ABOUT

Catarina (Cat) Soares is a Brazilian director based between New York City and Paris. A graduate of the renowned Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, she began her career in front of the camera before transitioning behind it, building a strong foundation in storytelling through her Drama major.

At 15, Soares created her first short film. By the age of 16, she had completed three more, developed through the New York Film Academy’s programs in Florence and Paris (La Fémis campus). Her work is defined by a fearless approach to exploring taboo subjects, challenging emotional and societal boundaries.

Her most recent short film, Despair Came Knocking, won Best Student Film at the Ardélion European Film Association Awards and was selected for both the Red Movie Awards and the Indie Short Fest in Los Angeles.