The First Features Project, an initiative by Natives Filmworks and Michelangelo Productions created to spotlight emerging Nigerian filmmakers has unveiled its tenth title, Colour Me True.
The film marks the directorial debut of award-winning writer Toluwani Obayan Osibe, whose reflective storytelling style has earned her recognition within Nollywood.
Starring Shalewa Ashafa, Bucci Franklin, Eseosa Bernard, Nnamdi Agbo, Gerard Adebija, Dotun Olakunri, Steve Gukas, and Bola Atta, the story follows Sylvia Philips, a reality-television star whose carefully curated public image begins to collapse after a scandal. Seeking refuge, she returns to the orphanage where her life began, confronting memories and relationships she has long avoided. The film examines the tension between public identity and private truth, asking what happens when reinvention collides with authenticity.
Set to stream on Prime Video on December 4, Colour Me True blends Gideon Chukwu’s cinematography with a score by Ava Momoh to deliver a visually intimate and emotionally grounded experience. Producers Steve Gukas, Dotun Olakunri, and Tongryang Pantu describe the film as one of the most heartfelt entries in the First Features slate, merging Nollywood glamour with themes of memory, identity, and resilience.
Osibe, who made her screenwriting breakthrough with This Lady Called Life directed by Kayode Kasum, describes the project as a defining step in her creative evolution. “It is an experience I will always be grateful for,” she told The Nollywood Reporter. “I had been scripting features for years and directing shorts, but taking the step to direct my first feature felt daunting. Being selected as one of the directors for this project reassured me that I was ready and that I did not have to make the leap alone.”
She credits the First Features program with providing mentorship and professional guidance from pre-production to post-production, including a bootcamp designed to align participants with global filmmaking standards. “The entire journey has been a blessing. It has challenged me to seek out ways to pay forward all that has been invested in me. I truly believe the trajectory of the film industry will never be the same, in the best possible way because of this project,” she added.
As the First Features Project continues to nurture new talents, Colour Me True stands out as a reminder of Nollywood’s expanding space for emerging directors to tell stories that are deeply personal yet broadly resonant.