It was hard to know what to follow up my short film ‘Rachel’ with, but I knew I wanted it to be something that would similarly make people think beyond the film, about life and how we deal with each other.  And I knew I wanted it to be a film that would invoke laughter rather than tears.

And I was determined to write a story with a starring role for Arinder Sadhra, in appreciation of her so generously agreeing to take on a tiny role in ‘Rachel’, albeit a role that she made memorably beautiful despite the brevity of her appearance.

Out of that desire has come  ‘Approval Needed’ – a heartwarming story about a traffic warden having a very bad day but then discovers a surprising friend and ally at the supermarket checkout. And I’m pleased to announced that this new project has already met with some serious amount of approval. Last month ‘Approval Needed’ was one of five finalists for the IMDb Script to Screen Awards. The event was hosted by Holly Tarquini who runs the Bath Film Festival (as is also the heroine who developed the F-Rating for women led films). The screenplays were performed by actors from Bath Spa University at the Komedia, Bath in front of a public audience and a panel of industry experts including the founder of IMDb, Col Needham, Kate Leys, Olivia Hetreed and Úna Ní Dhonghaíle.

It was just wonderful to hear the words come to life – special thanks to Jess Bennett and Savannah Davies – and to feel the positive audience reaction to ‘Approval Needed’ – there was  even more laughter than I had hoped for. So, I’ll admit it was a bit disappointing not to secure the over-all prize of funding to make my film but, to be honest, winning the Audience Award “hands down” meant just as much to me, if not more – the audience is, in the end, who films are for.

So, I am now really determined to make ‘Approval Needed’ later this year and I am already putting together the budget and making scheduling plans around Arinder’s upcoming UK tour with War Horse.

I am confident that by this time next year, ‘Approval Needed’ will be made and showing in festivals – probably even surmounting the success of ‘Rachel‘. After all, last year I was in a similar situation, with Rachel being one of the five finalists for the UK Jewish Film Festival’s Pears Fund and despite missing out on that funding, we managed to make an award-winning and thought-provoking film.

All I hope is that when I next make it to the final five of something it will with a BAFTA nomination, and a case of third time lucky. And, I did enjoy the box of Milk Tray that came with my IMDb Audience Award, but I expect a handsome man in black to jump out of a helicopter and ski down a mountain to deliver my next award to me!