Help Fund ODILE – An Urgent, Timely Film That Can Save Lives

Elsie Nemlin is organizing this fundraiser.

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"Heart-breaking" – Sky Cinema

Imagine a world where a single mother fights against all odds to protect her son from the dangers lurking outside their home—a world where the housing crisis and knife crime collide, forcing impossible choices on families.

That world isn’t fiction. It’s real. And it’s happening right now.

Hi, my name is Elsie Nemlin, and I am the writer-director of ODILE, a film I have been working on for over 15 years—and I really need your help to bring it to the big screen.

ODILE is not just a film. It’s a call to action.

Inspired by true events (check out the film synopsis and tagline below), it’s a powerful feature-length drama that shines a light on London’s devastating knife crime pandemic and the housing crisis—two urgent issues affecting countless families today.

With Mica Paris MBE as Executive Producer and David Harewood OBE making a special appearance, ODILE has already gained the attention of several A-list talents who believe in its message. Meet some of them below.

From a feature-length format to a six-part series plan, and then back again, ODILE has been a long time coming. Over the years, I have faced countless moments where I almost walked away, but something within me always pushed me forward.

"The urgency of telling this story has never wavered, and it’s a story that, I believe, demands to be told."

The inspiration behind ODILE dates back more than fifteen years to an event that left a lasting impact on me.

"In 2006, as the CEO of Stand Up For Africa—a charity in South London that worked with young people in Africa and the UK—I was asked to support a family caught in the middle of a tragedy that mirrored the very issues ODILE explores today: poverty, the social housing crisis, and the relentless rise of knife crime."

As these issues continue to escalate, ODILE stands as a voice for families too often ignored or forgotten—families struggling against systemic inequalities and violence.

In April 2022, with donations from family and friends, we completed the pilot for ODILE.

In 2023, five A-list international stars—David Harewood OBE, Mica Paris MBE, Nollywood royalty Shaffy Bello, Ivorian top actress Kadhy Touré, and South African heartthrob Hlomla Dandala—came on board, lending their talents and belief to this project.

Despite the challenges—including multiple attempts to secure the necessary financing for the full feature-length film—we are more determined than ever to bring this project to life in 2025.

WHY NOW?

In January 2025, 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa was tragically stabbed 27 times on a bus in Woolwich.

I mean—27 times?!

As a mother, that was one killing too many.

But what truly made this film urgent for me, was meeting (and talking to) Marie, Kelyan’s mother, and seeing the devastation on her face.

It instantly brought back the painful memory of 2006, when I was asked to help a family caught in tragedy—but I couldn’t. That moment triggered the ODILE project over 15 years ago, yet here we are, with history repeating itself.

This was my final wake-up call.

Groomed by gangs from the age of 6, Kelyan was a bright, talented musician, footballer, and artist—his future full of promise.

Yet, despite his mother’s repeated pleas for help, no support ever came—just like in the ODILE story.

His life was cut short before he even had a chance to escape the cycle of violence.

His story is not an isolated incident. Every year, many families across the UK experience the same unbearable heartbreak.

This crisis isn’t going away—neither should our efforts to work for change.

ODILE isn’t just a film; it’s a call to action—a way to ignite conversations, foster understanding, and ultimately inspire change in communities affected by these issues.

But we cannot do it alone.

We need your help.

OUR GOAL

We need £350,000 to complete the filming of this feature-length film.

Every pound raised will go directly into production, ensuring we bring this urgent and timely story to audiences here in the UK and worldwide.

Anything raised beyond the goal will fund marketing, promotion, and distribution—helping ODILE reach more people and create the impact it deserves.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

In April 2022, with donations from family and friends, the ODILE pilot was completed and is now being used as a community outreach program to raise awareness.

Despite the challenges—including multiple attempts to secure financing for the full feature-length film—with your help, this project is now closer than ever to becoming a reality in 2025.

Your donation—no matter the amount—will help us complete this film and take its message beyond borders.

✔️ £10 – Could help towards essential on-set supplies

✔️ £50 – Could contribute to hiring key filming equipment

✔️ £100 – Could help towards location permits and production costs

✔️ £250+ – Be entered into a draw for a unique opportunity to appear in the film as an extra. (To enter, please EMAIL us your full name or business name.)

