Set during a raucous South London house party in the 90’s, Shoobs follows 15-year-old Lisa as she grapples with her identity, her feelings for her best friend, and the social codes of teenage life. But Shoobs isn’t just another coming-of-age story. It’s a vivid, unapologetic love letter to youth, to love, and to the chaotic beauty of growing up in a world that doesn’t always make space for exploration.
Created by actor and writer Janet Etuk, and directed by Lisle Turner, Shoobs premiered at BFI Flare, one of Europe’s leading LGBTQ+ film festivals. Its reception has been as electric as the party it depicts.
What Made you who you are?
The project began with a single question: what made you who you are?
For Turner, that prompt was a doorway. “We gave Janet a one-line brief, and Shoobs was the result,” he says. “I loved it on first reading.’ That authenticity is no accident. The script, Janet explains, was born from personal memory. “The story of Shoobs has always been in existence. It lives in teenage photographs, school planners, diary entries, songs, and fashion. I just sewed those fragments together.”
A Queer Coming-of-Age, Rooted in Place
Set over the course of one night, the film centres on Lisa, a teenager navigating not only her love for her best friend Jada, but also the harsh, unspoken rules of her community. “It wasn’t just about questioning sexuality,” Janet reflects. “It was about gaining permission to explore it. I remember how ridiculous it was growing up in an environment that was against exploring one’s sexuality and I wanted to bring this to light in my writing’
Turner, who has worked with Open Sky on the MicroPlays series (designed to help theatre creatives transition into film), knew that this project wasn’t about leading the direction, but more of a collaborative approach in which everyone learns “Janet was the expert on all things Shoobs and I asked for her advice on everything from costume to score to crisp packets in the kitchen, every detail came from her.”
Making Chaos Cinematic
Filming took place over just two days. The budget was tight. The energy on set? Unmatched. “We shot all the dancing on day one. The music was LOUD. Everyone moved in time. It was chaotic, but kinetic chaos,” Turner says with a grin.
To match the party’s vibrancy, the team shot on anamorphic lenses, favouring a widescreen, hazy aesthetic. “It needed to feel significant. When you’re 15, these moments are your life,” Turner says. Visual references included early 2000s music videos, and the film’s colour design was built on a 3D lighting reference by DoP Shaka Agina.
Light-Up Dummies and Space Raiders
From Destiny’s Child to Elephant Man, the soundtrack is drenched in noughties nostalgia. “The more I wrote, the more tracks came to mind,” says Janet. “I had an ocean of songs in my head, complete with the visions, tastes, and smells that went with them.”
Music wasn’t just atmospheric; it was emotional architecture. Eventually, a custom score replaced the original track list. “It brought everything together, the love, the youth, the mucky adolescence,” she says. “Shoobs ended up with a score that was absolutely bangin”
And the details? “Glow sticks, colourful sodas, and Space Raider crisps were must-haves. Also, light-up dummies. I’d bring those back in a heartbeat.”
Trust, Safety, and Performance
Working with a young cast required care. “We had an intimacy coordinator on set and did a full briefing on day one,” Turner explains. “Once actors feel safe, that’s when you get the good stuff.”
The performances are textured and raw. That’s no accident either. “Janet brought her experience as a theatre actor, and it elevated everyone around her,” says Turner. “Having one consummate professional on set always raises the game.”
Beyond Shoobs
For Janet, Shoobs was more than a film, it was a personal evolution. She wrote, co-produced, and starred in the film as Lisa Sr., a dreamlike older version of Lisa who guides her through the night. “It was thrilling,” she says. “It exercised a part of my brain I didn’t know I had.”
While Janet has directed theatre, she says acting remains her creative home. “But writing has been the hardest path. It’s empowering, when you get the opportunity. But there’s still a lack of funding for new writers to get their projects finished.”
A Story That Belongs
Premiering at BFI Flare was a full-circle moment. “It’s a humongous honour. I think back to the very beginnings of this project and even further back to when Shoobs was only fragments of an idea. To think that this story had stemmed from extracts of an idea to experimental scenes for a play and finally to a film that’s been selected for one of the biggest and most prestigious festivals in Europe. I’m incredibly proud, grateful…and pretty mesmerised.”
For both Janet and Lisle, Shoobs stands as a testament to the power of collaboration, truth-telling, and storytelling that dares to feel personal.
“Shoobs is definitely part of a larger conversation about identity, orientation and representation. Everyone should be able to figure out who they are and who they want to be with, free from pressure or judgement or hostility. We believe that as individuals, as a company and most importantly, as artists.” — Lisle Turner