About the writers and their films:

Sâmir Bhamra

Make U Amazing

A late night no-strings hook up blooms into rich romance for a trans-identifying bridal Make-Up Artist. But when she is arrested, she is forced to confront her experiences to discover what makes her amazing.

Sâmir says "I love to look into our history and behaviours to find and tell tomorrow’s stories today. At the heart of it, I am interested in how relationships make up and break up. The BBC Writersroom process has pushed me to think in a different voice (from my past works) to suit a BBC Three audience. In the process, Make U Amazing became a personal challenge to address intimate observations and unspoken truths so that all communities can have a more authentic tomorrow.”

Sâmir Bhamra is a Kenyan born, Midlands based writer, director, costume designer and producer of Indian and Pakistani heritage. He is the artistic director of the theatre production company Phizzical and the creative director of the UK Asian Film Festival.

Bhamra developed his skills whilst balancing caring responsibilities for ten years through training courses from Sundance Institute, the National Theatre, London Film Academy, Stage Directors UK Opera course and BBC Writersroom. He is influenced by stories and art forms from Indian cinema, classical literature and unspoken truths discovered and co-created with our community.

His theatre credits include the musicals Bombay Superstar, Stardust, Bring on the Bollywood and Precious Bazaar. He is the director of the award-winning short musical film Mad About the Boy and the producer of the upcoming digital series Seaview made during the pandemic as part of Coventry UK City of Culture.

Katie Arnstein

Wolverine Woman

Bec is a young woman travelling home alone. Or is she?...

Katie says: “I have written Wolverine Woman because I am scared, angry and exhausted in equal measure. The Femicide Census has revealed that “One woman in the UK is killed every three days by a man”. According to BBC News the Met said, “a total of 1,633 cases of alleged sexual offences or domestic violence involving 1,071 officers and other staff were being reviewed from the last 10 years”. Wolverine Woman has been written in response to these statistics by one of many women who just want to get home safely.”

Katie is a multi-award-winning writer and performer originally from the West Midlands. Her theatre work includes the storytelling trilogy It’s a Girl! which consists of three plays Bicycles and Fish, Sexy Lamp and Sticky Door, all of which have toured the UK.

In 2022, Katie was made an Associate Artist at the Pleasance. Her work has won Show of the Week at VAULT Festival twice, Pick of Pleasance at VAULT Festival, an Offie Commendation, was one of 8 pieces shortlisted for the 2020 Popcorn Award, the 2021 Evening Standard’s Future of Theatre Award and has been included in The Guardian’s Top 15 Edinburgh Shows Now Touring.

Her most recent show, The Long Run, has received critical acclaim and an OFFIE Award nomination for Best Performance Piece.

Laura Maloney

Loved

Cassie has never known what it feels like to be unconditionally loved and she thinks having a baby will fix that – but does her boyfriend, Faz, think the same?

Laura says: “I was inspired to write Loved by my experience of growing up in a provincial city, where family planning can start young, and history repeats itself generation after generation. Cassie’s desire to have a baby is complex and driven by a deep need to feel needed. I wanted to explore the moment a vulnerable young woman makes that life changing decision.”

Laura trained as an actress at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, before completing an MA in Writing for Script and Screen at Falmouth University. Laura’s first stage play, a verbatim piece about homelessness, was produced for Brighton Fringe and then adapted for radio. Last year, Laura completed the BBC shadow scheme to write for ongoing drama Doctors. Laura’s first episode was broadcast earlier this year. Laura also works collaboratively with her writing partner, Jasmine Jagger, on adaptations for TV and film, including a serialised adaptation of The Mill on the Floss for TV, and a modernised adaptation of The Death of the Heart by Elizabeth Bowen for film. With her other stage work, Laura has been shortlisted for The Royal Court writers groups and The Old Vic professional development course.

Tal Davies

BTEC Britney

Sophie is home from Uni and is absolutely fine, honest. Well, she was until things began to spiral in a very triggering local Balti house, anyway.

Tal says: “Although my piece deals with themes of grief, strained relationships and mental health, I wanted there to be moments of comedy too. A lot of people, myself included, use gallows humour to get through the difficult times, and the feelings of loss that come with bereavement are never straightforward; I wanted the full, complicated spectrum of emotions that come with grief to be present in this short. I also wanted to challenge the cliché that your uni days are always the best time of your life, and if they aren't then there's something wrong with you. Freshers week isn't always the overwhelmingly fun experience it's made out to be, and it's ok if you feel this way!”

Tal Davies is an emerging writer and stand-up comedian based in Birmingham. Her first script, Waffnacky, was longlisted for the BBC Writersroom Comedy Script Room in 2020, and she was also selected for the BBC Coventry Voices development programme the following year. As a comedian she's performed at festivals and comedy clubs across the UK, was crowned Best Breakthrough Act at the Midlands Comedy Awards, named One To Watch by Funny Women, and reached the semi-finals of British Comedian of the Year.

Omar Khan

Cricket Test

Is Zayn a traitor, playing for the England cricket team, when he has supported India all his life?

Omar says: “I’ve always been interested in why so many British Asians will support the India and Pakistan cricket teams over England. Inspired by the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal, this piece sets out to investigate why that might be.”

Omar has written for TV, theatre, short films and radio. His short film The Plunge was longlisted for a BAFTA after screening at over 60 international film festivals. He has written for the CBBC shows, Princess Mirror-Belle, The Dumping Ground and Biff and Chip, as well as a podcast for Malory Towers.

About the directors

Tenisha White

Tenisha White is an award-winning actor, producer and director from Birmingham with over eight years of working in film and creative industries. Currently a BAFTA Crew member, Tenisha has produced and worked on a variety of high end, commercial and independent projects including cinematically released films and BBC narrative content.

Through the launch of her own production company, Neash Films, Tenisha has written, produced and starred in a number of productions, showcasing her first love of acting in roles ranging from comedy to hard hitting drama. All of Tenisha’s main work has gone on to festival recognition, BBC screenings, and international audiences.

Clare Anyiam-Osigwe

Clare is an award-winning film director and screenwriter based in the Midlands who has directed Hollyoaks in Summer ’22. She recently shadowed at EastEnders for multi-cam experience. Clare is the lead script juror and co-chair of the BAFTA, BIFA, AMAA accredited British Urban Film Festival (BUFF). Her directorial debut film No Shade secured an international theatrical release.

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About BBC Studios

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