WHO AM I?

Ava Bounds is a 20-year-old writer and director from Yorkshire whose award-winning films blend dark comedy, surreal storytelling and emotional honesty.

Part of a new generation of British filmmakers, she is drawn to stories that are a little off-centre, creating heightened worlds that explore the complexities of human relationships with humour, heart and the unexpected.

At just 15, Ava became the youngest recipient of the IMDb New Filmmaker Award for her period drama Beth. She made her directorial debut with the sci-fi short Players, before writing and directing Boozehound and subsequent shorts. Across five short films, her work has screened and won awards at BAFTA- and Oscar-qualifying festivals, earning recognition for its ambitious storytelling and distinctive visual style. Her films have also secured distribution across Asia, reaching audiences across multiple territories.

Alongside filmmaking, Ava was commissioned by Leeds Playhouse to write original stage plays, further developing her voice across both screen and theatre.

She is currently developing her debut feature film with the support of Channel 4 Skills, continuing to build a body of work that balances cinematic ambition with wit and emotional truth.