Ava Bodnar explores healing and connection through film

New York–based filmmaker, dancer, and actor Ava Bodnar is using storytelling to explore the emotional threads that connect us. A psychology student at Manhattan Community College, Ava brings both artistic sensitivity and academic insight to her creative work. Her upcoming short film, This Is a Love Story, examines the complicated bond between two estranged siblings who reconnect through shared trauma.

“Movies can help us to better understand our lives, provide catharsis or perspective, and suggest new ways of thinking, feeling, and pursuing our lives,” Ava explains. “As a filmmaker and student of psychology, I was determined to find a link between our mental health and film.”

Ava’s filmmaking journey includes serving as executive producer, co-creator, and lead actor in Wilde Flowers, directed by 2021 Hunter’s Fund grant recipient Sophie Fazio. With support from her own Hunter’s Fund grant, Ava will cover production costs for This Is a Love Story, continuing her mission to merge film and psychology to inspire empathy and emotional healing.