Three African Screenwriters Unveil New Projects at Series Mania (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

Christopher Vourlias Three African screenwriters will pitch projects spanning a range of genres at the 16th Series Mania in Lille, France.

The line-up includes South Africa’s Mlilo Mpondo, the creator of the comedy drama series “Women From the 13th Floor”; Uganda’s Talemwa Pius, with his Western series “Mad Bounty and the Midnight Gun”; and L.A.-based Kenyan screenwriter Tony Koros, who’s developing the comedy series “Money Town.” The three writers, who will be pitching their projects on March 25 during the AuthenticA African Series Pitch, are the latest participants of the AuthenticA Series Lab, a training programme for African screenwriters that combines online workshops, masterclasses with industry professionals and residencies in South Africa and Switzerland.

The lab is organized by the Cape Town-based Realness Institute, in partnership with the StoryBoard Collective, and with the support of the Series Mania Forum and Canada Media Fund.

The writers have spent the past six months working with a mentoring team of creative producer Mehret Mandefro and script consultant Selina Ukwuoma, who also co-designed the program. “Creating dedicated spaces where African screenwriters can explore their voice and refine their craft, supported and uninterrupted, is not just valuable — it’s essential for Africa to determine her future,” said Mandefro, who is acting managing director at the Realness Institute.