Almond Tree
Productions
Queer led production company, shooting from the heart.
Beige written by Olivia D'Lima
A humorous commentary on life as a mixed race actor.
Ethnically vague, racially ambiguous, too white, too dark...yes, these are real life comments from the industry. This short spies on the audition process and opens our eyes to what it's like for mixed race actors in the industry today. These rooms see some of the most cringe-worthy moments for actors, who are desperately trying to showcase their talent. This short exposes the pressure that is put on them to tick all of the right boxes. An awkward, vulnerable and funny look into the cost of putting yourself out there and just how far we still have to go with working out our prejudices and preconceptions.
Olivia is a London-based actor and writer, most known for her performance as paramedic Fenisha Khatri in BBC's CASUALTY, a role that led her to receive a nomination at the 2021 National Television Awards. Olivia had an unconventional route into the industry; having never trained, she jumped headfirst into every and any job she could find.
Quickly, she discovered there was a very narrow view of what it means to be "mixed race" and feared that the lack of communication about what true diversity means would prevent her from working her way into TV and Film. Despite booking the incredible role in CASUALTY, the struggle she had always felt in the casting room or in conversations with producers or in make-up had left her with a frustration she had to share. She began writing, initially carving out roles for herself but the necessity soon became passion and she was slowly but surely becoming a writer.
Her debut short film, A NORMAL NIGHT., premiered at the London Independent Film Festival in April 2022, aiming to shine a light on 21st Century millennial couples and their interactions with technology.
Her writing is heavily inspired by her personal experiences, hence the creation of BEIGE. Based on real experiences, BEIGE is Olivia's answer to the industry's ever-pressing question: Where are you from?