Now entering its milestone fifth year, the AuthenticA Series Lab comes at a time when the industry is volatile, making this offering even more necessary.
By Adedamola Jones Adedayo
The AuthenticA Series Lab, a screenwriting programme run by the South Africa-based non-profit Realness Institute, has opened applications for its fifth edition, with submissions open from Monday, 6th July, 2026, to Saturday, 1st August, 2026.
This six-month programme is delivered in partnership with The StoryBoard Collective, a Swiss non-profit organisation dedicated to creating space for storytellers from underrepresented communities.
Series Mania returns as the programme’s festival partner, where participating writers will pitch their projects to industry decision-makers as part of the African Series Pitch in Lille, France, in March 2027. The Canada Media Fund also returns for a third consecutive year as a funding partner, supporting the participation of one African-Canadian writer in the programme.
Since its inception, the programme has supported 15 African writers, with some alumni currently engaged in active co-production conversations with companies across the UK, France, Canada and the US. Now entering its milestone fifth year, the AuthenticA Series Lab comes at a time when the industry is volatile, making this offering even more necessary.
The programme welcomes submissions of original series projects in any genre from writers living in Africa or the African diaspora, provided the story concept is set in Africa. Four writers will be selected to participate in the programme, which combines online and in-person sessions running from September 2026 to April 2027.
Selected writers will be mentored by Selina Ukwuoma, Story Consultant and Director of Writing Programmes, and Mehret Mandefro, Creative Producer and Managing Director of the Realness Institute.
According to Ukwuoma: “The lab offers writers a rare opportunity to take creative risks. It gives them the confidence to trust their most audacious ideas and shape them into series with real craft, rigour and clarity.”
“Giving writers the time and space to bring their boldest ideas at a time when the industry is so unstable is the best way we know how to meet this moment,” adds Mandefro.
Experienced industry experts will engage with the cohort as guest speakers, sharing insights and professional experiences through case studies while offering a range of industry perspectives and practical guidance. Previous guest speakers have included Anthony Q. Farrell (Writer, Director and Producer at Canfro Productions), Layla Swart (Producer and Co-Founder of Yellowbone Entertainment), Aoife Lennon-Ritchie (Managing Director of Torchwood Literary & Scouting), Sameer Gardezi (Founder of Break the Room Media), and Pauline Fischer (Founder and CEO of PMF Media Group, Inc.).
For its fifth edition, the programme will commence with in-person sessions in Ethiopia, followed by online workshops, and culminating in a two-month residency in Geneva, Switzerland, before the cohort travels to Lille, France to pitch at Series Mania. Each participant is expected to deliver a pitch deck and a pilot script, while retaining full rights to the material developed during the programme.
“This programme reflects what we believe in: backing bold storytelling from voices the industry hasn’t made enough room for,” says Laure de Peretti de la Rocca, Director of The StoryBoard Collective. “Partnering for this lab, and hosting the AuthenticA writers in Geneva at the StoryBoard House, is how we put that belief into action.”
Francesco Capurro, Series Mania Forum Director, says: “AuthenticA’s pitching sessions have become one of the Forum’s most anticipated highlights. International industry professionals continue to show a strong appetite for distinctive voices emerging from African content, and this is due to the outstanding preparation and mentoring work carried out by the teams at the Realness Institute and StoryBoard Collective. I am already looking forward to discovering the 2027 cohort.”
As part of its ongoing commitment to investing in Canadian African diaspora storytellers, the Canada Media Fund will sponsor the participation of one African-Canadian writer in the programme.
“The Canada Media Fund is proud to continue its partnership with the AuthenticA Series Lab and support the participation of an African-Canadian writer for a third consecutive year,” says Jessica Lea Fleming, Director of Industry Development, CMF. “Programmes like AuthenticA create meaningful opportunities for creators to develop bold, unique stories while building the international relationships that are increasingly essential in today’s screen industry. We are pleased to support an initiative that strengthens creative and business connections between Canada and Africa, while helping elevate diverse voices whose stories will resonate with audiences at home and around the world.”
More information about the call for applications is available on the programme’s website.