Clare Elliott is a Canadian-British film director, writer, and interdisciplinary artist based in London. Her work blends magical realism with emotionally rich storytelling. From short films and music videos to acclaimed stage productions, her craft is characterised by depth and detail, with a love of humanity at its core.  

Her latest work Protection (2024), has come from an eight year deep dive into a world that has wholly lived in the shadows until recently. Through the work Clare’s vision has adapted. As she explores the physical aspect of a film, using the camera to transport the audience into the mind of her characters, her work has adopted a visceral quality.  Clare’s attention to detail places importance on the minutia, her use of repetition begs the audience to pivot their focus and reframe their views.  Having worked extensively within the communities she portrays, she uses her connections to create worlds propped up by locals  and archetypal characters that epitomise the essence of it. A pastiche use of styling contributes to a sense of magic realism while speaking to the value systems of the times. A stripping back the layers sheds light on how things aren't quite as they seem. Clare’s work reaches deep into the guts of what it’s like to exist in the world of the film. 

Music plays a vital contribution to her work where immersive scores underpin a soundtracks of seminal songs.  

After graduating with a BA in Drama, Clare Elliott started High Horse Theatre Productions in 2009 with fellow Artistic Director Anne Brown (Leroy Street Theatre). It was at this point that she transitioned from acting into writing and directing, debuting her plays Sisters of Mercy (2008), Strangelet (2009) and Tales of a Light Touch (2009). The evening of one act plays (3) ran for three successful seasons and allowed for one first time playwright per show. 

Clare completed her first feature length film, The Last Ride (2011) which she co wrote with Stefan Arngrim and Anthony Wilson. The film gained interest from Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Productions and was picked up by Nasser Productions. The experience drove her to take her career into her own hands. 

Clare’s journey into making video art cemented her as an artist and to be part of a group show at Outpost Gallery, Norwich where she showed, Eating (2013), a series of six projections capturing various emotional states of being. 

Clare went on to galvanise a team of friends and then investors, crews and a cast to work with her. Her acclaimed short Paris Is (2015) showcases her ability to blend evocative storytelling with music, features an original score by acclaimed musicians Kai Campos and The Allah-Las. The film was selected for the BFI Network platform and headlined the Reverberation Radio Oh So Slow Festival in Bali. This Is A Relationship (2017) scored by Steven Julien (Apron Records) and I Just Wanted to Be Loved (2018) scored by acclaimed music producer Orlando Higginbottom, further demonstrates Clare’s flair for capturing human connection in all its forms: love, loss, and the attachments we form to people, places, and things.

Her use of cinematic language and evolving artistry position her as a filmmaker who not only tells stories but builds immersive worlds. Often portraying characters and narratives that subvert societal norms. Clare’s work blends raw emotional intimacy with sophisticated narrative structures, and invites the audience to engage with cinema as an ever-evolving conversation between what is seen, what is heard, and what is felt. Interweaving deeply personal narratives with universal themes, she is set to establish herself as a bold voice in contemporary cinema.