The thriller series, Exiles, tells the tale of a Kenyan-British doctor who returns to Kenya years after she fled as a young girl, in search of her twin brother whose sudden disappearance is linked to investigations of a government cover-up.
By Helena Olori
Nigerian media company, Ebonylife Media, and Sony Pictures Television‘s Writers’ Initiative, Alo, has acquired Mary Waireri’s screenplay, Exiles, for film. Alo, which translates to “story time” or “once upon a time” in Yoruba, is a unique platform for up-and-coming writers of African heritage.
Waireri, a Kenyan-born screenwriter, initially developed Exiles as a feature-length project while earning a screenwriting certificate at the National Film and Television School in the United Kingdom. The screenplay has, however, received significant recognition, including winning the top prize in the FilmarketHub 2020 screenwriting competition, and being selected as a finalist in the 2020 BBC Scriptworks and Thousand Films screenwriting competition.
The thriller series, Exiles, tells the tale of a Kenyan-British doctor who returns to Kenya years after she fled as a young girl, in search of her twin brother whose sudden disappearance is linked to investigations of a government cover-up. She soon becomes embroiled in a mysterious and dangerous conspiracy.
Reacting to the deal, the London based writer told Variety: “as a lover of thriller, horror, and sci-fi, I’m interested in exploring the many dimensions of the African Diaspora and Diaspora experiences through a grounded genre lens. I’m excited to work with the teams at Sony Pictures Television and EbonyLife to bring Exiles to life.”
“I am thrilled with the progress we’ve made with the Alo initiative,” said Mo Abudu, CEO of EbonyLife Media. “It creates an opportunity for another story to be told from our continent, for another voice to be heard. Congratulations to Mary on her submission and selection, and we look forward to bringing Exiles to the world in partnership with Sony Pictures Television.”
The Alo Initiative was launched in September, 2021