SO YOU THINK YOU CAN WRITE?

Each year, four scripts are selected to be part of the mentorship process of The National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC)’s Script Reading and Mentorship Programme, So you think you can write?. The programme has certainly grown since 2009 with 13 writers having been part of the process to date.

This year, five writers – all female - working on four scripts have been selected. Among the five scriptwriters selected for the 2011 programme is Lindiwe Ndlovu from KwaZulu-Natal. The others are Lindelwa Kisana from Cape Town, Petunia ‘Nunu’ Moloi from Johannesburg, Precious Marobele from Limpopo Province and Nomahlubi Mangele from Eastern Cape.

Through So you think you can write?, writers are offered the opportunity to work with mentors who coach them through the scriptwriting process. Their scripts are then read by professional actors and Rhodes University Drama students during the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, a process that allows the writers to gain insight into their work.

The four scripts selected, focusing on various issues from politics to love, are My dress was never white by Nomahlubi Mangele and Lindiwe Ndlovu, Born Free by Nunu Moloi, My best friend Laughter by Lindelwa Kisana and Believe it or Not by Precious Marobele.

Mentors for the programme are highly regarded writers and directors, Bongi Ndaba and Mncedisi Shabangu, who were retained as mentors from last year’s programme.

The NAC’s programme is managed by Arts Administrator, Eugene Marillier-Malotana who has worked on various initiatives on the continent and internationally. For further information, contact her on 072 606 3434 or e-mail: sadcfestival@mcom.com