What happens when the life you’ve built no longer reflects who you truly are? That question anchors ‘Colour Me True’, the latest feature from Native Filmworks and MichelAngelo Productions, premiering on Prime Video on December 4, 2024. The official trailer drops today, offering a first glimpse into a story about identity, truth, and the cost of hiding in plain sight.
‘Colour Me True’ follows Sylvia Philips, a popular reality TV star whose carefully managed public image unravels after her true identity is revealed. Forced into retreat, she returns to the orphanage where her life began, a place she has long avoided. There, old memories and familiar faces push her to confront who she is, who she was, and who she is willing to become.
The film stars Shalewa Ashafa in one of her most demanding roles yet, alongside Bucci Franklin, Eseosa Bernard, Nnamdi Agbo, and Gerard Adebija.
‘Colour Me True’ also marks a major milestone: it is the tenth film in the First Features Project, the groundbreaking initiative from Native Filmworks and MichelAngelo Productions dedicated to discovering and supporting emerging Nigerian filmmakers through structured mentorship and full-scale production support.
“We started the First Features Project because we believed Nigeria had stories and storytellers that deserved a real platform. Ten films later, that belief has only grown stronger. Toluwani’s voice is exactly what this project was built to nurture,” says Dotun Olakunri, Executive Producer.
Producer and Executive Producer Steve Gukas adds, “What drew us to ‘Colour Me True’ was its emotional clarity. It’s a story about the masks we wear and the cost of living behind them. Toluwani has crafted something honest, and Shalewa’s performance gives it a weight audiences will feel.”
The film marks the feature directorial debut of Toluwani Obayan Osibe, the award-winning screenwriter behind ‘This Lady Called Life’, the Netflix hit that resonated across Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, the UK, and the US.
“I wrote this story during a season of deep personal reflection,” says Obayan Osibe. “It began with a need for honesty with myself first and then with the world around me. Writing ‘Colour Me True’ helped me imagine what confronting that truth might look like.”
With cinematography by Gideon Chukwu, a score by Ava Momoh, and production design that moves between the bright veneer of celebrity Lagos and the grounded warmth of a childhood home, Colour Me True is a film built with intention and emotional clarity.
‘Colour Me True’ premieres exclusively on Prime Video on December 4th.
