African Screenwriters Pitch Recent Series at Series Mania 2026

Four African screenwriters will pitch original television projects to industry professionals at Series Mania in Lille, France, on March 24, 2026. The screenwriters are participants in the Realness Institute’s AuthenticA Series Lab, a program designed to support and mentor African writers in developing globally competitive television series.

AuthenticA Series Lab and the Pitching Opportunity

The AuthenticA Series Lab, now in its fourth edition, is run in partnership with The StoryBoard Collective and receives support from the Canada Media Fund and the Series Mania Forum. The lab provides six months of intensive development, mentorship, and support to African writers, culminating in a pitching session at Series Mania. According to Mehret Mandefro, managing director of the Realness Institute, providing a supportive space for African writers is “still a rare intervention,” and these writers demonstrate what is possible when that space exists. Yahoo Entertainment

The Screenwriters and Their Projects

• Reem Morsi (Egypt/Canada): Morsi will pitch “Humanitarians!”, a dark comedy. She is an award-winning writer, director, and filmmaker whose credits include the film “Queen Tut” and episodes of the CBC Gem series “Virgins!”. Her feature “Banned” is currently on the festival circuit, and her series “Fish” won the Canadian National Genre Competition by WIFTV. Yahoo Entertainment, Instagram
• Gamel Apalayine (Ghana): Apalayine will present “The Gospel According to Charlotte Nelson,” a mystery-drama series. He has extensive experience in television, having served as head writer for 560 episodes of the Ghanaian series “Dede” and two seasons of the Showmax original drama “Eno.” Yahoo Entertainment
• Mona Ombogo (Kenya): Ombogo will pitch “Kanaan,” a romantic thriller series. She is an award-winning scriptwriter and bestselling author, and her credits include the Netflix original musical drama series “Volume,” for which she received the 2024 Women in Film Award for best scriptwriter and the best writing in a series award at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards. She has also served as head writer for M-Net’s “Salem and Shanga” and contributed to Showmax’s “Single Kiasi.” Yahoo Entertainment
• Joladé Olusanya (Nigeria/U.K.): Olusanya will present “Kid: The Hogan Bassey Story,” a sports epic. He is a poet, filmmaker, and photographer who has been commissioned by the BBC and Barbican and exhibited his operate internationally. Yahoo Entertainment

Industry Support and Future Impact

Francesco Capurro, director of the Series Mania Forum, expressed excitement about showcasing these talents on a global stage, anticipating their stories will “captivate the international industry.” Laure de Peretti de la Rocca, executive director of The StoryBoard Collective, emphasized that the AuthenticA Series Lab not only fosters creative development but also provides writers with the market literacy and industry access needed to protect their voices and connect with international partners. Yahoo Entertainment

Series Mania 2026 takes place from March 20-27 in Lille, France. Series Mania