Some of Australia’s top screen executives are set to converge on the Sunshine Coast for a regional summit.
The Coast’s annual Screen Summit, which is part of Showfest 2026, will take place October 23 at Maroochy RSL.
The summit will bring regional filmmakers face-to-face with industry decision-makers responsible for funding, commissioning and developing Australian content.
Among them are senior executives and commissioners from Screen Queensland, ABC and SBS.
More than 25 speakers will participate in this year’s program, including Screen Queensland head of content Tanya Ellen, ABC commissioning editor comedy Todd Abbott and SBS head of unscripted Joseph Maxwell.
Queensland recorded a record $925m in drama production expenditure in 2024–25, representing 34 per cent of Australia’s total.
Moreover a 2023 industry study identified about 115 production companies on the Sunshine Coast, highlighting an established industry base with potential for further growth.
Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli said council wanted the region to be recognised not only as a filming location but as a place where screen businesses, creatives and productions could thrive.
“Now in its fifth year, the Sunshine Coast Screen Summit is a strong example of what can be achieved when industry, government and screen organisations work together to support talent, encourage collaboration and grow Queensland’s screen industry,” Mayor Natoli said.
A headline discussion, AI Tomorrow: Digital Storytelling & Human Generative Workflows, will examine how artificial intelligence is changing screen production and the implications for creative professionals.
Moderated by technology and entertainment executive David Gouge, formerly of Wētā FX, Autodesk and Y&R, the panel will explore emerging technology while considering the skills, judgement and storytelling craft at the heart of filmmaking.
Do you have an opinion to share? Submit a Letter to the Editor at Sunshine Coast News via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au. You must include your name and suburb.
Australian actress and presenter Terasa Livingstone will also attend SHOWFEST. Audiences grew up watching her on Agro’s Cartoon Connection and The Great Outdoors, before she built an international career spanning film and television. Her US credits include Lost, CSI: NY and the feature film 21.
The region’s screen credentials are also reflected in the achievements of local creative professionals.
Summit panellist Ivan O’Mahoney produced and co-directed Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story, which won Best Factual or Documentary Program at the 2025 Logie Awards and Best Editing in a Documentary at the 2026 AACTA Awards.
Fellow panellist Adam Szudrich directed award-winning short film Extraordinary Rob, which has won eight awards and received 17 nominations across 27 film festivals.
The film was co-written and produced by Jon Coghill, co-founder of the Sunny Coast Showdown and drummer of ARIA award-winning band Powderfinger.
Other Sunshine Coast-connected projects include Catherine Mack’s Swimmers, which received Screen Queensland production funding and secured US and worldwide distribution; Amy Parry’s Screen Australia-supported Rainbow Bop; and Zip and the Tiny Sprouts, an award-winning animated series from Emmy Award-winning producer Peter Johnston of FadeIn Studios, now screening on ABC Kids and ABC iView.
Beyond the summit, the Sunshine Coast Screen Collective, which has 400 paid members, is working to build a sustainable regional industry through professional training, production opportunities and infrastructure development.
Its initiatives include ScreenHub Nambour and the Sunny Coast Showdown, which supports local filmmakers with development assistance, industry mentoring and opportunities to take original projects into production.
The collective is also progressing plans for a regional studio production precinct aimed at expanding production capacity and creating more screen industry employment opportunities.
President David Edgar said the summit would help connect local talent with decision-makers.
“For too long, regional filmmakers have had to travel to capital cities to get in front of the people making decisions,” Mr Edgar said.
“Screen Summit reverses that, bringing Australia’s leading screen commissioners and executives directly to the Sunshine Coast.
“We have talented people, successful productions and an industry that’s ready to grow.
“The next step is making sure the opportunities, infrastructure and investment are here to support them.”
