Writing Retreat

Feb 15-19, 2026

WRITING THE SILENCE

Expressing on screen things unsaid

The 4 mentors will select 10 finalists from all the screenplay applications. The finalists are invited to take part in the in person 5 day program. STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP eligible for fee waiver: $1,500. We are looking for emergent talent, with a collaborative nature, a good story ready for development, and the ability to develop the project presented, whether or not you have any prior experience in film or television. We may well reach out with questions as we go through the application process. The $5 application fee guarantees your participation in the online workshops.

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Retaking this course from the beginning will reset all of your tracked progress.

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Step into a world of possibilities. The finalists will be matched with a mentor throughout the 5 day program and benefit from workshops and contributions by expert writers across the globe.

Discover the talented mentors

Ekwa Msangi Photo by Nadia Kist - Sundance

EKWA MSANGI
WRITER/DIRECTOR

Ekwa’s award-winning and critically acclaimed feature film Farewell Amor premiered in competition at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, garnering 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film won the Sundance Amazon Producer’s Award, and NYWIFT Directing Award amongst other distinctions, and was bought for distribution by IFC Films for North America, MUBI and Netflix for Worldwide. She has also directed for television including for Disney’s Growing Up docuseries, Showtime’s sultry Three Women, and Hulu’s Saint X season finale. For Farewell Amor Ekwa was awarded the 2021 Indie Spirit “Someone To Watch” Award, as well as becoming a 2020 Sundance Momentum Fellow, 2020 BAFTA Breakthrough, 2022 USA Artist Fellow, and 2022-2024 ReFrame Rise Director Fellow. Ekwa is currently in development on several feature projects including a futuristic take on “The Scarlet Letter,” When She Woke with 30West, The Dictator Hunters with Archer Grey, MOVE! With Mandalay Pictures, and a biopic on tennis champion Althea Gibson with Park Pictures.

TEBOHO PIETERSEN
WRITER/SCRIPT EDITOR

Teboho Pietersen is a distinguished writer and script editor with extensive experience across feature films, documentaries, television, and animation, celebrated for his ability to craft narratives that resonate deeply with South African and international audiences. As CEO of Insight Creatives, a story development company based in KwaZulu-Natal, Teboho has worked in multiple high-impact roles, including Development & Production Consultant for the National Film and Video Foundation, Story Development Consultant for Zuku Satellite TV Kenya. Teboho’s diverse portfolio includes Boys Don’t Cry (SABC), a SAFTA-nominated documentary, children’s series such as Meet Joe Food and Rivoningo (SABC), and Gold Diggers (eTV). As Head Writer for Knittyville with Katanimate Studios, he expanded his impact in animation, bringing dynamic characters and local narratives to life. Teboho has also led the development of pitch proposals for studios and producers, showcasing his expertise in guiding projects from concept through to production. With an educational foundation from AFDA and a masterclass in scriptwriting and editing from NFVF, Teboho shares his expertise through teaching, scriptwriting labs, and consulting. His multi-genre experience in writing, script editing, story development, and production continues to enrich South Africa’s storytelling landscape.

ANNA MARANO
WRITER/PRODUCER

Anna Marano is the Creator and Producer of the Pan-African Film Podcast – giving a voice to our stories. Marano is a screenplay writer and her first feature film script was selected for the 2022 Athena Film Festival Writers Lab. She brings extensive experience in international marketing in the media and finance industries, recently as Development Executive at IncuBeta Films. Previously, she was founder and manager of Dada Productions, which produced three films targeted to the African market during her tenure. Anna was an experienced research analyst for the renowned hedge fund, John Paulson Europe LLP and freelance producer / journalist for Reuters-TV. A graduate of the Bocconi University in Milan (Italy) where she double-majored in Applied Economics and Politics, she began her career as a documentary filmmaker. She is also an alum of the London Film Academy's producing course and recently a trained mediator practicing within the community and at local district courts. From a multi-cultural family, Anna is fluent in English and Italian and gets by in French and Swahili.

TOSIN OTUDEKO
WRITER/PRODUCER

Tosin Otudeko is a writer and producer with a catalogue of songs, poems and ongoing projects in theatre and film. Her writing credits include; Heartbeat (musical theatre 2004), Desperate Housewives Africa ELTV (series 2014), Oops...TARIERETV (series 2015), The Wedding Party (feature film 2016), Over The Bridge (2023). Her producing credits include: Renaissance, (a showcase of multi-disciplinary arts – 2001), Job's Wife (Dec 2007), Music and Lyrics (a showcase of music and the spoken word - Mar 2008), Heartbeat (Dec 2009, Dec 2011), New World Nigeria showcase at Theatre Royal Stratford East as part of the London 2012 festival during the Olympics, (Jul – Aug 2012), British Council Lagos Theatre Festival (2014), Digging For Gold - Corporate Entertainment (November 2014) with Lufodo Productions, Heartbeat The Musical with Lufodo Productions, 2015 - present. Her performing credits include: 'Azue' in Ahmed Yerima's play 'Little Drops' produced by Today's Woman Magazine and Lufodo Productions for the Rivers State Government and 'Nali'􀀀in Job's Wife (Garden Theatre Productions). She completed a one semester classical acting course at L.A.M.D.A. and performs poems from her collection for various corporate, arts and social events. Related roles; In 2016, Tosin was a judge on the programme FIRSTARS, a reality show and competition designed to discover and develop producers, directors, scriptwriters, art directors and actors. In 2017, she was also a screenwriting course facilitator on the Imagery Programme hosted by Fate Foundation. A Manchester University graduate with a first class degree in Chemistry with Patent Law and work experience in various sectors including legal (Lovells, London), consultancy (Accenture, Lagos), a managerial role in a theatre-skills business company (Interact, London) and MD/producer role at Lufodo Productions (Lagos Nigeria). She is a member of the Writers Guild UK (WGGB) and serves on the film committee.

TO APPLY FOR THE RETREAT: