Gillian McIver

I began as an underground filmmaker, creating experimental works on Super 8 and VHS. Much of what I made in those early years was very exploratory and unconventional. Later, I attended film school—perhaps not the best decision, as it softened some of that raw energy. Still, it provided useful structure, and soon after I co-founded an art collective called *Luna Nera*. For about ten years, we travelled throughout Europe, producing large-scale site-specific installations in unusual and often striking locations.

After that period, I opened a small gallery in London. It functioned as a combined gallery, studio, and event space where we hosted everything from film screenings to multi-site mural projects.

Since 2016, I have focused primarily on writing, mainly non-fiction. More recently, I’ve turned towards fiction and begun exploring forms such as flash fiction, prose poetry, spoken word, and storytelling. My latest project, *The Alchemy Theatre*, is a miniature theatre featuring moving scenography and spoken word performance.

I’m interested in attending the festival for several reasons. It would be wonderful to have the freedom and time to create without distraction. I’d particularly like to use the opportunity for freeform creative writing, as well as to collaborate with other artists—perhaps writing with them, about them, or devising new performative work together.

I also have a personal connection to Croatia, as my mother’s family is from there. Although I am Canadian and identify strongly as such, it is meaningful to establish a connection to my ancestral roots.

My practice is deeply collaborative and interactive, and I truly enjoy working alongside artists from diverse backgrounds. The festival’s open and freeform approach feels like the ideal environment for the kind of creative exploration I’m seeking at this moment.