Sundance Review: The Gallerist Struggles to Properly Satirize the Art World

The film's relentless name-dropping and over-the-top characters make for an exhausting viewing experience.

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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Taking on the art world is notoriously difficult, as it's already too ridiculous. Director Cathy Yan's new film "The Gallerist" follows a gallery owner and her assistant as they navigate the chaos of Art Basel in Miami, including a dead influencer impaled on a piece of art. While the film's technical proficiency is on display, its hyperactive pace and parade of art world caricatures ultimately make for an exhausting viewing experience that never quite lands its satirical punches.

Why it matters

The Gallerist's struggle to effectively satirize the art world highlights the challenge of heightening reality in a realm that is already absurd. The film's reliance on constant name-dropping and over-the-top performances suggests an insecurity about the audience's familiarity with the art world, rather than a confident skewering of its excesses.

The details

The Gallerist opens on the morning of Art Basel in Miami, as gallery owner Polina (Natalie Portman) and her assistant Kiki (Jenna Ortega) prepare for the influx of uncultured masses they expect to attend. Hoping to get a shout-out from brash influencer Dalton Hardberry (Zach Galifianakis), they let him in early, only for him to end up impaled on a piece of art. The film then becomes a frantic attempt by Polina and Kiki to deal with the dead body, while navigating the chaos of Art Basel.

  • The Gallerist premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.

The players

Cathy Yan

The director of The Gallerist, who takes on the challenge of satirizing the art world.

Natalie Portman

The actress who plays Polina, the gallery owner at the center of the film.

Jenna Ortega

The actress who plays Kiki, Polina's high-strung assistant.

Zach Galifianakis

The actor who plays Dalton Hardberry, the brash influencer whose death sets the film's events in motion.

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What they’re saying

“Taking on the art world is notoriously difficult—it's already too ridiculous, and so the heightening of reality necessary for proper satire doesn't work. There's nowhere to go.”

— Editor (thefilmstage.com)

The takeaway

The Gallerist's struggle to effectively satirize the art world highlights the challenge of heightening reality in a realm that is already absurd. The film's reliance on constant name-dropping and over-the-top performances suggests an insecurity about the audience's familiarity with the art world, rather than a confident skewering of its excesses.