We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lilia Doytchinova a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Lilia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is my first feature film, “The Haunting of Hollywood”. It’s a psychological, supernatural drama — but beneath the ghost story, it’s really about the mental toll of chasing a dream in a city that can chew you up and spit you out if you’re not careful.
I was born and raised in Bulgaria and moved to the U.S. alone at 17 to study theater and film. I went on to graduate from the USC School of Cinematic Arts with a degree in Film and TV Production. For years, I worked on big Hollywood sets — “The Expendables”, “Creed II”, “Ray Donovan” — watching how the machine operates. But there was always this other story I needed to tell, one that came from my own struggles with isolation, ambition, and identity while trying to ‘make it’ in Los Angeles.
I wrote “The Haunting of Hollywood” during a time when I was at a crossroads — do I keep playing it safe and working on other people’s visions, or do I risk everything to tell my own story? It felt impossible at first. I had no big budget, no powerful backers — just my own savings, resourcefulness, and an amazing team of friends and collaborators who believed in me enough to climb the Hollywood sign at 4 a.m. in the cold and weather snowstorms in Arrowhead at night to get the shots we needed.
We finished the film against all odds, and seeing it come to life — and resonate with audiences who see themselves in it — has been the greatest reminder that sometimes the scariest thing you can do is bet on yourself. That film cracked me open as an artist and showed me that my voice matters — and that if you build something honest, people will feel it.
It also gave me the courage to keep telling stories that don’t always get told — stories about outsiders, dreamers, and the hidden cost of wanting more. It’s not just a film to me — it’s proof that I can create something from nothing, and that’s a lesson I’ll carry into every project I make from here on out.
Lilia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m an independent filmmaker, writer, and creative originally from Bulgaria — now based in Los Angeles. I’ve always been obsessed with storytelling in all its forms. I moved to the U.S. alone at 17 to study theater and film, and I went on to graduate from the USC School of Cinematic Arts with a BFA in Film & TV Production.
Before directing my own films, I spent years working behind the scenes on major Hollywood sets like “The Expendables”, “Creed II”, and “Ray Donovan.” That experience taught me how the industry works at its highest level — but it also showed me how easy it is for personal, unconventional voices to get lost in the noise.
So, I took the risk to become my own voice. My debut feature, “The Haunting of Hollywood,” is a psychological thriller that explores the haunting side of ambition and the hidden cost of chasing dreams in this city. The film was made on a shoestring budget with pure determination, and I’m proud to say it’s now streaming on platforms like Amazon Prime and Fandango at Home, and coming soon on more platforms. If there’s one thing that sets my work apart, it’s that I don’t shy away from the darker corners of the human experience — I believe that’s where we find the truth that connects us.
As an immigrant, my perspective is shaped by the experience of leaving everything behind to chase a dream. I’m fascinated by the feeling of being caught between worlds — between cultures, identities, realities — and my work often lives in that space where ambition, longing, and the human psyche collide.
Right now, I’m developing my second feature film and a period TV series that digs even deeper into the immigrant experience and the personal cost of reinvention. I’m driven to tell stories that are psychologically layered, sometimes uncomfortable, and always human — the kind of work that sticks with you long after the credits roll.
I’m a director and storyteller for people who want something real, raw, and a little haunting. If you’re looking for a bold, driven, European female director who isn’t afraid to tackle the messy truth — I’m that collaborator. I believe in fearless storytelling, in building things from scratch, and in making art that connects people across borders and boundaries.
If there’s one thing I want people to know about my work, it’s this: I didn’t wait for permission to create it — and I don’t think you should either.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
One story that really captures my resilience happened during the making of “The Haunting of Hollywood.” We had no big studio backing us — just a tiny budget, a script, and a team of friends who were willing to fight for this story with me.
I remember one night in particular: we needed a specific shot at the Hollywood sign. The only way to get it safely — and without permits we couldn’t afford — was to hike up in the freezing dark at 4 a.m. We carried our gear up those hills while most of the city was asleep, wrapped in blankets between takes to keep warm.
Another time, we filmed a crucial sequence during a snowstorm in Lake Arrowhead. Everything was working against us — the weather, our equipment freezing, exhaustion. But we made it happen anyway, because we knew the shot mattered.
Those moments taught me that if you really want to make something happen, you’ll find a way — even when the world says you shouldn’t or can’t. I think that’s the core of resilience for any artist: refusing to back down when the dream feels bigger than your resources.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
The simplest answer is: trust us and pay us. Too often, artists and creatives are expected to pour out our hearts and minds for exposure or ‘opportunity’ alone. But stories, music, films, paintings — these things shape culture and hold up a mirror to society in ways that big institutions never can.
We need real, consistent support: grants, affordable workspaces, community-backed funding, public programs that make it possible for underrepresented voices to build careers. And we need audiences who are willing to show up — to buy tickets to indie films, attend local theater, support local galleries, champion new voices instead of just the biggest names.
A thriving creative ecosystem is one where an artist doesn’t have to choose between surviving and creating. When we invest in artists, we invest in ideas, truth, and the emotional glue that holds communities together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.venuslightent.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilia.directs
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556100097844
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/lilia-d-4a2209b3
- Twitter: https://x.com/hauntingOfHwood
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hauntingofhollywood
- SoundCloud: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0rIIROwCzlRPEUW2ROKScs
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@hauntingofhollywood https://www.instagram.com/hauntingofhollywood/ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29508975/?ref_=nm_knf_t_1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.af473980-03d5-452c-94ba-acd13cae1f06?ref_=imdbref_tt_ov_wbr_ovf__pvt_aiv&tag=imdbtag_tt_ov_wbr_ovf__pvt_aiv-20 https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0rIIROwCzlRPEUW2ROKScs https://beacons.ai/hauntingofhollywood
Image Credits
Photo by Steve Escarcega from the Silicon Beach Film Festival 2024 Photos from USC Screening with Q&As Photos from set with cast and crew Photos from Marche Du Film at Cannes Film Festival Artwork for the official theatrical and streaming poster of the movie “The Haunting of Hollywood”