Lara Clear emerges as a formidable force in international cinema with her latest role in I Live Here Now. The film, directed by Julie Pacino in her feature debut, is more than just a hypnotic psychological thriller—it’s a canvas for Clear’s talent to shine, earning her a place at the forefront of this year’s festival circuit. With high-profile screenings lined up at Fantasia, Locarno, and Edinburgh, Clear’s performance as the enigmatic Ada is capturing global attention, firmly
“Fantasia has such a loyal, passionate audience,” Clear shares with a grin. “I Live Here Now isn’t just a genre piece but it carries a deep emotional undercurrent. Knowing it resonated with the Fantasia team means the world.”
A trained actor, producer, and creative force, Clear’s journey has spanned continents and mediums—from structured text work in London to instinct-driven spontaneity in Los Angeles. “I’d say my evolution as an actor has been a bit of an unexpected adventure,” she reflects. “I trained in London, where everything was very technique-driven… But over time, it became clear that acting was where my heart truly was and eventually, producing too.”
In I Live Here Now, Clear plays Ada—complex, elusive, and magnetizing. “Ada is a very complex character, and she was a lot of fun to play. Her interactions with our lead, Rose, will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat,” she says. “Creating and playing Ada within that world allowed me to explore parts of myself that don’t always get to come out on screen.”
Despite the stylized visuals and surrealist tone of the film—often described as “Lynchian”—Clear keeps her approach grounded in emotional truth. That balance is largely due to her collaboration with Pacino. “Julie’s direction is always really clear and inspiring and she knows exactly what to say to get the performance she wants out of me. She challenges me in the best way,” Clear explains. “We click creatively, and that definitely helped bring Ada to life. We shot on film—it is visually stunning as well as thought-provoking and emotional.”
Her performance in the film is layered with subtlety and weight, but Clear also emphasizes the physical and mental intensity of the shoot. “We shot during a rare English summertime so working at the studio could at times get very hot when the AC was off,” she recalls. “The emotional depth of this movie was sometimes draining… the film covers some pretty deep topics and that can be hard to shake off.”
Though she’s been a performer from a young age—“putting on plays in the living room, doing silly impressions at the dinner table”—Clear’s passion for complex characters has never wavered. “I’m always drawn to layered characters, the ones with a bit of darkness and complexity,” she says. “Lately, I’ve been drawn to drama and psychological horrors… but I’ve come to believe the most exciting roles are the ones that scare me a little—the ones that push me into unfamiliar territory and let me tap into something unexpected.”
Festival audiences across continents will soon get a glimpse into that unexpected space, particularly with the film’s high-profile Midnight Madness slot at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. “Being in a Midnight Madness slot at EIFF is such an honor,” Clear says. “My hope for I Live Here Now is to resonate with a large group of people and for it to make a statement.”
Outside the screen, Clear is eager to connect with the global community of artists, agents, and programmers. “I’d love the opportunity to connect with the festival programmers at each event… and I’m currently looking for new representation, particularly in the UK and Canada,” she shares. “Hopefully it will resonate with people in a positive way! Any coverage or reviews that help spotlight the film and ideally my role in it would be deeply appreciated.”
Clear’s understanding of the industry is sharp—and personal branding, she knows, plays a role. “We live in a time where visibility and personal branding can feel just as important as the work itself,” she admits. “I stay grounded by keeping my focus on the craft… I am constantly writing and creating my own projects and I get my strength through inspiration in what I am creating.”
With distribution handled by Utopia—known for supporting bold, boundary-pushing work—I Live Here Now is set for a wider audience in 2026, while Clear is already setting her sights on what’s next. “After this experience, I’m eager to keep working on projects that challenge me emotionally and creatively,” she says. “I’d love to collaborate with Julie again… we have some great ideas already taking shape.”
As both an actor and a producer, Lara Clear is navigating her career with artistic integrity and bold ambition. “There isn’t one ‘right’ way to make a project great,” she muses. “Working across both continents has made me more open, more curious, and more able to jump into a variety of roles with confidence.”
In I Live Here Now, she’s not just portraying a woman on the edge—she’s living her truth on screen, unafraid of the dark, and ready to light up the next chapter.