Realness Institute

About us

Inspiring A new wave of African cinema

Our mission is to unearth the wealth of African stories – stories from the continent, told with an honest and unapologetic point of view by African filmmakers. Our first programme, the Realness Residency, which started in 2015, has gone on to launch 30 film projects across 16 African countries in only five years. The critical success of brave films such as The Wound, Rafiki, Akasha, I Am Not A Witch, Di fret and This is Not a Burial It’s a Resurrection are a testament to the artistic and creative contribution that African filmmakers can make to the industry.

In 2019, we launched our second programme, Creative Producer Indaba. This ambitious initiative has been designed, in collaboration with international partners, to catalyse Producers across the continent, and in doing so help transform the landscape of African and international independent cinema by training them to become ecosystem builders.

In June 2020, we launched our third and fourth programmes, Episodic Lab and Development Executive Traineeship (DET).

Episodic Lab will focus on developing pitch documents with selected writers for series content of all genres. Six writers will spend three months in an online ‘writers room’. They will work with a script consultant and a creative producer to fully develop their story concepts into an episodic pitch. Along with creative training, writers will receive feedback f rom Netflix’s series development team and at the end of the lab, selected writers will have the opportunity to pitch to Netflix to have their series commissioned for production.

The Development Executive Traineeship is aimed at film professionals with an interest of being trained as story consultants or to gain insight into the story development process. These participants will work with writers and directors in the development of their stories with the aim of increasing the quality of work produced. The program will follow the schedule and structure of Episodic Lab and will be selecting six professionals to take the journey with us.

Our fifth programme, the Southern Africa-Locarno Industry Academy, in partnership with Locarno International Film Festival, first took place in September 2021. This Industry Academy is dedicated to the development of 10 to 12 young film professionals working in sales, traditional and online distribution, theatrical exhibition and programming for festivals, film clubs and archives. The aim is to enhance participants’ understanding of the challenges facing the film industry, at the same time allowing them to expand their personal network of contacts and develop their professional skill set.

Launched in April 2022, our sixth programme, AuthenticA Series Lab, is aimed at developing authentic African stories told by Africans from anywhere on the continent. Four screenwriters will be afforded the unique opportunity to develop their original stories, of all genres, in episodic form, while receiving a monthly stipend. The inaugural six-month lab, which is set to take place from 28 September 2022 to 7 April 2023, is presented by the Realness Institute in partnership with The StoryBoard Collective and Series Mania to produce a packed and thrilling programme. Selected participants will get the coveted opportunity to attend in-person residencies in South Africa and Switzerland, work in writers’ rooms alongside story experts, and get to pitch their projects at the 2023 edition of Series Mania in France. At the end of the programme each participant will deliver a pitch deck and bible of international standards, including a pilot script.

Realness Institute Alumni

Realness African Screenwriters' Residency 2016

Amirah Tadjin (Kenya/Dubai), Hiwot Ademasu (Ethiopia), Luck Razanajaona (Madagascar), Sheetal Meegan (South Africa) and Wim Steytler (South Africa)

Realness African Screenwriters' Residency 2017

Fradique (Angola), Gloria Huwiler (Zambia), Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese (Lesotho), Rama Thiaw (Senegal) and Samantha Nell (South Africa)

Realness African Screenwriters' Residency 2018

Kantarama Gahigiri (Rwanda), Matthys Boshoff (South Africa), Mohamed Siam (Egypt), Ng'endo Mukii (Kenya) and Reem Morsi (Egypt)

Realness African Screenwriters' Residency 2019

Athi Patra-Ruga (South Africa ), Beza Hailu Lemma (Ethiopia), Fanyana Hlabangane (South Africa), Firoza Houssein (Madagascar), Iman Djionne (Senegal) and Silas Miami (Kenya)

Realness African Screenwriters' Residency 2020

Abraham Gezahagne (Ethiopia), Hajooj Kuka (Sudan), Leslie To (Burkina Faso), Palesa Shongwe (South Africa), Rene Rooyen (South Africa), Rim Mejdi (Morocco), Thati Pele (South Africa) and Yared Zeleke (Ethiopia)

Creative Producer's Indaba 2020/21

Carol Kioko (Kenya), Chioma Onyenwe (Nigeria), Dina Emam (Egypt), Flavia Motsisi (South Africa), Frank Hoeve (Netherlands), Lara Sousa (Mozambique ), Lesedi Oluko Moche (SA/Uganda), Maia Lekow (Kenya), Melissa Adeyemo (US/Nigeria), Oluwaseun Babalola (US/Sierre Leone), Souleymane Kebe (Senegal), Thomas Hakim (France), Thomas Kaske (Germany), Toni Kamau (Kenya), Wafa Tajdin (Kenya) and Yolanda Ncokotwana (South Africa)

Episodic Lab 2021

Andile Ngcizela (South Africa), Ayoade Adeyanju (Nigeria), Dominique Jossie (South Africa), Kehinde Joseph (Nigeria), Kudakwashe Maradzika (South Africa / Zimbabwe) and Mary Waireri (United Kingdom / Kenya)

Development Executive Traineeship 2021

Anneke Villet (South Africa), Antoinette Engel (South Africa), Damaris Irungu Ochieng' (Kenya), Lara Sousa (Mozambique), Ololade Okedare (Nigeria) and Thandeka Zwana (South Africa)

Southern Africa-Locarno Industry Academy 2021

Aderinsola Ajao (Nigeria), Andrea Voges (South Africa), Bérénice Hahn (Malagasy / French / South Africa), Djia Mambu (Congol / Belgium), Ibee Ndaw (Senegal / France), Jana Erasmus (South Africa), Joy Nduto (Kenya), Khanyo Mjamba (South Africa), Linda Wairegi (Kenya), Lyse Nsengiyumva (Rwanda / Belgium), Mitchell Harper (South Africa), Pumulo Ngoma (South Africa / United Kingdom), Wambui Gathee (Kenya) and Wilford Machili (Mozambique)

Episodic Lab 2022

Hussein Kurji (Kenya), Khanyo Mjamba (South Africa), Mlilo Mpondo (South Africa), Neo Sibiya (South Africa), Sandra Madu (Nigeria), and Voline Ogutu (Kenya)

Development Executive Traineeship 2022

Babalwa Baartman (South Africa), Khosie Dali (South Africa), Mona Ombogo (Kenya), Neiloe Whitehead (South Africa), Omotunde Akiode (Nigeria) and Pedro Duarte Soulé (Cabo Verde)

Realness African Screenwriters' Residency 2022

Ahmad Mahmoud (Sudan), C.J Obasi (Nigeria), Jabu Nadia Newman (South Africa), Lara Sousa (Mozambique), Sandulela Asanda (South Africa) and Youssef Michraf (Morocco)