C.J. Obasi Among Talents for 6th Realness African Screenwriters’ Residency

Screenwriter C.J. Obasi joins other African film talents for this year’s Realness African Screenwriters’ Residency, which takes them on an eight-week programme in South Africa and Switzerland for mentorship and support in their feature film projects in development. 

The Residency is an incubator for African screenwriters that provides personalised support to empower writers to find the core of their stories and flesh them out into screenplays, and to pitch their projects to industry partners for financing and production.

 In partnership with Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, selected participants which include Ahmad Mahmoud (Sudan), Jabu Nadia Newman (South Africa), Youssef Michraf (Morocco), Lara Sousa (Mozambique) and Sandulela Asanda (South Africa) will attend the creative incubation programme “Basecamp” from August 3 to 13, 2022. In addition, Kantarama Gahigiri, a Screenwriters’ Residency alumnus from the 2018 cohort, will attend the Locarno Filmmakers Academy, as last year’s Realness Residency did not happen due to the pandemic.

The scriptwriters will then take up residence at Nirox and Farmhouse 58, for six weeks, in The Cradle of Humankind, South Africa – a calm and nurturing environment to focus on their work. Here, story consultants, Ayanda Halimana and Mmabatho Kau, and creative producer, Cait Pansegrouw, will mentor them.

“Our programme provides the physical space (and time with no pressure) for African filmmakers to really dig deep into their craft to develop their story ideas. By working together yet focused on their own stories the filmmakers are able to nurture and support each other, giving authentic African voices to these ideas,” explained Co-Founder and Director of Artistic Operations at the Realness Institute, Cait Pansegrouw.

“The voices and ideas from a diverse background of filmmakers, and specifically from Africa, provide opportunities for robust and meaningful exchange, for all involved,” added Head of Locarno Filmmakers’ Academy and Project Manager for BaseCamp, Stefano Knuchel. 

Following the Residency, the promising projects will be awarded participation in the prestigious La Fabrique des Cinémas du Monde in Cannes, receive an EAVE Producers’ Workshop partial Scholarship, and an invitation to TorinoFilmLab Meetings Event and Locarno Filmmakers Academy. The Residency will run from August 3 to September 24.