The Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study (JIAS) hosted an engaging edition of its Women’s Month Seminar Series, “From Script to Screen: Women in Literature and Film,” bringing together three acclaimed South African authors to reflect on the journey of their literary works from the page to the screen.
The seminar featured Sue Nyathi, author of The Polygamist; Nozizwe Jele, author of Happiness Is a Four-Letter Word; and Angela Makholwa, author of Red Ink, with the discussion moderated by actress and television personality Samela Tyelbooi.
The conversation explored the complexities of adapting literary works for film and television, while examining questions of authorship, creative control, representation and the portrayal of women’s experiences in contemporary African storytelling.
The three authors brought unique perspectives to the discussion, drawing from their own experiences of seeing their novels transformed into successful screen productions.
For Angela Makholwa, the journey highlighted the importance of authors understanding the creative and commercial realities of the television industry. Having experienced an earlier adaptation where she had limited involvement in the production process, she later took a more active role in the adaptation of Red Ink and Critical But Stable. Her involvement as an executive producer and co-creator allowed her to participate in areas including writing, directing, pre-production, auditions, and other creative decisions.
She described the experience as empowering, while acknowledging that being involved in an adaptation can be challenging. Unlike writing a novel, where an author has considerable control over the story and its characters, television and film involve multiple creative voices and commercial considerations. Decisions around characters, storylines, casting, and even wardrobe can therefore differ from an author’s original vision.
Sue Nyathi’s experience with The Polygamist demonstrated another side of the adaptation journey. The novel went through several attempts to reach the screen before eventually becoming a successful series. Along the way, Nyathi gained experience in screenwriting and worked with filmmakers before the project ultimately found its way into production.
Her experience illustrated that adaptation is not always a linear process. Projects can take years to develop, change direction, or fall away before finding the right production opportunity. Nyathi also reflected on the importance of perseverance and understanding the value of one’s creative work.
For Nozizwe Jele, Happiness Is a Four-Letter Word found its way to the screen after being recognised through a book prize that identified works with potential for film adaptation. She was involved in the early development of the film, contributing as a script editor and participating in discussions about how the novel could be translated into a cinematic format.
The authors explained that adaptation inevitably requires change. Characters may be interpreted differently, storylines may be restructured, and new creative decisions may be introduced to suit the demands of film or television. While these changes can sometimes be difficult for authors, they can also create new dimensions to a story. A particularly important part of the discussion centred on creative control and authorship.
The panel encouraged authors who are considering screen adaptations to understand that the transition from literature to film or television requires a different approach. While writers naturally have a deep emotional connection to their characters and stories, the screen industry involves producers, directors, screenwriters, actors, broadcasters, and other stakeholders.
Makholwa emphasised that authors who want to become involved in the adaptation process need to be prepared for difficult creative conversations and must understand that the business of television does not always operate according to the same principles as literature.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of authors’ understanding and protecting their rights. Emerging writers were encouraged to carefully examine publishing and adaptation agreements and to understand the commercial value of rights beyond the publication of a book. Translation, film and television adaptations and other opportunities can create additional avenues for writers, making it important for authors to approach creativity not only as an art but also as a business. Beyond the technicalities of adaptation, the seminar explored the representation of Black women in literature and film.
For the authors, portraying women meant moving beyond simplified stereotypes and allowing female characters to exist in all their complexity. Their characters are not always perfect or traditionally heroic; they make choices, experience contradictions and navigate relationships, careers, family expectations, and social pressures.
Makholwa spoke about her deliberate decision to challenge traditional archetypes of Black women in her writing. Rather than limiting women to roles such as mothers, wives or caregivers, her stories explore women who are ambitious, flawed, powerful, vulnerable and capable of making difficult or unconventional choices.
Jele reflected on the women represented in Happiness Is a Four-Letter Word, explaining that the novel drew from her observations and experiences of women navigating relationships, ambition, privilege and changing opportunities in South Africa. The novel captured a particular generation of women and the choices available to them at the time.
Nyathi similarly discussed the role of women’s experiences in her writing, including themes such as gender-based violence, relationships, and social expectations. She emphasised the role of fiction in interrogating some of the challenges women face at different stages of their lives.
The discussion also questioned whether contemporary representations of empowered women have genuinely transformed society or whether progress portrayed in literature and film can sometimes create an illusion of equality.
The authors acknowledged that while storytelling can influence attitudes and encourage audiences to think differently, there remains significant work to be done. Women’s experiences also differ according to social and economic circumstances, meaning that the realities of empowerment can look very different across different communities.
Another key theme was the impact that successful screen adaptations can have on the visibility of African literature.
The authors reflected on how international exposure through film and television has introduced their work to new audiences. Nyathi noted that the success of The Polygamist had helped draw attention to Southern African writers more broadly, creating greater interest in the region’s literary voices.
Jele similarly reflected on the renewed interest in Happiness Is a Four-Letter Word following its adaptation. The experience demonstrated how a screen production can introduce audiences to a book they may never have encountered.
The discussion therefore extended beyond the three featured adaptations to consider the broader opportunities available to African writers and filmmakers. The panel highlighted the growth of South Africa’s literary and creative communities and encouraged emerging writers to participate in book festivals, writing communities and professional organisations in order to learn from others in the industry.
The authors’ message to aspiring creatives was clear: know your story, trust your voice, understand your industry and persevere.
They also emphasised that writing is not an easy profession and that success requires persistence, passion and a willingness to continue developing one’s craft. For those hoping to move from literature into film and television, understanding the industry is equally important.
The seminar concluded with closing remarks from the Acting Director of the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study (JIAS) Professor Siphiwo Mahala, who thanked the panellists for their contribution to African storytelling and for opening doors for emerging writers and creatives.
The Acting Director also acknowledged the moderator, Samela Tyelbooi, for anchoring the discussion and contributing to an engaging evening, before expressing appreciation to the three authors for sharing their experiences and insights with the audience.
The programme concluded with a gift presentation to the panellists, recognising their participation and contribution to the seminar.
Ultimately, From Script to Screen: Women in Literature and Film was more than a conversation about three successful adaptations. It was a reflection on who tells African stories, how those stories change when they move from page to screen, and the importance of creating space for women’s voices within South Africa’s literary and creative industries.
The seminar demonstrated that while adaptation may require compromise, collaboration, and reinvention, it can also create new opportunities for authors, actors, filmmakers, and audiences. Most importantly, it reinforced the enduring power of African stories stories that continue to travel from the page to the screen and reach audiences far beyond their original setting.
