The Hector Crawford Memorial Lecture has been a keynote feature of the annual SCREEN FOREVER conference since 1992. The speech honours its namesake's legacy and emphasises the importance of independent production in Australia's cultural life.

This year, the Hector Crawford will be delivered by one of the Australia’s screen industry’s most important storytellers and prominent figures of Torres Strait Island descent - Aaron Fa'Aoso.

Aaron began his career in 2006 in front of the camera in film and TV productions including Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms, Black Comedy, Goldstone and Subdivision, to name but a few. His career behind the camera has become equally important with Aaron establishing himself as a director, producer, and writer with credits including Blue Water Empire, and two of the only productions to focus solely on Torres Strait Island culture, Strait to the plate, and The Straits. 

Aaron has contributed more broadly to the industry with roles on SPA Council, the Screen Queensland Board and most recently the SBS Board as one of two newly announced non-executive Directors. Through Lone Star he has developed multiple capacity-building programs helping participants to learn screen fundamentals such as writing, acting and producing with a focus on educating future generations of First Nations screen industry practitioner.

As a long-time advocate for investment in a studio in Far North Queensland that would facilitate a First Nations focus, Aaron’s work with others was realised in 2021 with the announcement by the Queensland government of a $6.8m film and television studio in Cairns, due for completion later this year.

Aaron has also been active in work to realise a Queensland Treaty with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander joining the Treaty Advancement Committee, and in 2022 launched his memoir So Far, So Good, reviewed as a ‘compelling read’ that goes into detail about his career, advocacy work and aspirations for the future.