Ghanaian filmmaker and screenwriter Gamel Apalayine has been selected as one of four African writers for the fourth edition of the AuthenticA Series Lab, the highly regarded programme dedicated to shaping the next wave of African screenwriting talent run by Realness Institute in partnership with The StoryBoard Collective and the Canada Media Fund. Gamel joins a distinguished cohort of storytellers from Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt who will take part in the six-month long lab designed to elevate African voices onto the global stage. The AuthenticA programme begins with a residency in the Western Cape, South Africa in September, followed by online sessions until mid-December.
A second residency takes place in Geneva, Switzerland from January - March 2026, with a final residency in Lille in March where the participants will pitch their projects as part of the African Series Pitch at Series Mania Forum to international industry players.
Gamel is no stranger to shaping some of Africa's most compelling screen moments.
He served as Head Writer on Akwaaba Magic's hit TV drama DEDE (spanning two seasons and 560 episodes) and was a principal writer on Ghana's first Showmax Original Series ENO, produced by Sparrow Studios.
