Oxbelly is announcing two new writing programs in June

Oxbelly, film producer Christos V. Konstantakopoulos’ non-profit organization supporting emerging screenwriters and directors, has announced the creation of two new programs for international writers: the Oxbelly Writers Retreat and the Oxbelly Episodic Program.

The Episodic Program is a one-week training that selects 10-12 writers interested in the television industry and provides them with simulated writing room exercises, masterclasses and panels designed to explore the writing room process and share best practices. TV writing career. The Oxbelly Writers Retreat brings together 15 aspiring fiction writers and poets for workshops, crafts, and unstructured writing time led by Program Director Chigozie Obioma and faculty Rebecca Makkai and Kwame Dames.

“Since its inception, Oxbelly has provided a training ground and launch pad for emerging international film talent,” Konstantakopoulos said in a statement. “As demand for unique series content continues to grow, we are delighted to open up the Oxbelly experience to the world of TV, with an initial focus on writing and development, with an eye towards exciting new funding, production and production opportunities. dissemination.”

The Writers Retreat and the Episodic Program will be held simultaneously from June 3rd to June 11th in Costa Navarino, Greece, where participants in both programs will have the opportunity to collaborate. The programs will replace Oxbelly’s screenwriting and directing lab, which will next be held in the summer of 2024. Athina Rachel Tsangari will serve as art director for the labs, which features Paul Thomas Anderson, Willem Dafoe, Lucrecia Martel, Ruben Östlund, Dee Rees, Lulu Wang and other notable directors and industry professionals as consultants.

The application deadline for both programs is February 28. Oxbelly does not charge a fee to apply, and all expenses for selected participants are covered by the program. The programs are supported by the Vassilis Kapitány and Carmen Constantakopoulos Foundation, TEMES and Konstantakopoulos’ production company, Faliro House.

“I’ve always dreamed of a place where writers could gather to feast on words, trade craft ideas with fellow writers, and have the space to immediately incorporate those ideas and knowledge into their creative work. When I arrived at Oxbelly Square in Messinia, Greece last year and spoke with visionary founder Christos Konstantakopoulos, I knew this was it,” Obioma said in a statement. “What’s special about what we’re offering is that it’s all free, so there’s no barrier to writers, no matter where they are or what devices they have. For me, this is a big dream come true.”

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