In short science fiction film, Lab Rat, by Nour Wazzi, it’s the near future, and a group of scientists are trapped in a lab and pitted against one another when they learn that one of them is an A.I. and has been deceiving them. They cannot escape until they figure out who it is.

The experiment is orchestrated by a misanthropic lead scientist, whose protégé daughter finds herself questioning if her lover might be the A.I., and as the scientists turn on him, faces an impossible choice. 

Lab Rat questions what it means to be human in a world that intends to commodify love, and just as the truth isn’t visible to the characters and everyone appears to be hiding something, the views are obscured so the audience doesn’t always see everything clearly either.

Kirsty Sturgess acts as the anchor of this ensemble piece as Alika, who observes a group of scientists trapped in a lab until they can discover which one of them is actually an A.I. Her mother, Dr. Edwards, portrayed by Trinidadian actress, Abeo Jackson, sits at the head of the company, and across the film will pressure her daughter to question whether her friends and even her secret lover (Matt Harris), are what they seem to be.

Dr Edwards’ company is at the forefront of these developments – new androids can sweat, bleed, feel emotion – and in an unexpected move locks down the offices and forces her small team to identify who among them is not quite human. No one can leave until it’s done.

Lab Rat is also an indictment of corporate science and anything for a profit mentality. The fact that this test could get somebody killed or emotionally scarred is irrelevant. As is the rather questionable nature of the purpose for which the AI is being developed.

On Lab Rat, the production consciously tried to prioritise hiring women and people of colour below-the-line (in technical roles), and while they had a 46% woman and 28% POC team, they found the UK’s infrastructure lacking that access to diversity altogether.

The film director, Nour, an award-winning filmmaker has worked in the industry for over 13 years collaborating on and developing features.

A short film that packs a lot into just fifteen minutes – Lab Rat is available on the Dust Youtube Channel.