'SPICE FOR LIFE' - A Short Film

HI! I’M SALEEM MIAH

I’m a filmmaker and I have a story to tell. It’s about my time growing up in foster care. This experience has shaped the entire trajectory of my life, but not in the way you’d assume. No, I’m not a criminal. I’m not a drug addict. I didn’t drop out of school. Before you ask, I’m not lying either!

My life has, thankfully, taken a different path. Why? Because good people have helped me. I’ve had to find my own family. Most people are born into one and stuck with them for the rest of their lives, for better or for worse. I want to show you what it’s like - being taken away from everything you’ve ever known and thrown into a house with a stranger, forced to survive. It sounds bleak, but it really isn’t. This story is about the good of humanity. Hope. To believe life can be joyous. To share it with people who look and live nothing like you. I’ve never seen a story like mine told on film.

That’s why I wrote Spice for Life, a story inspired by my real-life experience as a young British Asian in the foster care system.

Over the past few months, I have been developing the script with some incredible industry mentors of mine (thank you RTS Bursary Scheme). Now, we’re ready to make the film - but we need your help.

WHAT IS SPICE FOR LIFE ABOUT?

Life is unpredictable. We’ve all been thrown into situations we never thought we’d be in. That’s how you find out who you really are. And that’s where we meet young Asian lad Sully, moving into Helen’s house after being taken away from his family. He doesn’t want to be there. She wants him to like her. So what does she do? She cooks him a curry. Yes, seriously.

But he struggles to trust her. Everyone he’s ever known, who should’ve cared for him, has let him down. Why would this woman be any different?

Will he give her a chance?

If you want to find out you’ll have to watch the film. To watch the film, we’ll need to make the film. Obviously. But to do that, we need your help!

Adam Hussain (Coronation Street, The Bay) is attached to star as Sully.

The story is told with both warmth and humour, but most importantly, with heart and authenticity. It’s also set up North with young British talent front and centre. What more could you want?

WHY THIS STORY MATTERS

Growing up, I never saw a portrayal of family that reflected my own reality. Too often, characters with backgrounds like mine are depicted as troublemakers, drug dealers, criminals. I want to change the narrative. I want to humanise us.

I’m not the only one. Look at Samantha Morton’s phenomenal BAFTA speech (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRWsuuZTRLM). We are capable of more than the statistics lay out for us.

Help me change this perception. Spice For Life is written by someone who knows the ins and outs of this experience. This is about connection. Our shared humanity, regardless of cultural background. The journey of two completely different people finding common ground. Isn’t that what life is all about?

By contributing to the making of this film you’re helping young creative talent get their break into a notoriously difficult industry and getting underrepresented voices on screen. Bottom line, you're helping us tell a good story, guaranteed to make you laugh and cry (not too much crying, hopefully).

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Your generous contributions will help us to:

Pay our cast and crew fairly

Feed and support our team

Secure locations and prop design

Hire industry-standard equipment

Edit and score the film professionally

Distribute the final film

THE TEAM

Saleem Miah

Saleem Miah is a third year Filmmaking student from Manchester and recipient of the RTS Beryl Vertue Scholarship, supported by Hartswood Films. He began his journey into the industry through a local BFI talent development scheme, going on to gain a place on the NFTS Film Academy. During his time at university, he has worked as a freelance runner and researcher on various TV drama and documentary projects. He is keen to dedicate his career to getting underrepresented voices on screen.

He recently gave a speech at the 10 year celebration of the Royal Television Bursary Scheme: https://rts.org.uk/video/saleem-miahs-celebrating-10-years-rts-bursary-scheme

Ahmad Mohsin

Growing up in Manchester, Ahmad has always had a burning to create worlds beyond his own. A multi-talented creative with experience in film and music, Ahmad started his journey in the arts as a teenager writing scripts in his room. Since then, he has worked in and around the North West, developing his skills along the way. In 2020, he would begin his undergraduate degree in Film & Television Production at Edge Hill University. 2021 saw Ahmad attain an RTS Bursary Scholarship, and in 2022, he was commissioned to create the documentary short ‘IN TURN; RETROGRADE’, which would go on to be RTS nominated. Digging further into his musical interests, 2023 would be the year he started releasing music, leading up to his first album release in 2024, ‘The rot’.