by Holly Elizabeth (she/her)

@hxllyelizabeth

@filmedbyhollyelizabeth

ARTIST BIO:

“I’m a 20-year-old cinematographer based between Brighton and Manchester, currently studying Film Production at the University of Salford. I’m still at the beginning of my journey, but I’ve already fallen in love with the camera as a way of telling intimate, honest stories.

My focus is on creating queer media that feels real, work that allows people to see themselves on screen in ways that are soft, messy, joyful, and true. I’m drawn to visual storytelling that captures subtle emotions and quiet moments, and I aim to build a body of work that feels both personal and accessible.

So far, I’ve worked on short films, dance pieces, and collaborative projects where I’ve been able to explore different styles and techniques. Whether I’m shooting handheld or working with carefully composed frames, I’m always trying to find the most meaningful way to visually express a story. I’m especially inspired by queer filmmakers, raw indie cinema, and the kind of art that lingers long after it ends.

Right now, I’m building my portfolio and looking for collaborators who share a love for emotionally-driven, inclusive storytelling.”

Tell us about your relationship between your art and identifying as a lesbian:

“My work is shaped by my queerness in quiet but intentional ways. I’m drawn to stories that centre women—not as objects or supporting roles, but as full, complicated people. A big part of my practice is about unlearning how we’ve been taught to look at women on screen. I want to shoot them with care, softness, and respect—especially in ways that aren’t sexualised.

As a lesbian, I’m especially interested in WLW stories that don’t rely on clichés. I don’t want to make films where someone dies at the end, or where queerness is treated like a plot twist or a problem to be solved. I want to show queer love as it is in real life: gentle, awkward, joyful, boring, electric.

I want to make things that reflect how it feels to exist as a queer person in the world—without always having to explain it. I haven’t identified as a lesbian for very long, but being with my girlfriend has helped me feel more grounded in myself—and more creative, too. There’s something about being truly seen and loved that makes it easier to be brave in art. My work is, in many ways, a reflection of that.”

TELL US ABOUT THE PIECE YOU’RE SUBMITTING:

“Bound to the Pyre began as an idea I developed out of a desire to see more queer stories rooted in history but told with care, beauty, and defiance. I encouraged other queer creatives to join the project, wanting it to be made by people who deeply understood the stakes of the story. Set in 1800s England, it follows a lesbian accused of witchcraft, forced to flee from the woman she loves. It’s about fear, repression, and love surviving in the shadows—but it’s also about reclaiming space in a history that so often erased people like us. At its heart, Bound to the Pyre is a love story shaped by danger, but not defined by tragedy. It allowed me to bring together my identity and my craft, and to build something that felt true to both.”