In a highly competitive selection process, four African storytellers—Gamel Apalayine (Ghana), Joladé Olusanya (Nigeria/UK), Mona Ombogo (Kenya), and Reem Morsi (Egypt/Canada)—have been chosen for the 2025 AuthenticA Series Lab.
Left to right: Gamel Apalayine (Ghana), Reem Morsi (Egypt/Canada), Mona Ombogo (Kenya), Joladé Olusanya (Nigeria/Uk)
The Realness Institute in partnership with The StoryBoard Collective and the Canada Media Fund ,has announced the four African participants for the 2025 AuthenticA Series Lab for the fourth edition of the programme, which gives screenwriters a unique opportunity to shape their original ideas into episodic storytelling across any genre.
Equipping writers with industry-standard tools
AuthenticA aims to ensure that upon completion of the programme, participants will have professionally developed pitch decks, their pilot scripts, and a series “Bible” to support their proposals for funding and support - in line with international standards.
All intellectual property rights in the material developed will remain with the respective writer.
The dynamic programme kicks off with an 8-day in-person residency in the Western Cape, South Africa (Coot Club, based in Stanford) from 3 to 10 September this year, followed by online sessions until mid-December.
The second in-person residency takes place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 19 January to 19 March 2026.
The final residency will take place in Lille, France, from 20 to 27 March 2026, where they will pitch their projects as part of the African Series Pitch at the Series Mania Forum in Lille, France, Europe’s largest co-production series market and festival that attracts talent scouts, sales agents, broadcasters, investors and distributors.
The 2025 cohort
“Through AuthenticA, we are proud to support African storytellers whose diverse voices and bold stories strengthen the global conversation and connect us with international audiences,” says the founder of The StoryBoard Collective, David Rimer.
- Gamel Apalayine (Ghana)
Apalayine is a Ghanaian storyteller working across film, TV, theatre, music, and new media. His short film The Mob screened at FESPACO and Zanzibar International Film Festival, winning the Artistic Bravery Award (2018).
He has served as head writer for Ghanaian TV series, including DEDE and ENO, co-wrote the acclaimed theatre production Honeymoon Hotel, and directed Lynn Nottage’s Ruined. Through his company Whistling Rocks, Apalayine develops projects reflecting diverse African stories.
- Joladé Olusanya (Nigeria/UK)
Olusanya is a Nigerian-British poet, filmmaker, and photographer whose work explores identity, masculinity, faith, and belonging. His debut poetry pamphlet Jabez Incarnate was published in 2025.
He has directed work for Fifa, Chanel, Canon, Sony/Columbia Records, and BBC, and his poetic documentary mandem (2024) was produced by Warner Bros. Discovery. A BFTA Connect member, Olusanya mentors emerging creatives and develops projects through his production company, By The Kin.
- Mona Ombogo (Kenya)
Ombogo is an award-winning Kenyan scriptwriter and best-selling author. She has served as head writer for Netflix’s Volume, M-Net’s Salem and Shanga, and Showmax’s Single Kiasi.
Ombogo has won multiple accolades, including the 2024 Women in Film Best Script Writer award and AMVCA Best Writing in a Series. She also mentors emerging talent and has participated in programs like the Red Sea Series Lab
- Reem Morsi (Egypt/Canada)
Morsi is an award-winning Egyptian-Canadian filmmaker and human rights advocate whose work spans shorts, features, and television. Her films, including Banned and Queen Tut have screened at TIFF, Berlinale, and other international festivals, earning multiple awards.
She has directed episodes of Virgins! and is developing several TV series while participating in programmes such as Berlinale Script Station, Cannes Atelier de Cinema Du Monde, TIFF Talents, and the Warner Bros Director’s Programme.
Guided by Emmy-nominated and award-winning experts
The AuthenticA Series Lab will be led by Emmy-nominated film/television producer and writer, and interim managing director of the Realness Institute, Mehret Mandefro, as director of producing and showrunning; with Selina Ukwuoma, an award-winning freelance script consultant as director of writing programmes.
“Giving African writers the time and space to get closer to their voice remains a critical intervention in a landscape that underinvests in the pre-writing and writing phase of development,” says Mandefro.
The team is joined by two new members, Mmabatho Kau as story expert and Thandeka Zwana as creative producer, both who have worked in the past as programme experts on other Realness programmes.
Submissions this year came from 168 applications, over 24 countries, covering over 30 genres of television series.
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