Meet Sheila Nortley: The Creative Mind Behind the Supernatural Romance ‘Osoro’
Filmmaker Sheila Nortley Expands Supernatural Romance ‘Osoro’ into Feature Film
Sheila Nortley, known for her work on Supacell, is set to produce a feature film titled Osoro, a supernatural romance that delves into the complexities of love and loss in noughties Black Britain.
Originally an award-winning short film, Osoro is now being developed into a feature with Nortley collaborating with My Accomplice. The short film featured talents such as Nadine Mills from Supacell, Shingai Shoniwa of the British band Noisettes, Rima Nsubuga, and Kaine Lawrence. While the cast for the feature adaptation has yet to be confirmed, early-stage financing discussions are ongoing.
The narrative of Osoro revolves around Alesha Amoah, a successful woman who must confront her past and family dynamics when she returns home to care for her sick mother. In a poignant twist, she reconnects with her former high school sweetheart, Kadien, leading to a bittersweet reunion that is upended by unforeseen tragedy. This event draws Alesha into ‘Osoro,’ a mystical limbo accessed through an ancestral ritual.
Nortley’s inspiration for the film stems from her personal experiences with grief. In her words, “Osoro is a story about that very human, yet very otherworldly, space between love, loss, grief, and memory, and how those things stay with us. It’s a sweeping romance, a supernatural love story, and it draws on elements of my own experiences with grief. The short captured this beautifully and developing the feature has allowed us the space to expand that vision into a richer, more cinematic world.”
Alongside Nortley, Jamie Clark takes on the role of executive producer, while Aleksandra Bilić and Dorottya Székely serve as producers from My Accomplice. The original short was created in partnership with Cameron Roach’s Rope Ladder Fiction.
