Michaela is a writer and director based in Brisbane. Obsessed with cinema since she could talk, she wants to create visceral, thought-provoking experiences for women everywhere. In 2019, Michaela graduated with her Masters in Directing at Australia’s National film school, AFTRS. During this time, she took interest in exploring the authentic portrayal of anxiety on screen, writing and directing her first short narrative drama, My First Panic. The work had its World Premiere at Flickerfest in 2020, screened at Festival Mental in Lisbon and debuted on ABC iview for Mental Health Week later that year. Previously, she had cut her teeth directing and editing music videos for indie artists coming up in Brisbane’s thriving music scene. Her work from this era has been featured on Rage, Channel V, MTV, Pedestrian.TV and Rolling Stone Australia.

In 2022, Michaela was selected for the Queensland edition of Talent Camp (supported by Screen Queensland, Screen Australia and AFTRS). She enjoys her time surrounded by other writers as part of the ongoing Screen Queensland Writers Write initiative. In her future work, she is interested in furthering her exploration of taboo issues, the depiction of young women in cinema and reducing societal stigma surrounding mental health.

She loves dark humour, satire, and drama that’s been dressed up as horror. She admires people who aren’t afraid to take risks and is most compelled by writing driven by characters who are deeply flawed and deeply human. Michaela is in post-production for her second short film and is currently developing a slate of her own projects.

EMAIL: MICHAELAHOLMESFILM@GMAIL.COM
INSTAGRAM: @MICHAELALAHOLMES