REALNESS INSTITUTE
BIG VISION
FOR Brave stories
We back the makers. Realness supports independent African and diasporic film and television professionals with training, resources, and a network that turns talent into lasting work. Our community of 220+ filmmakers are the new wave of leaders in the global media industry.
No. 01
OUR PURPOSE
We are building a beloved community of Pan-African storytellers that are bridging divides that have kept us apart for too long. We exist to support African and Afro-diasporic artists telling brave stories on their own terms.
No. 02
Our Style
If it's not real. We don't want it. Africa is brimming with culturally wealthy stories that have the power and depth to inspire global audiences. We make sure they do through training, community, and a alumni network platform that functions like a lifelong business community and accelerator.
No. 03
OUR
METHOD
Rigorous. Deep. We integrate the art and science of storytelling with the business acumen of award-winning producers and leaders who haven't just imagined successful media businesses, but built and sold them. What you get isn't advice. It's method with a track record of proven outcomes.
Alumni Network Launch: Story Village is here!
Big News
I am an award-winning producer, writer, and institution builder.
This has been a landmark year for Realness Institute. As we close our 2025–2026 program year, I am proud to share that we delivered our most ambitious slate of programming to date spanning three continents, forging new institutional partnerships, and deepening our commitment to building sustainable careers for African filmmakers.
We are entering the next chapter with clear eyes and a new alumni network platform we have been building over the last year. It's all so exciting.
We designed the network to create a structure for our alumni to greenlight each other. That's how we all win.”
Realness Institute's labs are usually described as training. That description undersells the design. The labs are a method for strengthening a community of practice among independent Pan-African and diasporic storytellers, where the intensive residency is the entry point and the relationships are the lasting asset.
Realness designs for what happens after the residency ends. Each cohort feeds a unified alumni network that now spans 21 cohorts across a decade. And thanks to our alumni advisory council this network now has a name: Story Village.
We will be offering monthly convenings, courses, script clubs (a book club for African screenplays), and more. We are just getting started. Join us.
I'm Mehret,
Managing Director