Locarno Filmmakers Academy

Realness Residency is a pan-African programme dedicated to developing and supporting the next generation of African screenwriting talent. Realness ensures that projects are given the space to mature sufficiently in the development phase such that, once they enter production, they result in films that have the potential to travel and appeal to worldwide independent cinema audiences. Its purpose is to offer talent a nurturing environment that allows them to stretch their creativity and drive their craft under mentorship from industry experts.

Its aim is to not only nurture and empower filmmakers every year but to foster a New Wave of Authentic African Cinema. It is a year round support system to the alumni, helping them to bring their scripts from the page to the screen ensuring that the programme maintains a long-standing impact.

The residency period is a six-week focused incubation where residents write in a inspiring and relaxed environment but are provided feedback and support at every step of the process. Residents also attend the Durban International Film Festival as participants of the Market (DFM) after receiving mentorship on how to pitch their film projects. This step is designed to get them closer to realising their films by facilitating their proficiency in attracting financial investment/partnership for their work. After the festival participation, residents are given another 6 weeks to finesse their work from the comfort of home. Final deliveries are submitted to our partners for awards consideration.

Requirements:

• Applicants for the Screenwriters’ programme are required to submit a screenplay in progress.
• The call for entries is open to fiction feature film scripts only. However, there is no restriction on age, script, length or genre.
• Submission is free, regardless of geographical origin.

Benefits:

• The five selected writers will participate in a programme that begins with five weeks at Nirox Foundation in the Cradle of Humankind, where they will have the time and space to develop their screenplays under the guidance of some of the industry’s top professionals.
• This will be followed by an immersive industry experience at Africa’s leading finance and co-production market, Durban FilmMart, which is a platform where Residents will have an

  opportunity to present to their projects to potential producers and financiers.

  Finally, the most promising projects will be awarded and funded to participate in

  the prestigious La Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde in Cannes, receive an EAVE Producers’ Workshop Scholarship, invitation to TorinoFilmLab Meetings Event and Locarno

  Filmmakers Academy
• Each project is eligible for scholarships to attend Locarno Filmmakers Academy, Torino Film Lab Meeting Event, EAVE Producer’s Workshop and La Fabrique des Cinemas du Monde in Cannes

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Realness Scriptwriters’ Residency programme 2018