Meet Elizabeth Aurora Petersen | Writer/Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elizabeth Aurora Petersen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elizabeth Aurora, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
Lately, one of the things that’s made me happiest is discovering just how alive independent filmmaking is outside of the traditional Hollywood system. For a long time, it felt like Los Angeles was the center of everything, but over the past few years I’ve had the chance to meet filmmakers, programmers, theater owners, and audiences in places all over the country who are building incredible creative communities of their own.

It’s been exciting to see independent theaters and grassroots film organizations giving artists a place to screen their work and connect directly with audiences. There are so many people volunteering their time, organizing festivals, hosting repertory screenings, and championing independent voices simply because they love movies. That passion is contagious.

I think we’re living through a moment where filmmaking feels more decentralized than ever. Thanks to affordable technology and online distribution, great work can come from almost anywhere, and audiences are increasingly willing to seek it out. As an independent filmmaker, that’s incredibly encouraging. It reminds me that there isn’t just one path to building a career anymore, and that meaningful film communities can exist far beyond Hollywood.

Meeting these communities has renewed my optimism about the future of independent cinema. It’s easy to focus on the challenges facing the industry, but when you spend time with people who are keeping local film culture alive simply because they believe stories matter, it’s hard not to feel inspired.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Right now I’m most excited about my upcoming feature film, “The Great God Pan”, which will be released theatrically later this year. Looking back, I’m incredibly proud that I was able to finish it despite everything life threw at me over the past few years. It feels like the culmination of everything I’ve learned as a filmmaker, both creatively and personally.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that creativity doesn’t have to stop when life gets difficult. In fact, I’ve learned that creating can be one of the healthiest ways to process those experiences. Even recently, someone close to me passed away before filming, I ended up revising the script for “The Great God Pan” a few days later in spite of dealing with the loss. A couple of years ago, I don’t think I would have been emotionally capable of doing that. I probably would have shut down creatively for weeks or months.

That doesn’t mean ignoring grief or pretending everything is okay. It means allowing those emotions to become part of the creative process instead of letting them stop it. I’m proud of how much I’ve grown in that respect.

Professionally, my path certainly wasn’t easy. Like many independent filmmakers, I invested years in film school, took on (massive) student loans, worked on countless productions, and learned that making the film is only half the job. You also have to learn how to market it, distribute it, and find an audience. Every project has taught me something new, and every setback has made me a more resilient filmmaker.

If there’s one thing I’d want people to know about me and my work, it’s that I believe independent filmmaking is still one of the most exciting places to tell original stories. Limitations force creativity, and I hope my films—including “The Great God Pan”—show that you don’t need enormous budgets to create worlds that audiences can get lost in.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If a friend visited me in Los Angeles, we’d definitely wander around Greystone Mansion. If you’re a film fan you’ll recognize it from movies and television shows -plus there’s parking and a nice bathroom which is a huge selling point. After that, we’d head to Los Feliz for Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams and spend some time walking the neighborhood. I lived in Los Feliz for many years, it was one of my favorite parts of LA.

We’d definitely drive up the coast highway. I’m a big fan of night beach adventures, we’d probably go up north of Malibu and find a spot away from the crowds.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to the people who actively support artists. They don’t always get much recognition, but they’re often the reason creative work gets made in the first place.

Being an artist today—especially if you come from a middle-class or working-class background—can feel like choosing between making art and living a comfortable life. There are countless talented people who simply don’t have the financial safety net to keep creating, and that’s why people who believe in artists are so important.

I’ve been fortunate to meet individuals who have made it their mission to help bridge that gap. They shared practical business knowledge that isn’t typically emphasized in art school but is absolutely essential if you want to build a sustainable creative career. Learning how to market your work, building an audience, and think like an entrepreneur has been just as valuable as anything I learned behind a camera.

Art doesn’t survive on talent alone. It survives because there are people who believe it’s worth supporting, and I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has encouraged me along the way.

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