The Great Lakes Creative Producers Lab (GLCPL) is back for its fifth edition, proving once again that talent can be trained and maintained within the continent by making the proverbial circle bigger.
From November 17-21, 2025, the lab takes place in Addis Ababa, where participants from 8 African countries – Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, DRC, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Cape Verde, and Egypt – explore the ins and outs of exactly what it takes to be a creative producer.
Creative producers are a storyteller’s partner and strategic navigator, championing stories while balancing artistic vision with realistic production logistics.
The aim of the GLCPL has always been to increase the number of creative producers of fiction and documentary projects in Africa by equipping producers with the required resources and tools, as well as strengthening their skills at the development stage in order to create greater opportunities and access to global markets.
Cofounder Samuel Tebandeke says that ‘the future of African cinema belongs to producers who think like entrepreneurs, those who can turn limitations into opportunities and imagine what’s possible, even within constraints.’
The Lab broadens professional networks by improving the expertise of participants through a series of hands-on workshops and one-on-one sessions with local and international industry mentors.
In 2026, GLCPL will welcome entrants from all over Africa, from Cape Town to Cairo, through a rigorous call for application process and in-depth vetting on projects.
GLCPL is supported by the French Embassy, International Film Festival Rotterdam, World Cinema Fund, Federation MEAC, IEFTA, Aftales, EAVE, Kiasi, Docubox, Africalia Belgique, GIZ, and the Durban Filmart Institute
The GLCPL is one of the important pillars of shaping an industry in which everyone is well prepared and informed, thus creating room for expansion, growth, and of course, more deliberate movie magic.
