What starts as an ordinary art exhibition quickly becomes a nightmare when a dead body unexpectedly turns into the gallery’s most valuable attraction.
Imagine spending years trying to make a name for yourself in the art world. You’ve invested your money, your reputation, and pretty much everything you have into your gallery. Now imagine that, just before one of the biggest art events in Miami, someone dies inside your exhibition space. What would you do?
For Polina Polinski, played by Natalie Portman, the answer is certainly not what you’d expect.
In The Gallerist, the new dark comedy directed by Cathy Yan, Polina is an ambitious gallery owner desperate to keep her business alive. During Art Basel Miami, an unexpected accident leaves a dead body inside her gallery. But instead of calling the authorities, she sees an opportunity. Her solution? Turn the corpse into a work of contemporary art.
Suddenly, the gallery’s biggest problem becomes its biggest attraction. Collectors want to see it, visitors are fascinated, and the attention starts bringing exactly what Polina has been looking for: publicity. Of course, keeping the truth hidden becomes increasingly complicated.
And that’s when things really get interesting.
Courtesy: A24
A Gallery Full of Complicated Characters
Polina isn’t navigating this disaster alone. Jenna Ortega plays Kiki, her assistant, who gets caught up in the increasingly bizarre situation. Together, they find themselves trying to manage a secret that could destroy everything they’ve worked for.
The film also brings together a rather unexpected cast, including Catherine Zeta-Jones, Sterling K. Brown, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Daniel Brühl, Zach Galifianakis, and Charli XCX.
With personalities from different corners of entertainment sharing the screen, the film promises plenty of awkward encounters, questionable decisions, and dark comedy.
When Everyone Wants to Own a Piece of the Story
But there’s something more interesting happening beneath all the chaos.
Set during Art Basel Miami, The Gallerist takes place in a world where a work of art can become a multimillion-dollar investment, where collectors compete for exclusivity, and where being seen at the right exhibition can be just as important as understanding the artwork.
As Polina’s unusual exhibition attracts attention, the film begins playing with a question that feels especially relevant today: does something become valuable because it’s actually meaningful, or because everyone agrees it is?
With influencers, wealthy collectors, and the art world’s obsession with being first to discover the next big thing, the story turns into a satire of an industry where attention can sometimes be the ultimate currency.
Behind the Camera
Cathy Yan, the filmmaker behind Birds of Prey, directs and co-writes the film with James Pedersen. Known for combining unconventional characters with sharp social observations, Yan brings that sensibility to a story that is equal parts absurd, uncomfortable, and entertaining.
The film premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival and features an ensemble that makes it one of the more unusual projects to keep on your radar.
So, Is It Art or Is It Just a Really Good Marketing Strategy?
That’s probably the question Polina would prefer nobody ask.
What makes The Gallerist so intriguing is that it takes a ridiculous situation and places it inside a world that isn’t always as far removed from reality as we might think. After all, we’ve seen how quickly something can become a sensation simply because the right people start talking about it.
Maybe the film is asking us to reconsider what we call art, what we consider valuable, and how far people are willing to go to become relevant.
One thing is certain: the next time you visit an art gallery, you might want to take a closer look at the exhibits.
The Gallerist arrives in U.S. theaters on December 4, 2026.