Kemi Rebecca Osiyi, a Nigerian writer, designer, and filmmaker, has shared insights into her experience co-writing The Autograph of Nothingness, an upcoming short film directed by Moses Ipadeola, known for Ekun Iyawo: The Tale of a Runaway Bride.
Currently in post-production, the film is a collaboration between Guguru Studios and Signet Ring Studios and serves as the first project in Guguru Studios’ Universe of Nothingness. Starring Sharon Rotimi, Levi Chikere, and Omawunmi Dada, the short film explores themes of loneliness, grief, and human connection.
Speaking with The Nollywood Reporter, Osiyi describes loneliness as the story’s central theme, noting that it is an emotion many people experience at different stages of life.
“I draw from a well of lived experiences, alongside my everyday interactions with the world and people around me, and these were what influenced my writing process,” she says.
Beyond loneliness, the film also explores desolation, grief, and stagnation. According to Osiyi, the story examines the cycles people find themselves trapped in, the coping mechanisms they adopt, and their attempts to find a way forward.
Additionally, she says the film is concerned with hope and the search for comfort in people, places, and habits, even when those sources of comfort may not always be healthy.
“I think that it stands out because it explores these emotions through very real things Nigerians can relate to, things like family expectations, addiction, and the gruelling, often disappointing process of finding greener pastures abroad when home fails to give you the fulfilment you desire,” she says.
Osiyi also reflects on the collaborative nature of the writing process, revealing that one of her biggest challenges was translating the original concept conceived by her co-writer, Cynthia Dozie-Onwusoh, into a screenplay while preserving its essence.
She credits Dozie-Onwusoh’s concept as the foundation of the project and says developing the story together required balancing its original ideas with new scenes and narrative layers.
“It wasn’t the simplest process, refining the story such that it retained all the original elements that made it what it was, while adding new layers and scenes that were required for the story to evolve,” she says.
Ultimately, Osiyi hopes audiences connect with the film’s message about empathy, friendship, and support systems. She says the story highlights the importance of community and encourages viewers to extend compassion to people navigating similar struggles.
“More than that, I hope the film spurs them to build a community, no matter how small, where their vulnerabilities are accepted, where they can offer comfort, and be comforted.”
