Hollywood, CA (August 8, 2026). “The Witches of Pool Bottom” is the new short film from young British filmmaker Ava Bounds and starring Anja Cilia (“Call the Midwife” & “EastEnders”). The film is set to screen at the upcoming Oscar-qualifying Hollyshorts Film Festival on Tuesday August 18th at 10pm PST as part of the Action block at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres (Ovation Hollywood), in Los Angeles.
The film stars Anastasiya Ador (“Farzi” on Amazon Prime and “Aranyak” on Netflix), Georgia Baines (“Matilda The Musical Film” for Netflix and “Matilda the Musical International Tour”), Frankie Bounds (“Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” for 20th Century Fox), and Syd Miede (“Hairz”). It is also set to screen at the BIFA & BAFTA-qualifying Bolton Film Festival.
Synopsis: Shy teen Rachel (Cilia) shows up to a crowded public pool in a red bikini—and instantly feels exposed. When she dives in, the pool drains to reveal three girls in identical bikinis clawing up from the deep. One is zit-covered, one wildly hairy, one unapologetically fat—and all of them are her. What follows is an outrageous pool showdown that exposes the absurd pressures of the beauty industry.
The Official Trailer for “The Witches of Pool Bottom” Directed by Ava Bounds
“I made The Witches of Pool Bottom to explore the pressures of teenage body image through a darkly comic, action-packed short and my hope is that young people question impossible beauty standards. It’s a very personal story of my own teenage struggles. ” says Bounds.
Yorkshire writer-director Ava Bounds is a multi award-winning filmmaker. Whose work blends dark comedy, surreal storytelling and emotional honesty. She became the youngest recipient of the IMDb New Filmmaker Award at 15. She is now developing her debut feature with Channel 4 Skills. Still only 20, Ava is part of a new generation of British filmmakers. She is drawn to stories that are a little off-centre. Creating heightened worlds that explore the complexities of human relationships with humour, heart and the unexpected.
Anja Cilia is a British actor with Spanish and Maltese heritage. She trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and with the National Youth Theatre. After growing up performing on stage, she now works primarily across film, television and commercials.
“The Witches of Pool Bottom” gave Anja the opportunity to approach a role in a deeply physical way, exploring stunts and movement in ways she hadn’t previously. She was thrilled to bring Ava’s bold vision to life in a film that confronts long-standing beauty standards for women with brutal honesty, humour and heart. The role was hugely creatively rewarding due to the personal catharsis, and constant collaboration with the crew, that the project allowed for.
You can comment below
INDIE ACTIVITIES
