KAYLA MARIE AREND

EDUCATION:

MFA - NYU Tisch School of the Arts, 2020 Film & Television Writing + Directing, minor: Producing

BA - Montana State University, 2013 Film & Photography, minor: Entomology

Directors Program - New York Film Academy, 2008 Writing and Directing

ABOUT KAYLA

Kayla Arend is a Luxembourg-American film director. Her films are noted for their surreal, quiet and suspenseful elements accompanied with strong leading female characters and unique wilderness settings. Echoing the cinematic textures of David Lynch, Lynne Ramsay and Darren Aronofsky; it is clear why her work demands attention.

Kayla Arend studied film, photography and entomology at Montana State University before earning her Master’s degree in writing-directing at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Her graduate thesis film, Leaving Yellowstone, was executive produced by Spike Lee and won several awards for Best Director, Best Actor and Best Cinematography. Kayla has recently been selected as a fellow of the Production Lab’s Feature Film Development Studio for her project Bastards of Young.

When Kayla is not making films or spending time in the wilderness, she is teaching. In 2022, Kayla started working as an adjunct professor at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She works with students one-on-one to shop their scripts and assure production functionality and safety.