television, both in front of and behind the camera.

Read more.

Indigenous actor, writer, director and producer Hunter Page-Lochard is optimistic about the young contemporaries around him.

14/07/2026

10/07/2026

In the spirit of NAIDOC Week, we look at how the On Country Pathways Program (OCPP) is shaping the journey of First Nations creatives who were part of the program.

09/07/2026

Tyrell joined the OCPP in Cairns as the youngest participant in his group. From Thursday Island in the Torres Strait, he brought experience in community radio at TSIMA (Torres Strait Island Media Association), as well as blog writing and social content creation.