A new international opportunity is opening for emerging and established screenwriters across the Global South. palmtrees, a screenplay development incubator, has announced a development partnership with NEON for its inaugural cohort.
The program is designed to support writers from Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and Oceania. Between eight and ten writers will be selected to participate in the first edition of the incubator.
Applicants are required to submit a treatment alongside the first 15 pages of a feature-length genre screenplay. Selected participants will work closely with dedicated story analysts in a one-on-one development process. Writers will also receive compensation throughout the program, culminating in a three-week in-person residency.
The incubator is open to writers at all career stages. According to organizers, selection will be based primarily on the strength of the project and the distinctiveness of the writer’s voice, rather than prior credits or industry experience.
Applications officially opened on March 31, 2026, and will close on June 1, 2026.
palmtrees was founded by Funa Maduka, a former executive at Netflix, where she spent six years leading international original films. During her tenure, she helped build the platform’s first international film slate and was involved in the acquisition and development of acclaimed titles such as Happy as Lazzaro, Roma, Divines, I Lost My Body, and Atlantics.
Maduka is also a filmmaker, credited with directing and producing the first Nigerian film to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.
NEON, the incubator’s partner, was founded by Tom Quinn and is known for distributing award-winning and critically acclaimed films.
More information about the program and application process is available here.
