Idris Elba’s Akuna Group Launches Free AI Filmmaking Programme for Creators in Sierra Leone and Four Other African Countries
Guest Contributor Akuna Learning, from The Akuna Group, chaired by Sir Idris Elba, today opened applications for From Script to Screen with AI, a free programme that equips eligible African creators to tell stories on screen leveraging artificial intelligence. Delivered in 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 akunalearning.com and close on 15 November 2026. The programme is free to apply and, for those selected, free to attend.
Over fifty weeks, selected creators will move from a twelve-week academy into mentoring, showcased in October 2027. Creators will maintain control of their work, with no claim of ownership rights by the programme or partners running it.
From foundation to funded film
Every participant will complete a foundational course in AI filmmaking; then participants will be able to choose to specialise in one of five creative pathways:
The programme is structured in five stages:
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.”
How to apply
Applications are submitted online at akunalearning.com between 26 October and 15 November 2026. Applicants must:
Applicants should include existing creative work, however modest, that shows their talent and commitment. Women are strongly encouraged to apply.