Out of Africa: Nigeria’s S16 Festival Opens Applications For 2026 Film Lab
Applications for the S16 Labs, the flagship development initiative of the S16 Film Festival, are now open. The film labs mark a significant expansion of S16’s mission, moving beyond exhibition into direct creative development. This initiative offers writers and directors a structured pathway to refine projects, connect with experienced mentors, and prepare films for future […]
Black News 
Applications for the S16 Labs, the flagship development initiative of the S16 Film Festival, are now open.
The film labs mark a significant expansion of S16’s mission, moving beyond exhibition into direct creative development. This initiative offers writers and directors a structured pathway to refine projects, connect with experienced mentors, and prepare films for future festival circulation and distribution. Designed as a hybrid development programme, it is positioned to support emerging filmmakers across Africa and the diaspora at a moment when access and global visibility matter more than ever.
The S16 Labs will select four feature film projects from emerging filmmakers for a five-month development programme. Participants will receive mentorship and structured guidance to strengthen both their feature film and their growth as filmmakers, culminating in an industry presentation at the S16 Film Festival. The S16 Lab is designed to support each project’s path toward completion and production.
Launched in 2021 by the Surreal 16 Collective—Nigerian filmmakers Abba T. Makama, C.J. “Fiery” Obasi, and Michael Omonua—the S16 Film Festival is a Pan-African platform dedicated to celebrating cinema as an art form and promoting African and global cinematic voices. Established as an alternative to mainstream Nollywood, S16 champions indie filmmaking and avant-garde storytelling. The festival is curated as an art-house film festival and is organised in collaboration with A Whitespace Creative Agency, Fatherland, and OAK Media. Since its inception, the festival has been a hub for creative exploration, fostering a subculture for cinephiles and emerging filmmakers.
Applicants interested in the S16 Film Lab are expected to submit a visual treatment, logline and synopsis. Eligibility criteria stipulates that candidates must be at least 18 years old, based in Nigeria and early in their careers as writers or directors. Submissions must be fiction features in development, with applicants owning the rights to their projects and available to participate in physical and in-person sessions.
Applications close on Tuesday 31st March 2026. Submissions should be made here.
