MEET the 2025 Next Chapter Live Pitch JURY
The Next Chapter stream within the Producers’ Lab Series provides selected Fellows with mentorship from industry professionals. During the live pitch event at NEWF2025, shortlisted Next Chapter candidates showcased their compelling project ideas, demonstrating innovation and passion for themes such as nature, wildlife, environmental challenges, conservation, and climate change resilience. The finalists and audience were in good company with an esteemed, highly experienced and deeply engaged jury who posed thoughtful questions, and interrogated practicalities such as timelines and feasibility.
MEET THE JURY
Aurélie Reman, France
COO, Sunny Side of the Doc
Aurélie Reman is Managing Director of Doc Services, the organising company of Sunny Side of the Doc, Global Pitch, and Asian Side of the Doc. Her career took her to London in the video games industry, where she delivered marketing activities and campaigns at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. Graduated from the Institut Français de Presse with a master's in journalism and intercultural communication, she has collaborated on documentary series and singles as a journalist and media researcher in Paris-based production companies.
Sifiso Khanyile, South Africa
Producer, Anaphora Pictures
Sifiso is an award-winning filmmaker, archive researcher and music records collector. His work is concerned with memory and history and how they continue to shape the contemporary imaginations of South Africa. He’s produced 10 films, writing and directing 5 of those including the award-winning ‘Uprize’, and ‘A New Country’. His recently completed short-film adaptation of Njabulo Ndebele’s ‘The Prophetess’; expands his vocabulary into the South African literary archive, having worked with audio and video archives in the past. His ongoing project ‘Black Joy Under Apartheid’ foregrounds black leisure and pleasure under apartheid to offer counter-hegemonic narratives to black victimhood.
Tria Thalman, UK and THE USA
Director of Programming, Jackson Wild Summit and Valleyman Films
Originally from the UK, Tria is a 30-year veteran of the natural history filmmaking industry. She has produced, directed and written multiple science and wildlife documentaries for American networks. For eight years she was an executive producer at the Smithsonian Channel, where she oversaw all natural history content across both linear and digital platforms. Her films have garnered numerous awards in film festivals around the world, including an Emmy for the landmark blue-chip wildlife series Epic Yellowstone. She now works as an independent producer and media consultant while also serving as the director of programming for the 2025 Jackson Wild Summit.
Wangeci Murage, KENYA
CEO, Media Pros Africa
Wangeci Murage is a distinguished Broadcast Media Executive, Content Distribution Specialist, and Media Consultant with 25 years of experience in Africa’s media landscape. As CEO of Media Pros Africa, she specializes in content distribution, marketing, media strategy, training, and event management. Wangeci has curated African content globally, including for Netflix, and launched Africa Magic Swahili on DStv. She led flagship productions at M-Net Africa and ZUKU TV, such as Big Brother Africa and Idols East Africa. Wangeci serves on advisory committees like Sunny Side of the Doc and has judged awards like the International Emmy and Africa Movie Academy Awards. With an MBA in Media Leadership, she mentors and promotes African storytelling globally.
For more information please mail us at storylabs@newf.co.za.
About NEWF:
NEWF Story Labs is dedicated to advancing African nature, environment, and wildlife storytelling through capacity building, mentorship, and grant funding opportunities. Established to empower local voices and preserve Africa’s natural history, NEWF supports inclusive and equitable access to storytelling platforms.
