Originally from Bulgaria, Lilia began her artistic journey in the post-communist Eastern European country before coming to the United States at 17. She excelled in Theatre Arts at a gritty, urban New York college, fostering her talent for relatable underground art and graduating with honors. Faced with a tough choice between a highly-coveted seat at the School of Visual Arts (Keith Haring, Jared Leto, Annie Lebovitz) and USC, she chose her filmmaking path at the prestigious School of Cinematic Arts under her soon-to-be mentor Mardik Martin (“Raging Bull”).
While pursuing her studies, she simultaneously amassed professional experience as a director and producer’s assistant on the international sets of prominent Hollywood films and TV productions. Her work spanned high-profile projects like “The Expendables" (franchise), “Creed II,” and “Ray Donovan” supporting talents including Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Liev Schreiber, Avi Lerner and Kevin King Templeton.
Ultimately, she channeled her innate talent and creativity, along with her comprehensive education and hands-on experience, into writing, directing, editing, and producing her debut feature film, “The Haunting of Hollywood.” This accomplishment solidifies her as a formidable emerging talent in the film industry, earning accolades for Best Director and Best Thriller- awarded twice on the festival circuit. Lilia is now continuing her film journey, focused on developing her second feature and a captivating TV period series.