Every African has at least one family member who believes they could write a better television drama than whatever happens to be playing during prime time. After enough episodes, somebody eventually says, “Even I could have written that ending.” Most people laugh, switch channels, and move on. A few quietly open a notebook. Those few matter.
At SFI.COZA, we spend much of our time celebrating African creators who choose to build rather than complain, and there is something deeply encouraging about seeing programmes that recognise creative talent before success arrives. The AuthenticA Series Lab does exactly that. It does not search for celebrities. It does not ask whether a writer already has a production company or millions of followers online. It asks for something much more valuable: an original African story that deserves to exist.
That feels refreshing in an industry where algorithms frequently reward familiarity instead of originality and where independent writers often spend years waiting for someone to simply say, “Tell me your idea.”
The opening of applications for the fifth edition of the AuthenticA Series Lab arrives during an uncertain period for the global film and television industry, making its timing particularly meaningful for writers across Africa and the African diaspora.
AuthenticA Series Lab Opens Applications for African Screenwriters in 2026 Share on XMore Than A Writing Programme
The AuthenticA Series Lab is organised by the Realness Institute, a South African non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting African storytellers, in partnership with The StoryBoard Collective, a Swiss non-profit committed to creating opportunities for underrepresented voices in film and television.
Calling it a writing programme almost feels too modest.
Over six months, selected participants receive mentorship, structured development, international exposure, and valuable industry access that many emerging writers spend an entire career trying to secure.
The programme begins with in-person sessions in Ethiopia, marking a first for the initiative, before continuing through online development sessions and concluding with a two-month residency in Geneva, Switzerland. Writers then present their completed projects during the internationally recognised Series Mania Forum in Lille, France, where commissioners, producers and broadcasters actively search for compelling new television projects.
Perhaps the most attractive aspect of the programme is one that many creatives immediately notice. The writers retain the rights to everything they create. That detail matters. Far too many emerging creators unknowingly surrender ownership during the early stages of their careers. AuthenticA chooses another route by ensuring every participant remains the owner of the stories developed throughout the programme.
AuthenticA Series Lab Opens Applications for African Screenwriters in 2026 Share on XAfrican Stories Continue To Attract Global Attention
The international entertainment industry has changed considerably during the past decade. Streaming platforms have expanded beyond traditional production markets, audiences have become increasingly interested in culturally specific storytelling, and African narratives have moved from being considered niche to becoming commercially significant.
Series such as Blood & Water, Shaka iLembe, Queen Sono, Country Queen, Soft Life, and productions supported by international studios demonstrate that audiences appreciate stories grounded in authentic African experiences rather than simplified versions created for outsiders.
Organisations including UNESCO have repeatedly highlighted Africa’s growing creative economy, while reports from PwC continue to identify entertainment and media as one of the continent’s fastest-growing sectors. AuthenticA enters this conversation by focusing on the earliest stage of production. Every successful television series begins with a writer.
Without that first script, there is no production, no cast, no cinematography and no international premiere.
AuthenticA Series Lab Opens Applications for African Screenwriters in 2026 Share on XFour Writers Will Receive A Career-Changing Opportunity
Only four writers will be selected. That number appears intimidating. It should. Strong creative development programmes often remain intentionally small because meaningful mentorship requires time, attention and consistent collaboration.
Selected writers will produce two essential industry documents:
- A professionally developed television pitch deck.
- A polished pilot episode script.
Those materials frequently become the foundation for financing conversations with broadcasters, production companies and international investors. Past participants already demonstrate the programme’s value.
Several former writers have entered active co-production discussions with companies across the United Kingdom, France, Canada and the United States, proving that carefully developed African projects continue attracting international interest.
AuthenticA Series Lab Opens Applications for African Screenwriters in 2026 Share on XMentorship Still Matters
Creative industries occasionally promote the myth that success happens overnight. Reality rarely agrees. Behind almost every successful filmmaker sits an experienced editor, producer, mentor or script consultant who challenged ideas before audiences ever encountered them.
Participants will work alongside Selina Ukwuoma, Director of Writing Programmes and story consultant, together with Mehret Mandefro, Creative Producer and Managing Director of the Realness Institute.
Throughout the programme, internationally respected professionals contribute practical insights through workshops and case studies.
Previous guest speakers have included producer Layla Swart, writer and producer Anthony Q. Farrell, literary executive Aoife Lennon-Ritchie, producer Sameer Gardezi, and Pauline Fischer, founder of PMF Media Group.
That diversity of professional experience exposes participants to multiple production models rather than a single creative philosophy.
AuthenticA Series Lab Opens Applications for African Screenwriters in 2026 Share on XCanada Continues Supporting African Voices
The Canada Media Fund returns as a funding partner for a third consecutive year by supporting one African-Canadian writer participating in the programme. International partnerships of this nature demonstrate that collaboration increasingly defines modern screen industries.
Television production has become global. Stories move across continents, financing comes from multiple countries, and audiences regularly watch productions originating thousands of kilometres away. African writers deserve meaningful participation within that ecosystem.
AuthenticA Series Lab Opens Applications for African Screenwriters in 2026 Share on XAt SFI.COZA, we believe Africa’s greatest creative export will never be raw materials or borrowed ideas. It will always be original stories shaped by people who understand this continent from the inside. AuthenticA Series Lab recognises that reality with unusual clarity.
The programme offers mentorship, international exposure, professional development and creative ownership without asking writers to compromise the authenticity that makes African storytelling valuable.
Applications close on Saturday, 1 August 2026.
For more information on eligibility and how to apply, visit here or email submissions@realness.institute.
For the writer who has quietly carried the same notebook for years, who keeps rewriting the opening scene during lunch breaks, or who still believes one great story can change an entire career, this may be the invitation that finally transforms possibility into publication, development and production.
Sometimes the hardest part of becoming a screenwriter is deciding that your story deserves to leave the notebook. Today feels like an excellent day to make that decision.
References
- Realness Institute — https://www.realness.institute
- Series Mania Forum — https://seriesmania.com
- UNESCO Creative Economy Reports — https://www.unesco.org
- Canada Media Fund — https://cmf-fmc.ca
- Wikipedia — Realness Institute, Series Mania, Television Screenwriting, African Cinema
We at SFI.COZA think that stories have the ability to educate, uplift, and unite people. As a sociable and committed editor, we work hard to provide rich media coverage that connects with our audience. Our ambition to positively touch our audience's lives, one article at a time, is equal to our enthusiasm for storytelling. Come along on this adventure with us as we explore the planet.
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