Little Lion Film Fatale

Image by Edward Cunningham

EMMA PARLA-AZIZ IS A FILM PHOTOGRAPHER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR THAT CURRENTLY RESIDES IN MASSACHUSETTS AND TRAVELS TO CREATE ART.

MAINLY WORKING WITH EXPERIMENTAL FILM, EMMA SPECIALIZES IN A PROCESS CALLED “FILM SOUP”. A PROCESS WHERE YOU ALTER THE FILM NEGATIVE BY SOAKING IT IN WATER WHILE USING INGREDIENTS SUCH AS FRUITS AND FLOWERS TO CREATE VIVID, OTHER WORLDLY EFFECTS.

THEY STUDIED TV/MEDIA & FILM PRODUCTION, AS WELL AS THEATRE ARTS AT NASHOBA VALLEY TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL. AFTER GRADUATING IN 2015, EMMA WENT ON TO STUDY COSMETOLOGY AT LOWELL ACADEMY HAIRSTYLING INSTITUTE AND GRADUATED WITH THEIR LICENSE IN 2017. WANTING TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION, EMMA HAS TAKEN MULTIPLE WORKSHOPS WITH MAINE MEDIA COLLEGE OVER THE YEARS AS WELL AS A FEW MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS THROUGH PH MUSEUM.

EMMA USES ART AS A WAY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES, CONNECT WITH PEOPLE, AND UPLIFT OTHERS. BEING A FIRST GENERATION AMERICAN WITH FAMILY IMMIGRATING FROM AFRICA AND EUROPE, AS WELL AS BEING AN OPENLY QUEER PERSON, GIVES THEM A DIVERSE AND UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE WHEN APPROACHING THEIR ART.

EMMA HAS ALWAYS HAD A PASSION FOR STORYTELLING, WANTING TO CREATE WORLDS FROM SCRATCH AND EVOKE EMOTION FROM THE AUDIENCE AT A VERY YOUNG AGE. HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY LITERATURE, MYTHOLOGY, FAIRY TALES, SPIRITUALITY/RELIGIONS, AND NATURE, WHILE EXPLORING THEMES SUCH AS WOMEN EMPOWERMENT, BODY POSITIVITY, CONNECTION, AND QUEER LOVE, EMMA CREATES VISUAL STORIES THAT CAN OFTEN FEEL LIKE DREAMS OR STRANGE MEMORIES.