Introduction

The Realness African Screenwriters Residency is an incubator for African screenwriters that provides residents with the practical support needed to refine their projects from a creative perspective, as well as to pitch their projects to industry partners for potential financing and production. The residency acts as a year-round support system for alumni, helping them take their scripts from the page to the screen, and fosters a new wave of authentic African cinema in the process.

Over the years, the programme, which was founded in 2015, has received over 650 submissions from 23 countries in Africa, and mentors have worked with over 30 film projects with 2 films produced as a result. These films A Fool God by Hiwot Adamasu (Ethiopia) and This is not a Burial – It’s a Resurrection, by Lemoghang Jeremiah Mosese (Lesotho) both have an international sales agent and have been screened at major international festivals around the world, with “Burial” having notched 32 prestigious awards. It was Lesotho’s debut submission for the Academy Awards in 2021.

Programme

This year, the programme will run from 3 August- 13 November 2022.

The six selected screenwriters will attend the Locarno Film Festival and their academy’s creative incubation programme “BaseCamp”, set to take place from 3 to 13 August 2022.

This will be followed by 6 weeks at the tranquil and nurturing Nirox and Farmhouse 58 in The Cradle of Humankind, in South Africa, where they will be mentored by Story Consultants Selina Ukwuoma and Mmabatho Kau and Creative Producer Cait Pansegrouw.

Residents are given a further six weeks to finesse their work from their homes, while maintaining contact with mentors.

Screenwriters will then attend the Africa International Film Festival, in Lagos, from 7 to 13 November 2022.

We will submit all final deliveries to our international partners for awards consideration. All participants are eligible for scholarships to attend further labs and workshops, such as the Locarno Filmmakers Academy, Torino Film Lab Meeting Event, EAVE Producer's Workshop, La Fabrique des Cinemas du Monde in Cannes and International Film Festival Rotterdam’s IFFR Pro’s Rotterdam Lab.

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Eligibility

We look for filmmakers with distinct voices and perspectives, who are devoted to their craft, and have a steadfast passion for cinema.

You are eligible to apply for the residency if:

  • You have a valid African passport.

  • 60 - 100% of your script is filmed on the African continent.

  • Your script is fiction. We do not accept non-fiction work at this time.

  • Adaptations are eligible although you must include proof that rights to the source material have been acquired with your application.

Applications

Applicants must submit the following:

  • A motivation for wanting to participate in the Realness Residency (1/2 page).

  • A log line of the proposed feature project (2 lines)

  • A synopsis of the proposed feature project (1 page).

  • A treatment of the proposed feature project (6 pages).

  • A draft of the screenplay, if available. (Please note that we favour strong treatments over a rushed first draft)

  • A writer's note of intention (1 page).

  • A short biography (300 words max.).

  • Two samples of previous work, uploaded to Vimeo or Youtube. If selected, residents will be required to donate one copy of their previous work to the Nirox film library.

  • A producer's note (if a producer is attached) (1 page).

  • A producer's biography and the production company’s profile (if a producer is attached).

  • Visual reference material (mood board, character reference, casting tapes (if available), location scout pictures and/or sizzle reel for the project).

  • 1 photograph/portrait (.jpg or .png)

  • An Application Fee of 30 Euros is required to apply. The Application Fee is payable via Paypal: paypal.me/realnessinstitute

All submitted material must be in English however, screenplays written in French will also be accepted on a limited basis (with all supporting documents in English).

Selection will be based on artistic merit alone. The Realness Institute will hold no legal claim over the work once the residency is completed.

Apply

Please Note: The application process for this programme has ended, and we are no longer accepting any new submissions.

Please ensure to follow us on our social media platforms & subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed about open calls for submissions.

Funding

Most travel and accommodation expenses are covered by the Realness Institute and its Programme Partners.

Selected screenwriters will need to cover the cost of their visas and travel insurance for Switzerland, South Africa and Nigeria; and the cost of flights to Switzerland. We will assist with seeking funding and offer letters to selected participants to approach funders for their flights.

Programme Partners

We are grateful for the support of AFRIFF, Area51, Atlas Ateliers - Festival International du Film de Marrakech, Berlinale Talents, Cocoon Productions, EAVE, Farmhouse 58, IEFTA, IFFR Pro, Locarno Filmmaker’s Academy, Nirox Foundation, the French Institute of SouthAfrica and Institute Français’ La Fabriquedes Cinémas du Monde, the CNC, TorinoFilmLab and Urucu Media.

 
 

Download the 2020 Brochure