Tisch Alum Filmmaker Premieres Debut at Sundance

Katarina Zhu's first feature film explores loneliness in the big city.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 12:05pm

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An abstract, minimalist illustration featuring bold black silhouettes and high-contrast solid colors like red and white, conceptually representing the themes of urban isolation and creative ambition in a new filmmaker's debut project.Katarina Zhu's Sundance debut feature film explores the loneliness of big city life through a striking visual style.Park City Today

Katarina Zhu, a 2018 graduate of NYU Tisch's Drama program, recently premiered her debut feature film at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. As a writer, director, and actor, Zhu wanted her first project to showcase her talents across all three disciplines.

Why it matters

Zhu's decision to debut her first feature at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, rather than starting with a smaller project, demonstrates her ambition and confidence as a young filmmaker. Her film's exploration of urban loneliness also taps into a timely theme that resonates with many young creatives navigating life in a big city.

The details

Zhu's film, which she wrote, directed, and starred in, follows a young woman struggling to find meaningful connections in the bustling city. The movie was selected to premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, one of the most competitive and high-profile indie film showcases in the world.

  • Katarina Zhu graduated from NYU Tisch's Drama program in 2018.
  • Zhu's debut feature film premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

The players

Katarina Zhu

A 2018 graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts' Drama program who wrote, directed, and starred in her debut feature film.

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What they’re saying

“As a writer-director-actor, I wanted the film to introduce me to people as all three in equal measure,”

— Katarina Zhu, Filmmaker

The takeaway

Zhu's ambitious debut at Sundance demonstrates the drive and talent of a new generation of filmmakers emerging from prestigious programs like Tisch, who are using their first major projects to showcase their multifaceted creative abilities.