Akuna Learning, from The Akuna Group chaired by Sir Idris Elba, has opened applications for ‘From Script to Screen with AI’, a free programme designed to equip African creators to tell stories on screen using artificial intelligence (AI).
Delivered with curriculum developed by Curious Refuge, the programme is open to aspiring filmmakers in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and South Africa.
Applications are open now at http://akunalearning.com and will close on November 15, 2026. The programme is free to apply and free to attend for selected participants. The 50-week programme will move from a 12-week academy into mentoring, with final projects to be showcased in October 2027.
According to organisers, creators will retain full control of their work, with no claim of ownership by the programme or its partners.
Every participant will complete a foundational course in AI filmmaking and will then have the option to specialise in one of five creative pathways: Fiction, Documentary, Animation, Advertising and Screenwriting.
The programme is structured in five stages: Applications and Selection [October 2026 to January 2027], Learn and Get Certified [February to April 2027], Get Mentoring [April to June 2027], Pitch Your Film [June to July 2027] and Produce Your Film [July to October 2027].
It targets aspiring and emerging visual storytellers, including filmmakers, screenwriters, animators, advertisers, digital content creators, photographers, designers, editors and visual artists. Applicants do not need prior AI experience, a film school qualification or a set number of years in the industry.
Sir Idris Elba, Chairman of The Akuna Group, said: “For me, this is about learning. This is about access to courses that help educate creators across the continent to tell their stories. Through Akuna Learning, we’re partnering with Google and Curious Refuge on ‘From Script to Screen with AI’, a remarkable training and mentorship programme teaching African filmmakers to use AI tools. Selected projects will receive production funding, and creators will retain control of their work. I’m looking forward to seeing the stories they choose, and how the education leads to employment and self-momentum, but helps shape the narrative of Africa.”
Khaled Gad, Chief Executive Officer of The Akuna Group, said: “Training on its own does not build an industry. Creators need a route from the classroom to the screen, and this programme carries them all the way, from their first application to a finished, funded film. It opens on the same day and runs to the same standard in all five countries. You do not need a film school background or any experience with AI to apply. You need finished work that shows what you can do, and your application in by 15 November.”