✔️ £450+ – Become an ODILE Angel and receive a thank-you credit in the film. (To claim your credit, please EMAIL us your full name or business name.)

✔️ £1,000+ – Become an ODILE Angel and receive a thank-you credit in the film and one ticket to the London Premiere (travel, visa & accommodation NOT included). (To claim your credit and/or ticket, please EMAIL us your full name or business name.)

✔️ £5,000+ – Become an ODILE Angel and receive a special thank-you credit in the film, two tickets to the London Premiere (travel, visa & accommodation NOT included), and a social media shout-out on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter. (To claim your credit, tickets, and/or shout-out, please EMAIL us your full name or business name.)

Can’t donate? You can still help by sharing this campaign with your friends, family, and social networks.

LET’S MAKE A DIFFERENCE TOGETHER

ODILE isn’t just a film—it’s a call to action.

A way to ignite conversations, foster understanding, and inspire real change in communities affected by these issues.

Whether you're a passionate supporter of social justice films, an advocate for underrepresented voices, or simply someone who believes in the power of storytelling to change the world, your support will make this vision a reality.

Together, let’s turn this film into a force for change.

Please donate any amount you can and help bring ODILE to life.

Thank You!

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MORE ABOUT ODILE

TAGLINE

Your council FLAT allotted! FREE CASKET included…

SYNOPSIS

Odile wants to give her mixed-race son, Jean-Philippe a good life when she and her newlywed white husband, Mathieu move from Paris to London. Her husband, who because of the language barriers, gets a kitchen porter job in a restaurant, has a hard time adjusting to their new immigrant life. From a loving caring husband, he quickly became a drunk and violent wife beater. Odile, who managed to get a chambermaid job, sticks with him and even covers up for him for the sake of their child but when he turns abusive to Jean-Philippe, she plans to get away and finds refuge in a women’s shelter. She hides from her husband moving from one hostel to another until one day…

…her husband is found dead in a homeless shed!

Odile now a widow has no reason to hide. When she receives an offer to move out of her hostel and settle down in a permanent social council housing, she can’t thank her lucky stars. The new neighbourhood, however, turns out to be one of the worst crime-ridden housing estates in London and now she’s stuck. She is given no choice but to accept her lot, she’s stuck in this new misery. Fearing for her son’s life after he comes home one day, bleeding from a stab, she decides to ask to be moved elsewhere but is laughed off by her local council officer. Her only option is to move to a private rental, but she knows private renting would cost her a fortune, but she’s driven to raise the money one way or another. She exhausts all her options from fundraising outside the train station, to applying for a trust fund at the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, to speaking to her boss for a loan, asking her pastor for help, and even approaching a sleazy businessman to vouch for her at the bank after being turned down without a guarantor, until finally she meets Maria a high-end Brazilian escort.

What will a desperate mother do to save her child’s life? ...

TESTIMONIALS

“This script is heart-breaking … We can only commend the writer for creating an emotionally engaging piece of work.” —Sky Cinema
“hard-hitting—an eye-opener that speaks to the reality of life in the UK and Europe.” —Isaac
“I love that ODILE isn’t just about one issue—it weaves together knife crime, housing struggles, domestic violence and racism into a deeply human story.” —Cathy
“I think this will capture a lot of people’s minds. It reflects real-life struggles that so many families face.” —Fatty
“This story needs to be told. It covers racism, poverty, and injustice in a way that’s rarely seen.” —Jason
“It makes you think—how easily good families can be put in desperate situations.” —Paula
“A very powerful movie! It needs to be seen by families everywhere. Sometimes, watching a story unfold on screen can be more powerful than words.” —Sylvie
“The diversity in this production is amazing—a Black female writer-director leading an important story.” —Freya
“I like Sanjay’s character—I know he’s a racist and a womanizer, but there’s something about him… something that makes you want to discover more.” —Paula
"I love the French element in ODILE—it adds something really unique and authentic to the story. It’s a side of London we don’t often see on screen, and I think that’s a really good thing." - Lucy
“I hope this gets made. It deserves to be seen by the world.” —Maria