Semifinalist, Everard Entertainment + Roadmap Writers' Short Story Competition (2026)
BIO
Sonja O’Hara is an Emmy-nominated queer Canadian writer and director whose bold, character-driven genre work explores identity and belonging through the lens of body horror, inspired by her experience as a cancer survivor. Named a “Filmmaker to Watch” by Independent Magazine (past recipients include Moonlight’s Barry Jenkins), O’Hara’s debut feature Root Letter (Tubi), starring Marvel’s Danny Ramirez, received the ReFrame Award for gender-balanced filmmaking, and she is set to direct Harvey Keitel and Rita Moreno in the upcoming psychological thriller Theirs. O’Hara created the Emmy-nominated Shudder limited series Doomsday, praised by IndieWire as “part Midsommar, part Yellowjackets.” Her next feature, Cottagecore (Anonymous Content), will be produced by Peter Phok of A24’s X trilogy and will star Jena Malone and Cara Delevingne. The Black List described her script as “an intoxicating and brilliantly disturbing satire from a tremendously talented author.” A Film Independent Fellow, O’Hara was chosen as one of only a dozen narrative filmmakers for their Fast Track Lab (alumni include Oscar winners Chloe Zhao and Sean Baker). She has served as a SXSW panelist and 2026 filmmaker mentor. O’Hara is a Tribeca Film Festival alumni and is represented by Verve and The Gotham Group.
