Palmtrees Partners NEON to Launch Global Screenplay Incubator

Vanessa Obioha

Palmtrees, a screenplay development incubator focused on emerging writers from underrepresented regions, has announced a partnership with independent film company NEON for its inaugural cohort.

The programme will select between eight and 10 writers from Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean and Oceania to develop feature-length genre screenplays. Applicants are required to submit a treatment and the first 15 pages of their feature-length genre scripts. Selected writers will undergo intensive one-on-one development with story analysts and will be compensated throughout the programme. The incubator will culminate in a three-week in-person residency.

Applications opened on March 31, 2026, and will close on June 1, 2026, according to the organisers. The programme is open to writers at all stages, with selection based solely on the strength of the project and the clarity of the writer’s voice, regardless of prior credits.

Palmtrees was founded by filmmaker and former Netflix executive Funa Maduka, who previously led international original films at the streaming platform, overseeing projects across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. A filmmaker in her own right, Maduka is credited with directing and producing the first Nigerian film to world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

Speaking on the partnership, Maduka said NEON’s track record in championing global cinema made it a natural collaborator.

“NEON has done more to expand the definition of world cinema in the last five years than any company in the business. They take real creative bets and that instinct is the basis for our collaboration.”

NEON founder and Chief Executive Officer, Tom Quinn, said the initiative aligns with the company’s commitment to amplifying new voices.

“Some of the most vital voices in cinema today are emerging from places that have been historically underrepresented on the global stage. NEON is thrilled to partner with Funa and her team at Palmtrees to help identify and support this next generation of filmmakers.”

Maduka added that the incubator was created to address the lack of structured development support available to writers in these regions.

“There are extraordinary writers in these regions. What they lack is not talent,” she said.