Their participation adds to the growing recognition of African narratives within the international television industry.
By Adedamola Jones Adedayo
Four exceptional African screenwriters are set to pitch their original television series projects to international industry leaders at the Series Mania Forum in Lille, France, following six months of intensive development through the Realness Institute’s AuthenticA Series Lab. This milestone marks a significant moment for African storytelling on the global stage.
The selected writers, representing Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria, present their projects at the AuthenticA African Series Pitch on Tuesday, 24th March, 2026 (14:30–15:00), as part of the Series Mania Forum programme. Their participation adds to the growing recognition of African narratives within the international television industry.
Representing Nigeria is British-Nigerian filmmaker, poet, and photographer Joladé Olusanya, who will pitch his sports epic KID: The Hogan Bassey Story. Known for crafting intimate stories that blend lyrical writing with cinematic visuals, Olusanya has been commissioned by the BBC and Barbican, with his work exhibited internationally. Through his company, By The Kin, he continues to develop short films and an original TV series while building community-led creative initiatives.
Similarly, Ghana’s Gamel Apalayine brings a wealth of cross-disciplinary experience across film, television, theatre, and music, as he presents his mystery drama The Gospel According to Charlotte Nelson at the forum. Apalayine previously served as Head Writer for 560 episodes of Ghana’s hit series DEDE and two seasons of ENO, Showmax’s first original drama series. He currently develops a diverse slate of projects through his creative company, Whistling Rocks.
From Egypt, award-winning Egyptian-Canadian filmmaker Reem Morsi will showcase Humanitarians!, a dark comedy that reflects her multi-genre storytelling approach. With a background in professional scuba diving and human rights advocacy, Morsi has established a distinctive voice in filmmaking. Her feature film Banned has just begun its festival tour, and she has directed the film Queen Tut and episodes of Virgins!, including the season finale. Her series FISH won the Canadian National Genre Competition by WIFTV and is currently in development, along with two other scripted projects.
Meanwhile, Kenya is represented by Mona Ombogo, an award-winning scriptwriter and best-selling author, who will pitch the romantic thriller series, Kanaan. Ombogo received the 2024 Women in Film Award for Best Script Writer and the Best Writing in a Series award at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards for Netflix’s Volume. She has served as head writer for Salem and Shanga, and contributed to Showmax’s Single Kiasi.
The AuthenticA Series Lab is an episodic screenwriting programme run in partnership with The StoryBoard Collective, and with support from the Canada Media Fund and industry partners Series Mania Forum, the major international gathering for the development, financing and distribution of scripted television series.
Now in its fourth edition, AuthenticA Series Lab supports and mentors African writers to develop globally competitive television series, enabling them to pitch and connect with international partners, financiers and producers.
“At Series Mania Forum, we’re excited to showcase these four extraordinary talents from Africa on a global stage, where their rich and diverse stories can captivate the international industry,” says Francesco Capurro, Director, Series Mania Forum. “We’re proud to champion their voices and look forward to the impact they will make worldwide”
“Providing African writers a safe space to develop the stories they want to tell with the resources they need to tell them is still a rare intervention. These four writers are proof of what becomes possible when that space actually exists,” says Mehret Mandefro, Creative Producer, Managing Director, Realness Institute:
“Each year, the AuthenticA writers are encouraged to tell the stories they have kept quietly hidden—the audacious, difficult, complex ones. With the support the lab provides, the writers consistently push the boundaries,” says Selina Ukwuoma, Script Consultant and Director of Writing Programmes, Realness Institute. “They find a way to tell these groundbreaking stories and in so doing they redefine the narrative about Africa”.
In addition, Laure de Peretti de la Rocca, Executive Director of The StoryBoard Collective, pointed out the dual focus of the programme on creative development and market readiness. She noted that beyond storytelling, the lab equips writers with the industry knowledge and access necessary to protect their creative voices while connecting with international partners capable of bringing their stories to life. According to her: “We support storytellers whose perspectives deserve far greater visibility on screen and create pathways to international partners ready to bring those stories to life”.
Through its robust and hands-on mentorship and development programme, the AuthenticA Series Lab equips African series writers with the skills to bring their stories to life, while the Series Mania Forum opens doors to global audiences.
The 2026 Series Mania Forum takes place from 24th to 26th March, 2026, in Lille, France.