Screenplay incubator Palmtrees has established a development partnership with Neon, the indie studio behind “Anora” and “Parasite.” The first group will include eight to 10 writers from regions such as Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and Oceania.
Applications for this program will open on March 31st and the submission deadline is June 1st. To apply, writers from eligible regions must submit treatment and the first 15 pages of a full-length genre script.
Palm Trees was founded by Huna Maduka and grew out of the belief that some of the most interesting stories and filmmakers are based in regions that have historically lacked “the infrastructure to develop in response to the demands of global markets,” according to a statement from the incubator.
“Some of the most important voices in film today are emerging from places that have historically been underrepresented on the world stage. Neon is excited to partner with the teams at Huna and Palmtrees to discover and support this next generation of filmmakers,” Neon founder and CEO Tom Quinn said in a statement.
“Tom and his team have created something unusual. Over the past five years, Neon has done more to expand the definition of world cinema than any other company in the industry. They are making real creative bets, and that instinct is the basis of our collaboration,” Maduka said in a statement.
Writers at all stages of their career are encouraged to apply. Selection will be based on the strength of the project rather than on previous accomplishments. Through one-on-one work with a story analyst, those selected will develop a script and participate in three weeks of in-person training. Writers are compensated for their participation.
“The most experienced screenwriters still battle writer’s block at 3 a.m. It’s not a process that necessarily gets easier, but it’s one that can remain very difficult if you’ve never given it sustained, serious, skilled attention. We built Palm Tree to provide that. There are extraordinary writers in these areas. It’s not talent that they lack,” Maduka added.
Before founding Palmtrees, Maduka spent six years directing international original films at Netflix. She is also credited with directing and producing the first Nigerian film, which had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.
