Calling on African storytellers: From Script to Screen with AI
From the foundational works of Ousmane Sembène to Nollywood’s grassroots VHS revolution and the streaming explosion of today, African creators have continually reshaped global cinema by redefining how stories are told. Today, as artificial intelligence emerges as the next frontier in filmmaking, Google and Idris Elba’s The Akuna Group are partnering to champion African creators leading the way in shaping how these tools are used to tell authentic, original stories.
We are excited to announce From Script to Screen with AI, a collaborative creator initiative, supported by US$1 million funding from Google.org, designed to empower visual storytellers across the continent with the creative, technical, and practical AI tools needed to bring their visions to life.
What the Program Offers
Delivered in partnership with leading generative AI education platform Curious Refuge, The programme bridges technical AI education with real-world production pathways:
- 12-Week Intensive Curriculum: Participants receive enterprise-level training spanning screenwriting, world-building, animation, and digital production workflows.
- Five Dedicated Creative Tracks: Tailored specializations across Fiction, Documentary, Animation, Advertising and Screenwriting.
- Expert Mentorship & Community: Regular touchpoints and portfolio reviews from industry mentors, creative technologists, and Google teams.
- Pitching & Production Funding: Graduates will form creative teams to pitch original projects on the Akuna Stage, with selected concepts receiving dedicated production funding and global exhibition pathways.
Who Can Apply
The program is open to creative practitioners, filmmakers, animators, and digital storytellers with an existing body of work and a drive to experiment with new creative tools. The initiative is open to creators across five African territories Ghana, Kenia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa.
Ready to shape the next chapter of African filmmaking? The application portal is open, submit your details and take your story from script to screen. Applications close on November 15th 2026. The first cohort kicks off in February 2027. For more details on the program visit the website.
