20 August 2026

Audiences want to see multicultural Australia on screen

Screen stories still shape how we see ourselves and each other, even as viewing becomes more fragmented across platforms and algorithms. That is the starting point of new analysis by Dr Georgie McClean and Dr Rebecca Huntley, drawing on Screen Australia’s Screen Currency 2026 research.

What the research found

Watching film and TV remains part of everyday life for 83% of Australians.
84% say it is important that local audiences can access Australian film and TV.
More than two-thirds say local stories support a feeling of belonging and make them think about their identity.
Over 75% say well-made local content makes them proud to be Australian.

Audiences said they no longer expect a single narrative to stand for the whole country. Contemporary, diverse portrayals of Australian life feel just as Australian as the classics, and viewers were critical of content that missed the diversity of the communities around them. First Nations focus groups asked for more stories that reflect cultural continuity and contemporary lived experience.

Culturally and linguistically diverse audiences tend to watch more Australian content, often using it to understand and connect with Australian life, so cultural exchange flows in more than one direction. The study combined forums, a nationally weighted survey of 2,400 people, ethnographic conversations, international surveys and analysis of online reviews.

Why it matters

For a studio working between Australia and India, this is encouraging: audiences are actively asking for stories that reflect the many cultures that make up the country, told with authenticity.

Source: Screen Australia