MBABANE – From page to screen and right into Eswatini.
The journey from a solitary manuscript to a global streaming hit will be the focus of a major creative conversation in Manzini next week, as award-winning author and screenwriter Sue Nyathi takes the stage for the Business of Creativity.
Nyathi, whose novel ‘The Polygamist’ was adapted into a Netflix series that reached No. 1 in 16 countries, will lead an intimate ‘From Page to Screen’ fireside chat on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at the Eswatini International Trade Fair. The session, scheduled for 1pm to 3:30pm in the Green Chamber of the Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre, aims to demystify how local stories can travel across formats, markets and audiences.
Organisers say the event is intended for writers, filmmakers, storytellers aspiring screenwriters and creative entrepreneurs who are seeking practical insight into the business of adaptation. Rather than a lecture, the format will be conversational, with Nyathi unpacking the decisions, compromises and opportunities that arise when a book leaves the page.
The discussion will cover storytelling craft, the mechanics of screenwriting and the commercial realities of pitching and producing for television and film.
Attendees can expect analysis of how narrative structure shifts between novel and series, how to retain an author’s voice in collaboration, and where new funding and distribution pathways are opening for African creatives.
Nyathi’s inclusion signals a growing ambition within the local sector to think beyond domestic readership. The Polygamist’s performance on Netflix provided a case study in how a distinctly Southern African narrative found traction with viewers from Lagos to London.
ESWACOS confirmed that Nyathi is the first of two headline speakers to be announced. A second guest will be revealed in the coming days.
Those interested in attending are encouraged to follow ESWACOS for registration details. For a generation of creatives in Eswatini asking whether their stories can travel, Tuesday’s conversation may provide the beginnings of an answer.
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