🌱 The latest with Holly Holdsworth

Hello

Hope you’ve been well since we last caught up back in November. Six months have gone very fast. Last time I was keen to highlight not only what was brilliant, but also what was tough. Some lovely encouragement came back based on that honesty and I can say (with thanks) that some of things I was struggling with have progressed.

The brilliant…

🤗 I was a finalist for The Pitch Film Fund for a second time! Although my idea wasn’t chosen for funding, the generous process meant I was able to take part in the residential in the Lakes (where the photo above was taken). Three days spent with filmmakers, developing our skills, encouraging each other and in a beautiful surrounding was a brilliant way to finish a year. It’s made me want to explore the possibility of more community focused creative mini-retreats. Would be interested to know your experiences of similar.

🍿 My short film Fathom screened at Two Short Nights Festival in Exeter. Having its premiere somewhat close to Bristol (where all of our post-production took place) meant that three members of the team were able to join me there.

🥳 And imminent news; Fathom will be screening at Romford Film Festival in London on Friday 23^_rd May. If you’re able to come, I would love for you to see this film on a big screen (and with big sound). You can buy a ticket to the screening here, (in shorts session 3). I’ll be in town for the whole weekend, so do let me know if we can get a coffee and catch up properly.

📚 One of the biggest joys of 2025 so far are the script swaps I’ve done with fellow writers and the supportive feedback we’ve been able to give each other. If you’re one of those writers, know that I deeply value that time between us. Or if you’re interested in a swap, let me know.

🍲 Similarly I began a monthly potluck film night at my house. Everyone brings a dish and a film option. Then we vote, eat and watch. Having a mix of filmmakers and friends in other circles of life, coupled with the intention to bring film options that are non-mainstream, means that we never know what we’'ll watch or who we’ll share that time with. I’d definitely encourage you to start your own similar night. We’ve been having great fun. (And I finally watched Akira - jury’s out on how “mainstream” that is).

🌟 On a sillier note, my animated short Star Wars: A New Toke screened at the Bluescreen shorts night at the Cube cinema Bristol last month. Originally a lockdown experiment in whether I could recreate the original Star Wars film from memory by only using the 1995 children’s game Microsoft 3D Movie Maker. The audience at Cube were really onboard for how nonsensical the whole project was. You can watch it online here. May the fourth be with you!

The tough…

🤯 The thing I’m struggling with most so far this year is uncertainty in direction. I know very definitely that I want to write and direct films, and that I gravitate towards female-led, drama, speculative fiction, sci-fi and horror. But building a plan for moving into features feels foggy, given there are so many routes but no guarantees. Here are a few I’m evaluating:

🎬 Concentrate on making my own shorts (with or without funding)
✍️ Write more spec film & tv scripts and try to get into a writers room
👩🏻‍💻 Make myself & my work more visible online (with all the long hours of content generation & social media that could entail)
👋 Work on building up an audience via IRL activity (plus useful for crowd funding down the line)
🏅 Try to get onto labs and other talent schemes
📸 Make a super low budget feature to take to a buyers festival
💃 Know more producers (to make some of the above possible)
🕺🏼 Know more agents (to make some of the above possible)
🌍 Know more everybody

And earn rent money, time with family, socialise, swim, read, watch films, eat, sleep…

Right now I’m trying to do everything, everywhere, all at once. And it’s tough.
- Turns out eating whilst swimming and sleeping whilst invigilating an exam are both frowned upon. 🤷‍♀️

But I am staying grateful that I know what I want to do, have supportive family & friends, and have some time to dedicate to this.

The upcoming…

🎬 My immediate intention is to film a short this summer; exploring political rifts in families, migration and our responsibilities to the direction of our children’s lives. If this sounds like a story you’d like to tell with me, get in touch.

🛳️ I’m going on a cruise for the first time soon (a little scary). It’ll be a week in the Norwegian fjords with my Mum. My grandparents met under similar circumstances… 😳

So that brings you up to date with me. What’s new with you? Drop me an email or text, or let’s meet in person in Bristol, London or Norway!

All the best for now,
Holly

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