Six early to mid-term screenwriters in South Asian heritage have the opportunity to hone their craft in a cohort of peers, collaborators and leaders as part of a new initiative from the community.
Diaspora Story Lab provides support for the Australian and India Relations Centre (CAIR), Screen NSW and SBS, offering successful applicants the opportunity to immerse themselves in the writer’s room led by writer and executive producer Mithila Gupta, story producer and creative EP Christopher Kam, and producer Sheila Jayadev.
After being supported to develop the concept of story into a sophisticated pitch document for the original TV series, it will pitch to a panel of industry leaders, including Nakul Legha, SBS head of SBS. The group will also offer professional development opportunities, including tailored pitching sessions led by former HBO executive Pia Chikiamco.
In developing the initiative, Co-Curious was one of 34 recipients of this year’s Maitri (meaning friendship) Grants, Fellowships, and Scholarships, which the CAIR administers to support greater exchange and collaboration with India across technology, business, education, and culture.
Gupta, a member of the Joint Board, said the South Asian community has a rich history of storytelling.
“We write with passion and look at more,” she said.
“Our story is global and holds so many layers, but it’s awfully underexposed in the western landscape. I hope this lab will help change that in Australia. That’s when we all came together with generosity and optimism… we’re certainly strong like that.”
Legha said SBS is proud to support the Co-Curious ‘Diaspora Story Lab and help develop more South Asian voices and stories on screens.
“It reflects our commitment to telling authentic stories that tell the richness of modern Australia,” he said.
“I can’t wait to see the powerful, original story that comes out of this unique initiative.”
Screen NSW head Kyos Hepworth has also announced approval of the initiative. She said it will provide South Asian writers with valuable professional development and career escalation opportunities, ensuring a pipeline of authentic screen content for viewers.
“When stories resonate locally, they travel globally, and Screen NSW is dedicated to defending and elevating voices from key areas of priority, including storytellers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Eligible screenwriters for South Asian heritage (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives) are invited to submit an application that includes an idea for the original TV series, a writing sample, and a pitch for personal statements (more details below).
Submissions will end on Monday, October 20th, and the application will then be evaluated by industry experts for overall quality and strength and originality of the idea. Successful applicants will be notified by Monday, November 17th.
All participating writers retain ownership of the original concept. If the writer is contributing to another participant’s project, the intellectual property rights rest with the writer of the origin of that project.
Learn more about eligibility requirements and how to apply through our co-realized website.
