Five filmmakers, Judith Audu, Temidayo Makanjuola, Ishaya Bako, Adeniyi J. Omobulejo, and Stephanie Dadet, are headed to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to pitch their latest television projects at the 2025 Red Sea International Film Festival, one of the fastest-growing global platforms for TV development and international co-production.
The creators’ projects were developed under the ACTV Story Development & Showrunner Residency, an intensive programme designed to equip African storytellers with professional training, industry-standard development support, and access to international mentors. The residency focuses on strengthening the pipeline for African TV creators aiming for premium, globally appealing content.
Among the cohort are Makanjuola and Dadet, whose selection for the ACTV Residency earlier this year drew media attention for spotlighting emerging Nigerian voices positioned for international growth. The programme supports writers, producers, and showrunners across genres, giving them the creative tools and structural guidance to develop series at a global standard, from concept to pitch.
Their next major stop is the Red Sea Film Festival’s industry programme, which has rapidly become a key marketplace for African and Middle Eastern creators seeking funding, co-production deals, strategic partnerships, and visibility. By pitching at Red Sea, the filmmakers will be presenting their TV projects to distributors, financiers, producers, and international decision-makers actively invested in discovering new African voices.
This marks yet another strong showing for Nigerian storytelling talent on the global stage, and it reinforces the growing influence of structured development programmes like ACTV in pushing African TV creators into high-visibility spaces. For the participants involved, Red Sea offers an opportunity not just to secure partnerships but to position Nigerian stories within the expanding global conversation around African television.
