Our mission is to spotlight the visionary womxn shaping the future of horror cinema. Through Fearless Frame, we celebrate the artistry, innovation, and diverse perspectives of womxn filmmakers who craft chilling tales, push boundaries, and redefine the genre. By amplifying their voices, we aim to inspire audiences and empower creators to continue forging their paths in the shadowy corners of storytelling. Through the month of December, we will be showcasing a womxn filmmaker in the horror genre each day!

RITA OSEI

WORK: Aurora (proof of concept short) Horror, Drama September 2023 (13:13)

“A perimenopausal vampire is on a quest to kill a habit that won’t die!”

SYNOPSIS: Meet the Asantes, an African blooded family living in a leafy London suburb and working together in the centre of town. When Aurora, the family matriarch, clashes with a strange entity on her way to work she’s transformed forever. Now a vampire vying for a feed, Aurora must navigate the raging changes occurring in her body. Her straight talking daughter Sofia, an apprentice chef, strives to create an alternative to blood to quench Aurora’s thirst.

Themes: The perimenopause, Aging, Mother and daughter relationships when dependancy is reversed

BIO: Rita Osei, Writer/Director She/her – Born in North London, England to Ghanaian parents Rita first found herself on a set at the Montessori style state school she attended in East London, her home for 20 years. She initially trained as a painter and graduated from Camberwell College of Arts with a Joint Honours BA in Visual Arts, where she made her first films. ​ Her debut feature film BLISS! a rites-of-passage adventure starring Freya Parks, had its World Premiere at Edinburgh International Film Festival. She directed 2nd Unit on the closing 2 episodes of SISTER/HBO/Sky series, THE BABY. ​ Rita is developing long form work for Film and TV. Short film directing credits include Screen South part funded THE CURRY CLUB starring the late Cleo Sylvestre MBE, Ruth Sheen, Claire-Louise Cordwell and Olivier Award Winner Kenneth Cranham CBE, and the recent AURORA where: “A perimenopausal vampire is on a quest to kill a habit that won’t die”. Winner Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Actress In a Drama, Best Supporting Actress In a Drama at Haunted House FearFest, NYC 2024. Nominated Best Director Short Film and Best Actress Short Film Unrestricted View Horror Film Festival London 2024. The score for AURORA is composed by Oleta Haffner through the inaugural Jonas Gwangwa Music Composition initiative from Mercury Studios, Globe and Decca Records and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Rita has directed 2 theatre productions. She served as Jury Chair for BAFTA’s 75th, 76th & 77th British Short Film Award. Since 2018 she has been promoting female excellence in film direction through her short film festival: 225 Film Club. ​ She served as a juror for BAFTA’s 2024 TV DRAMA: WRITER award, a project assessor for The Uncertain Kingdom’s short film fund, and a juror for the inaugural Chopard X Breaking Through The Lens Action Grant. ​ BACKGROUND: Rita produced THREESOME, a Telluride premiering short film starring Lesley Vickerage, Stuart Laing and Hugh Quarshie. THREESOME screened at the British Pavilion (Cannes), Raindance, Clermont Ferrand, Newport Rhode Island and numerous additional film festivals, and was distributed on TV by SKY Movies and Canal +. ​ She began her career assisting producer Nick de Grunwald, developing films and documentaries including Classic Albums for the BBC. She went on to produce multi award winning animation for Turner Broadcasting across Europe. A Founder of Turner Europe’s Diversity Council, Rita arranged deaf awareness training for the U.K creative team after hiring the company’s 1st d/deaf animator.

STORY STATEMENT: At the heart of Aurora is the exploration of perimenopause, told through the perspective of a Black female vampire who begins the story speaking in Wolof. The film is a mother-daughter horror drama that delves into the complexities of aging, particularly the physical and emotional changes of perimenopause, and how these shifts affect familial relationships. It examines the reversal of roles within the family unit, where caregiving and dependence flip between mother and daughter. The film opens swiftly, introducing its intense characters and their habits, and as the conflict within their close-knit bond intensifies, dark humor emerges.

Writing and creating the film was a cathartic experience, and it is their goal to deliver a similarly visceral and impactful experience to the audience.

WRITER/DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT: The precursor to the feature film, AURORA is a a mother and daughter horror, drama. It explores the symptoms and effects of the perimenopause through familial care. Being a carer, becoming a carer and being cared for as roles and dependencies are reversed by the aging process. The film opens quickly, detailing our intense characters, their characteristics and habits. When the conflict that comes with being a part of a close knit mother and daughter family unit surfaces, so does a dark humour. Writing and making the film was a cathartic experience, and the aim is that the audience has a similar and visceral experience.

PRODUCTION CONTENT:

• Starring Djinda Kane and Ella-Rae Smith
• Producers Rita Osei, Deborah Riley Draper
• Executive Producers Sire Ramos, Norman Merry. Peter Hampden, Rita Osei
• Editor Kant Pan (Oscar nominated for The Crying Game)
• Composer Oleta Haffner
• Director of Photography, Fatosh Olgacher
• Production Designer, Alice Halstead
• Shot on location in London

EXPLORING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION: A black, female vampire is front and centre in the film. 90% female crew. Crew included neurodiverse and disabled members. Crew heritage ranged from Ukraine, China, Cyprus to Ireland, U.S UK and more

MARGINALIZED VOICES INVOLVED:

• Women and Non-Binary Creators: Amplifying voices historically underrepresented in filmmaking.
• BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color): Celebrating cultural diversity and stories rooted in unique lived experiences.
• Emerging Filmmakers over 40: Breaking stereotypes about ageism and showcasing creators thriving later in life.

AWARDS AND FILM FESTIVAL APPEARANCES:

• Haunted House FearFest, NYC (Winner Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Actress in a Drama, Best Supporting Actress in a Drama)
• Unrestricted View Horror Film Festival (Nominated Best Director, Short Film, Best Actress, Short Film)
• BIFA Qualifying TweetFest Official Selection
• Distributor – 7 Palms Entertainment

*Aurora is a mother-daughter horror drama that explores the complex themes of aging, perimenopause, and shifting family dynamics. The story follows Aurora, the matriarch of the Asante family, who, after a fateful encounter with a strange entity, is transformed into a vampire. As she struggles with the physical and emotional changes of her new existence, her daughter Sofia, an apprentice chef, attempts to create a blood alternative to ease Aurora’s thirst. The film delves into the reversal of caregiver roles between mother and daughter as the aging process brings unexpected challenges and dark humor. Told through the perspective of a Black female vampire who begins the story speaking in Wolof, the film uses the perimenopause theme to explore the tension between dependency and independence. The writing and creation of the film served as a cathartic experience for the filmmakers, with the aim of delivering a visceral, relatable journey for the audience. LONDNR Magazine calls it “a dramatic, twisted take on womanhood, with the occasional lashing of black humour. An expert at work.”

Learn more about Rita and her incredible work here!