Throughout school, Lilia A’Hearn (formerly Lilia Bahean) loved storytelling. An Elma High School class of 2008 graduate, she is now using her own voice to create independent films in western Washington.
From Debate Class to Filming Stories in Western Washington
In high school, Lilia took drama class and speech and debate class. She credits her speech coach, Mrs. Roland, for encouraging her love of the arts and photography. “In her class is where I fell in love with acting and performing,” she says. “It was like a sport, going out to compete with other schools and universities. After grabbing my camera to practice my speech and also when rehearsing for plays, I started to really like the idea of filmmaking.”
After high school, Lilia attended Saint Martin’s University and received a bachelor’s in business management. She says her degree has helped her with managing the day-to-day aspects of her business, which includes photography and filmmaking.
Up until 2025, she worked in fashion photography. Then, all her social media accounts were deleted. “I had to start over,” she says. “Instead of going back to what I used to do, I decided to try something new and push myself into a challenge of motion images. That’s when it really took off.”
Filmmaker in Grays Harbor Area Keeps It Local
Lilia is passionate about keeping her art local. She believes in creating regional indie films, using small production teams and local resources across Western Washington. “These productions create opportunities for regional actors and crew, support small businesses, and bring increased arts and cultural activity through on-location filming,” she explains.
Her current project is a low-budget romantic drama feature film. “This project reflects a growing shift in Washington’s film industry, where storytelling is moving beyond major studios and into local communities,” Lilia adds.
The project is called “Starlight and You.” “It is a faith-based romantic drama inspired by true events that explores love, healing, family, faith, and trusting God’s timing,” she explains. “It is an international film, and we are encouraging people to be part of it. It’s really a way to showcase the desire to be loved and bring hope via this film, as the audience will follow the path of a young woman who finds her future spouse in a dream and a week later sees him enter her life.”
The film is personal, inspired by Lilia’s own life experiences and personal journey. They are currently in the fundraising and development stage. They hope to start production in the Spring of 2027. Keeping it local, Lilia is hoping to attract businesses in the area to partner with them. They are also looking for background actors, especially young students. “How I wished I had that opportunity when I was young, and now I want to share this with someone else,” she says.
Filming locations will be in Western Washington, including Gig Harbor. Some sites may be open to the public. If you are interested in watching filming or being a background actor, it’s best to look for updates on their social media channels.
When the film is complete, Lilia is hoping to share it at film festivals, select theatrical opportunities, and distribution through streaming, she says.
If you are interested in keeping up on Lilia’s journey, being involved, or seeing the film when it’s completed, the best thing to do is to follow her on YouTube, Instagram or Facebook, or visit the Lilia Creativity website.
