May 2009 saw the completion and launch of Tormented, the horror teen-flick developed at the Lab, coproduced with BBC Films and Forward Films. In April 2010, David Baddiel’s Lab project The Infidel, directed by Josh Appignanesi and starring Omid Djalili opened. The story of a Muslim who discovers that he was born a Jew attracted considerable media interest. Writing in The Independent, Jasmin Alibhai Brown called it “Funny, profound and extraordinary”, while Tom Huddleston of Time Out wrote, “David Baddiel’s script is sharp, wise and very funny, and never flinches from exposing the hypocrisy and power games that fuel religious intolerance”.
February 2008 | Slingshot Script Development Lab
The third commission from all-digital film production and distribution company Slingshot brought together an eclectic mix of creative people, including the comedian and writer David Baddiel, comedian and actor Omid Djalili, and award-winning actors Ruth Wilson and David Harewood.
Lab Director
Susan Benn
Mentors
Hettie Macdonald - director
Roger Smith - writer
Participants
Josh Appignanesi - director
Cavan Ash - Slingshot
David Baddiel - writer
Tracy Brimm - producer
Max Brown - actor
Arvind Ethan David - Slingshot
Omid Djalili - actor
Marc Evans - director
Peter Gilpin - Lab chef
David Harewood - actor
Uzma Hasan - Slingshot
Adrian Moat - director
Kate Myers - producer
Ray Panthaki - actor
Christopher Payne - writer
Stephen Prentice – writer
Tolga Safer - actor
Nick Stafford - writer
Alex Tanner - Slingshot
Paven Virk - actor
Ruth Wilson - actor
Jon Wright - director
Kirsty Yates - Lab Co-ordinator
Guest Speakers
Dean Craig - writer/director
Troy Kennedy Martin - writer
Visitors
Jack Arbuthnott - Development Editor, BBC
Judy Counihan - consulting Head of Production, Slingshot
Funded by
Slingshot
BBC Films