Lives and works in Brussels, Belgium.  Studied photo- and cinematography, and worked as a photographer, editor and producer for various photo-, film-, video- and theaterproductions.

Her films, video's and installations explore the impact of detailed changes in moment, movement, matter, light and perception.

“With links to the tradition of structural film making, the work by the Brussels based film-and videomaker, Els van Riel, explores the basic elements for cinema -time and light- and develops a form for new esthetical pleasure, bypassing any symbolism and narratism. For van Riel the projector is a central figure in the cinematographical act of giving form to a screening, performance or installation. The mechanical image source becomes actively present as if it were a living object.”
(L’ART MÊME, April 2009)