Ella Valentine

What are some of your early writing experiences?

I still remember my very first writing piece. I remember exactly where I was sitting, the time of the day, and how it made me feel. I was only 8 years old and it’s kind of funny because it was about love, and what did I know about love at 8? It was also too deep for a child and to this day I wonder where that came from.

When I got into screenwriting initially, I was such a cliché, and I was overly ambitious. I also put too much pressure on myself, and I thought I was supposed to do every single thing, including editing. When I made my first short, Break The Sky, I was shown how to edit by my Professor at the time and I cried so much because I wasn’t very good at it, and I thought I was failing myself. To think of it, nobody even told me I didn’t have to necessarily edit my own film. Maybe they were scared to talk to me because I was so distressed. I have certainly calmed down now! In fact, I am the least perfectionist person I know. I find more beauty in imperfection, in the dynamics of leaving things slightly undone because life is ever flowing and evolving and I like to leave things open, moving.

Has there been one particular moment in your career that you’re most proud of?

There are several, but more than anything I am proud of never giving up. It’s been a long journey with many obstacles but more than ever I am beyond grateful and thankful to myself for not having given up along the way. And I guess I am also proud of myself for the same reason.

In terms of achievements, probably when I saw my name pop up on the screen at the premiere of the feature film I co-wrote, Revolution X. Seeing my name on a screen in the cinema room was so special and touching and I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life.

Probably the second moment was when I was scrolling through Apple TV’s film recommendation, and I saw Revolution X amongst the selected titles. The third moment would have been winning a Best Sci-Fi Film award at the London Independent Film Festival in 2023. Oh, and last but not least, seeing my name in a New York Times article.

You talk about your latest movie, Revolution X, which is a sci-fi and you also run a horror and thriller magazine. What is your preferred genre?

I’d definitely say psychological thriller. I also love contained and metaphysical sci-fi and psychological and elevated horror. I have always been exploring the human psyche, digging into our deepest and ugliest truths, and the opportunity to create something with meaning there is massive.

Who are some of the filmmakers or actors today that you take inspiration from or you’re looking to collaborate with?

I have been wanting to write a psychological thriller for Penn Badgley and Phoebe Dynevor for a while now. As a Bulgarian, I am also eager to work with Maria Bakalova who I am extremely proud of. She is one of the most talented actresses today and she has paved the way for other Eastern Europeans.

I’d also love to work with Brit Marling who in my opinion is the leading filmmaker when it comes to anything metaphysical. And I can’t not mention Coralie Fargeat who literally started a beauty standards revolution this year and I’m so here for it. I can’t wait to see what she does next and how she shapes Hollywood.

Some of my earliest inspirations were David Lynch and Charlie Kaufman and it would still be a dream come true if I ever get the chance to work with them.

You mention fellow Bulgarian Maria Bakalova. As a Bulgarian-born writer, how important is it for you to bring representation to the screen, and how do you incorporate elements of your heritage into your writing?

I guess part of it is knowing yourself and having a good awareness of who you are today and what shaped you the way you are. There are certain experiences in my life that changed me due to my upbringing, my school experience, my high school teachers, and first loves. And then there’s the adult life that hit me when I moved to London, such as university, work, dating.

Sometimes it all gets mixed up so it’s important to leave room for retrospection and to know who you are and why you are the way you are. Only when you know yourself or at least when you’re honest about the growth you need to go through, can you work on expressing that creatively with clarity. And of course, I am always looking to collaborate with other talented Eastern Europeans. I am also currently developing a script that is set in Bulgaria which will allow for more opportunities for local actors, actresses, and film crew.

In today’s Hollywood, there is a significant push for greater inclusivity and representation of women. How do you see your work contributing to this movement, and what changes do you still hope to see in the industry?

Absolutely true and it makes me so happy to see the push for change even though I still see women in the industry struggle with pay injustice, less opportunities or less respect in cases. I am very passionate about supporting women, that’s why I started my female film magazine, ‘Horror Valentines’, with which I try to promote female talent and, in the future, I will be implementing a job board to create more opportunities for women in film. I also hope to be able to produce films made by women one day.

Some of the changes I’d like to see would be more female points of view. We saw what this can do with The Substance. We need more of this and it’s out there, we just need to let women do their thing freely without judgment or unnecessary obstacles men don’t get to face on a daily basis.

Looking ahead, what other projects or dreams do you hope to achieve in the near future?

I am continuing to support women in the horror and thriller space with my publication ‘Horror Valentines’ while I develop three upcoming projects – one horror and two psychological thrillers.

The horror is set in post-socialist Bulgaria in the early 90s and follows Mira, who returns home after having lived abroad and discovers a dark rumor going around about her true identity. It is based on the Slavic mythological creature, Baba Yaga.

One of the psychological thrillers, with the working title of ‘This is What You Wanted,’ is about a struggling married couple that decides to ignite the passion by inviting a third into their bedroom. The story is centered around the wife who develops an obsession with the other woman, and it explores the impact our ugliest primal emotions have on our relationships by using metaphysical references. It’s inspired by Being John Malkovich and Behind Her Eyes. The other project is more under wraps for now!

Interested in Horror Valentines? Read it here: https://horrorvalentines.com/