New Writing North’s Film4-backed Genre Feature Lab has selected three debut feature projects for its inaugural edition. The three selected proje
New Writing North’s Film4-backed Genre Feature Lab has selected three debut feature projects for its inaugural edition.
The three selected projects are: The Lost, written by Jackie Okwera; Scrum, written by Bethan Moore; and You Can Leave Whenever You Want, written by Emilie Robson.
The three writers have teamed up with Northern production companies, and taken part in a weekend genre development lab led by Bafta-winning producers Ivana Mackinnon and Emily Leo of Wild Swim Films.
The Lost is a supernatural drama about a 16-year-old Ugandan girl who seeks the assist of a witch doctor to hunt for the truth about her missing mother. It will be produced by Dermot O’Dempsey and Jack Tarling for Shudder Films, which has previous titles including God’s Own Country and seven-time Bifa winner Kneecap.
Scrum is an action film following a women’s Rugby Sevens team on tour in Costa Brava, as they hunt down a gang that has kidnapped one of their own. It will be produced by Andy Malone of Eight Zero Three Media and Maria Caruana Galizia of Candle and Bell, and executive produced by Mackinnon and Leo.
You Can Leave Whenever You Want is a satirical psychological horror following a group of friends who attend a wellness spa in Mexico that slowly descends into chaos. It will be produced by Steve Bowden of Vita Nova Films.
Each writer will now be paired with an experienced script editor to take their early-stage feature idea to a treatment and deck, for presentation to Film4.
The Genre Feature Lab is produced by regional support organisation New Writing North, that aims to identify and nurture writing talent from the North of England. It is the organisation’s latest collaboration with Film4’s parent organisation Channel 4, after the Northern Talent Network and Channel 4 Writing for Television Awards.
“The genre lab gives us a focused approach to developing relationships with storytellers from the region,” said Amy O’Hara, development and production executive at Film4.
“We want to level the playing field because the talent is here but the access to industry decision makers is not,” said Roxy McKenna, development producer, screen at New Writing North. “This scheme aims to break down those barriers.”
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