The Reflection

Catherine Andre is a theater and film director. She is dedicated to telling female stories through powerful performances, using interpersonal drama to expose society's systems of power, abuse, and oppression. She is currently a Directing Fellow at the American Film Institute.

 After studying film directing at Interlochen Arts Academy, Catherine started directing plays at Princeton University. Throughout, she received research grants to study theatrical auteurship in Europe. Catherine brought this visceral, visual style to her work as a freelance director in New York City, where she assisted Off-Broadway and directed new and classical plays. Catherine won a Fulbright grant to move to Europe and explore Shakespeare as a vehicle for cultural exchange. Catherine assisted legendary directors Andrei Șerban, Silviu Purcărete, and Robert Woodruff, learning how to create visceral live performances and stage poetry.

 After winning additional Fulbright funding, Catherine put these methods into practice in her own radical, feminist Shakespeare productions while partnering with playwrights to develop new work. Directing performances in languages she did not speak pushed Catherine to use gesture and emotion to tell stories beyond words.

 During the pandemic, Catherine pivoted to making “virtual plays” before attending FAMU International’s one-year intensive course in narrative directing. She is currently in post-production for a featurette - Breaking and Entering - the screenplay for which was listed as a BlueCat Semifinalist in 2023.

 Catherine has received additional support from the Puffin Foundation, the Drama League, and Scholastic.  www.catherine-andre.com.