MIDPOINT Series Launch
The Genesis Project
Five women enter a reality show to win a genetically engineered baby.
After losing her first child to a genetic illness, Nora joins a reality show by billionaire biohacker Magron, where five women compete for a perfect engineered baby. As the show goes on, Nora will cross any line to win the child she was once denied.
Main production country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the)
Producer's note
The five contestants originate from diverse backgrounds and nationalities, enhancing the show’s co-production potential. We are currently seeking a production company and are open to collaborating with partners across Europe to adapt the series for different markets.
Screenwiter's note
We live in an age obsessed with optimisation—our bodies, careers, diets, even our children. With the EU approving the first CRISPR therapies for inherited blood diseases, genetic modification is no longer science fiction. What happens when we cross the line from treatment to design?
Having worked as an investigative paralegal on some of the world’s worst medical scandals, I’ve seen how innovation can be miraculous—and deeply destructive.
Historically, having a child was women’s central act of creation. In a world obsessed with perfection, The Genesis Project pushes this to the extreme. It explores how far people will go to win, what they’re willing to sacrifice, and whether chasing a “perfect” future is a realistic dream.
At its heart, this is an age-old story with universal appeal—from Frankenstein to the ancient Greeks—about our fear of imperfection, our desire to protect children from suffering, and the monstrous acts we might justify in the name of love.
Subjects:
women, motherhood, technology, corruption, society, science, social media, absurd, disease
Melita Mukavec (b. 2000, Zagreb) holds a BA in Film and TV Directing from the Academy of Dramatic Arts, Zagreb, with an exchange year at FAMU in Prague. Her debut short "Cinderella“ (2019) won the Grand Prix at Dubrovnik Film Festival. During the pandemic, she directed the autobiographical doc "Unbearable Lightness of Staying“ (Motovun CDFG Campus), followed by "Too Soon“ (Croatian Filmmaking Revue, 2021) and "States“ (First Frame Student Festival, Leicester, 2022). She has worked as a production assistant and currently serves as assistant producer for Zagreb Film Festival’s industry sector, while freelancing on film and TV projects. Melita is developing "Turning Point,“ a short doc web series on young people’s struggles with decision-making.
Daniela Esposito (b. 1995, London) graduated in Law in 2018 and worked for the UK government investigating the contaminated blood scandal. In 2023, she completed a one-year Screenwriting course at FAMU, co-writing "Žebra“ (2Annas Festival, Riga) and "The Care You Give“ (Lift-Off Festival, Tokyo). That year, she joined MIDPOINT’s Writers’ Room, and her series concept co-written with Melita was shortlisted for the NEM Contest in Zagreb. In 2024, her short "The World Is Too Much with Us“ (dir. Esben Sloth) received the London Help to Roll Film Fund and Filmværkstedet support. Daniela’s short fiction has appeared in literary journals; she was longlisted for the 2024 Desperate Literature Prize and is developing a collection with The Literary Consultancy.