African Writers Set for Series Mania Forum 2026
Armed with equipment, mentorship, and exposure, participants stand to play on an equal level in the extremely competitive television landscape.
The project is also a bridge to highlight Africa's cultural richness, said Ukwuoma, the executive director of Realness Institute. Photo/ KBC Digital
By Juliet Jerotich
In 2026, selected Realness Institute’s creative programme alumni will go on an experiential residency in Europe. It will start in Geneva, Switzerland, during January to March, then proceed to Lille, France, in mid-March. The big draw of this training is the very prestigious Series Mania Forum, being Europe’s biggest television co-production festival and marketplace. It is where the contestants will make presentations one-on-one with broadcasting, distribution, financing, and scouting industry partners.
The program seeks to enhance the professional art of the future African writers and retain their creative ideas. After the residency, the participants—like Ombogo and others—will have finished tightly crafted pitch decks, honed pilot scripts, and detailed series “Bibles.” All of these are crucial in international markets where exact, professional presentation can be the determinant of a project’s investment and funding. Significantly, Realness Institute keeps creators with uncontrolled intellectual property rights to their material so that they can control their own artistic and business fates.
The project is also a bridge to highlight Africa’s cultural richness, said Ukwuoma, the executive director of Realness Institute. “Every year, we receive dozens of submissions across the continent. This gives us a broad canvas of stories that are rich and solid but still untold,” he stated. He further explained that stories submitted tend to draw from native traditions, histories, and realities, offering perspectives that do not usually reach international audiences.
“Our mission,” Ukwuoma stated, “is to help writers deliver their visions onto the page in a way that can reach people outside of themselves. We want to instruct them on how to take the reader on the journey without losing the integrity of voice.”
The residency is not only about development but also access. By connecting African writers to international networks directly, the lab bridges a gap that has always limited the continent’s visibility on international screens. Armed with equipment, mentorship, and exposure, participants stand to play on an equal level in the extremely competitive television landscape.
As the world’s thirst for original and fresh stories continues to grow, initiatives like this lab highlight the potential of African creatives to shape the future of global storytelling.
About Author
