By Lexi Catalanello
Welcome to NYWIFT, Khrystyna Komarovska!
Khrystyna is a New-York based filmmaker, actress, and digital strategy leader, where her work touches on the intersection of storytelling, audience growth, and social impact.
Her projects explore human connection, contemporary relationships, and mental health through narrative film and digital projects. Alongside her creative work, she leads digital strategy for brands and founders, informing how projects are positioned, distributed, and scaled.
Khrystyna is the creator of the short series Nina’s Files, which has received festival recognition and media attention. She is also currently developing new narrative work focused on Gen Z audiences and intentional storytelling.
In our interview, Khrystyna discusses her background, recent projects, and what she has learned from working in the media industry.
NYWIFT Member Khrystyna Komarovska
Could you please give our readers a brief introduction to yourself?
Hi, I’m Khrystyna Komarovska. I’m a New York-based filmmaker, actress, and digital strategy leader working at the intersection of storytelling, audience engagement, and social impact. My work focuses on human connection, contemporary relationships, and mental health, often through narrative projects designed to live both on screen and across digital platforms. I’m especially interested in building meaningful creative work with limited resources and strong collaboration.
Khrystyna Komarovska on the set of Nina’s Files
What brings you to NYWIFT?
I joined NYWIFT because I value community, mentorship, and shared experience, especially among women working across different roles in film and media. As someone who operates both creatively and strategically, I’m excited to connect with women who are navigating similar paths, building independent work, and supporting one another through collaboration, conversation, and visibility.
How has your background influenced your creative work?
Growing up in Crimea and later relocating to New York shaped how I observe people and environments. Experiencing different cultures and systems made me more attentive to nuance, emotional subtext, and the quiet moments that often define human connection. Moving to New York, in particular, reinforced my independence and pushed me to create intentionally, to build work that reflects curiosity, resilience, and presence rather than surface-level storytelling.
What initially drew you to acting, filmmaking, and creating?
Acting was my entry point because it allowed me to explore character, emotion, and vulnerability in a very immediate way. Over time, that curiosity expanded into filmmaking and creating my own projects. I wanted more agency over the stories being told and how they reached people.
Creating became a way to combine performance, narrative, and responsibility, turning observation into something tangible and shared.
Still from Nina’s Files
What are some of the lessons you’ve learned from making your successful series Nina’s Files? Can you also share what the experience has been like from creating it to premiering it in festivals?
Nina’s Files taught me the importance of clarity and collaboration. The series was built in New York with no traditional budget and the support of a volunteer team, which meant trust, communication, and intention were essential.
Watching the project evolve from a simple idea into a festival-recognized series reinforced that meaningful work doesn’t require perfect conditions, it requires commitment and alignment. The festival experience has been validating, but the creative growth and relationships formed during the process have been just as significant.
Connect with Khrystyna Komarovska on Instagram at @kristikmr and on LinkedIn.
(All images courtesy of Khrystyna Komarovska)
Lexi Catalanello
Lexi Catalanello is a current intern at NYWIFT. She’s a recent graduate of NYU with a degree in Media, Culture, and Communication, and she’s an aspiring filmmaker and producer. She’s worked on several short films, and loves watching movies, writing, and cooking.
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Christina Brennan
Welcome to NYWIFT, Christina Brennan! Christina is a New York–based filmmaker whose work explores the emotional complexity of young womanhood through bold, conversation-driven storytelling. She is particularly drawn to dystopian, psychological thriller, and comedy genres, often blending tension and humor. As a recent graduate, she made her directorial debut with the short film Dear Nora, which won first place at AGBO’s No Sleep ’Til Film Festival—marking an exciting start to her creative career. In addition to her work behind the camera, Christina is the founder of Onore Films, a community dedicated to supporting and connecting young women in film through collaboration and shared resources. With experience across multiple areas of production, she approaches filmmaking as both a creative practice and a way to foster meaningful connection. In our interview, Christina discussed her journey into filmmaking, the inspiration behind Dear Nora, and her passion for building community among emerging women in film.
READ MOREFrom Set to Screen: Katherine Filaseta and Ellie Sachs Celebrate Lucy Shulman at Tribeca
The 25th anniversary of the Tribeca Festival is shining a spotlight on bold storytelling, unforgettable voices, and films that capture the spirit of New York City — and Lucy Shulman is doing exactly that. Premiering as part of the festival’s prestigious U.S. Narrative Competition, the sharply funny and deeply heartfelt feature follows a young woman navigating heartbreak, family dynamics, bad dates, and the complicated journey of finding herself again. Written, directed by, and starring filmmaker Ellie Sachs, the film blends humor with emotional honesty in a way that feels both intimate and universally relatable.
Behind the scenes, NYWIFT member Katherine Filaseta played a vital role as Second Assistant Director, helping keep the ambitious production moving while supporting the creative vision that brought the story to life. In this exclusive conversation, Ellie Sachs and Katherine Filaseta open up about collaboration, creative trust, independent filmmaking, the realities of balancing multiple roles on set, and what it means to premiere a deeply personal New York story at one of the city’s most celebrated film festivals.
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Chicava Roslyn Tate
Welcome to NYWIFT, Chicava Roslyn Tate! Chicava is a burlesque artist, actor, producer, and leading scholar of Black women in burlesque. For more than 15 years, she served as Creative Producer of New York City's Brown Girls Burlesque, developing political and theatrical shows across the United States and internationally. She holds an MFA from Goddard College, where her studies focused on Black burlesque herstory, Taoism, and sacred sexuality. Chicava’s work spans performance, film, and scholarship, including directing The Skin I’m In, co-writing and directing Becoming Betty Page, and developing the docu-series Black Bombshells, which explores the history and cultural legacy of Black women in burlesque and pinup. As an actor, she has appeared in Chock Full Till Empty, Nicole Franklin’s Title VII, and Spike Lee’s film She Hate Me. In our interview, Chicava reflected on her creative journey, the overlooked history of Black women in burlesque, and the projects she is developing to preserve and celebrate this cultural legacy.
READ MORENia Long Invites Audiences to Celebrate Joy, Legacy, and Love in Michael
For more than four decades, renowned actress Nia Long has defined what it means to bring authenticity and emotional depth to the screen. A cultural icon in her own right, she now takes on one of her most meaningful roles to date, portraying Katherine Jackson in the highly anticipated biopic Michael. Tammy Reese sat down with Nia Long for an exclusive conversation about her latest role.
READ MORE
Comments are closed