Sally Aitken is a twice-Emmy nominated director and writer and the co-founder of SAM Content. Her multiple international feature documentaries and premium factual series cite Sally’s visually arresting style alongside her compassion and wit. Sally has had two features, premiere in competition at the Sundance Film Festival PLAYING WITH SHARKS (Sundance 2021, Disney+) billed as “extraordinary” “visually stunning, enthralling” and named by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the 15 best films of the year and EVERY LITTLE THING (Sundance, 2024) “a shimmering ode to humanity”. A third feature, A CINEMATIC LIFE premiered at the Cannes Film Festival where Sally was nominated for the Camera d'Or, and the accompanying 3-part series, STORIES OF AUSTRALIAN CINEMA nominated for an Emmy.

After many years working around the world as a sought-after creative Sally also teamed up with Aline Jacques in 2021 to form SAM Content, a creative production company with a mission to umbrella bold new projects and talent from the Pacific region and to create globally resonant stories in robust international coproduction financing models.

To date SAM Content has created and delivered INCONCEIVABLE (2021 SBS), HUNT FOR THE FAMILY COURT KILLER (2023, Paramount+/Ch10 with Easy Tiger) DESIGNING A LEGACY (ABC), and the feature documentary on the beloved children’s group, HOT POTATO: THE STORY OF THE WIGGLES (SXSW Amazon Prime), a “must-watch” with reviewers “absolutely giddy with the film’s vivid and infectious joy”, “revealing insights” and “celebrating the uplifting power of friendship” “delivering surprises and tears”, nominated for a Logie.

Sally relishes great untold stories from around the world, for the world, and the company is actively collaborating with USA, UK, Canada and France in various international co-productions, as well as developing narrative series and one-offs. SAM is currently working on MR BIG an international project for NBCU, ATOMIC PARADISE a cinematic feature documentary on the nuclear testing story with acclaimed director John Harvey at the helm, and producing TERRA FUTURA an international co-production for ABC and France TV with ZED Productions.