And the Academy Award Goes to: Aurora Iler!
We’re over the moon to share that Aurora, who was nominated as a finalist at the 45th Annual Young Artist Academy Awards, has taken home the award for Best Young Actress in a Short Film! The Teen Breathe team is incredibly proud and cheering her on every step of the way. Congrats, Aurora!
Meet 13-year-old Aurora Iler, making waves in the film industry
At just 13 years old, Sydney-based Aurora has already made a significant impact in the film industry. Nominated as a finalist at the 45th Annual Young Artist Academy Awards for Best Young Actress in a Short Film, Aurora is set to attend the prestigious event at the Directors Guild of America in Hollywood, thanks to the generous sponsorship from Flight Centre Australia.
Aurora’s nominated short film, Grape, is a project she passionately created, directed, produced, wrote, and starred in. The film, inspired by her observations of peers’ behaviours at school, was her way of making a difference. Aurora’s hard work paid off as her film premiered globally in Beverly Hills, winning the Best Young Actor Award. It later showcased at the Mammoth Film Festival, where she earned the Frozen Mammoth Award as the Youngest Filmmaker.
Her achievements extend beyond film festivals. The Queensland education department has incorporated her film into the curriculum of all 1,700 state schools, and Aurora was honoured with the 7news Young Achiever of the Year award for her contributions to community and family safety.
With her upcoming trip to Hollywood and a chance at winning the coveted Academy Award, Aurora’s journey is truly inspiring. We had the pleasure of interviewing this talented young filmmaker to learn more about her incredible achievements and future aspirations.
What inspired you to get into filmmaking?
I was first inspired to start filmmaking when I worked on my first short film, it was a Griffith University student’s film to graduate. Her name was Lilli Corrias-Smith and the film was called Before We’re Gone. It was when I was working with the university students on this film, that I realised they were all the same age as my eldest brother. It was then that I thought hey maybe I could do this too with things that are important to me. So, I wrote my first film and it was about helmet safety.
What advice would you give to other teens who are looking to enter the film industry?
Don’t be afraid to just start. It can be really scary, but you can take small steps to start out. If you have an idea, write it down. If you have a group of friends or family borrow them for an afternoon and film it yourself, most of us have phones, or other devices we can record on. Put yourself out there, because those who want to support you will and those who won’t support you were never going to in the first place.
Do you see yourself continuing this career path in the future?
Absolutely. I do what I am doing now to ensure that I can continue working in the film industry into adulthood as it is my passion. I try to learn from everyone around me to make sure I am constantly growing.
What has been your favourite thing since the success of Grape?
My favourite thing was when I was invited to Moreton Bay College to speak to the students about the film and play it for them. It has been my favourite part because it gave me the opportunity of seeing the film with its intended audience. Seeing the impact it immediately has on people and hearing all their questions after they watch it really made all the hard work of making it worth it.
What are some of the challenges you faced during the production of this film?
One of the challenges was that despite us having a small crew, we filmed over three locations. So arranging and organising each location while we were working on another one took a lot of planning!
How did you go about finding actors and locations for filming?
Because this was the second film I had made, thankfully I was able to use mostly the same locations. I used my old school as one location because they were really supportive of me and my films. We also filmed in our old home and lastly we had a fire scene in a backyard. That location and set dressing was at the home of my assistant director and the acting coach I had on the film, Peter Kent. For all the cast roles I put a public call out on my Instagram asking who would want to be involved, and then I held auditions for everyone who contacted me. A lot of people had already worked on my first film. I always promote my films and roles on my Instagram @therealaurorailer
How do you balance filmmaking with school and other responsibilities?
I try to make sure I stay up to date with my schoolwork because that allows me to keep the rest of my time free for my acting and filmmaking.
I have learned the hard way that I need to try and keep my filmmaking world and my school world separate, because I have had experiences where I was made fun of because of my goals and passion. I even had to change schools this year after only six months at one of them.
Who are your biggest influences and role models in the industry?
Reese Witherspoon has been a big influence on me because she doesn’t just act in her projects but creates them and makes them too.
I have also been lucky enough to meet Nadine Crocker who is a fellow female writer, director, and actor who is creating change with her own thought-provoking content. She inspires me by showing me how to take the films we make and make sure as many people see them as possible.
What have you learned about yourself through working in the film industry?
I have learned that my ideas are unique and interesting and that I just need to have more belief in myself!
My Mum has always taught me that ‘if you don’t ask, the answer is always no’, and I use that lesson in my filmmaking. I have learned that people and companies want to help, but sometimes they just want to be told how they can help you. So don’t be afraid to share your ideas and ask people if they might want to get behind your ideas and project, the worst they can say is ‘no!’
How do you handle criticism and feedback on your work?
I personally ask for criticism and feedback throughout the filmmaking process! I do this to ensure that I am constantly learning and growing with each project. I love hearing other people’s opinions and ideas and I have found when asking for feedback most people would happily share it to help me to make my projects more relatable. However, don’t feel like you need to change all your own ideas to match those of others!
Do you have fun or memorable production moments that you would like to share?
I really enjoyed the filming day where there was a birthday party. I was able to meet Lawrence Ola, who played my Dad. That was exciting because I had seen him in multiple other projects, and he is even funnier in real life! On this filming day I also was able to work and hang out with some of my friends from the industry who also worked on my first film, Nicola, Ava, and Freya.
What are some key skills or traits you think are important to have in the film industry?
Being or becoming comfortable with rejection. There are more ‘no’s’ than ‘yeses’ in this industry, and that will never change. Actors don’t fail; they quit! Your time will come, but not without determination and resilience!
Interview by: Navita Maher
To check out Aurora’s incredible work, visit aurorailer.com
