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Comedian Isabel Hagen Revisits Her Roots Playing the Viola in ‘On a String' First Look
Comedian Isabel Hagen is blurring fact and fiction with her music-centric directorial debut 'On a String.' The indie, which debuts at Tribeca, fits perfectly within the 2025 program for the acclaimed festival, which has additional highlights such as 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes,' Miley Cyrus' 'Something Beautiful,' and music therapist drama 'Charliebird.'
Hagen writes, directs, and stars in 'On a String' which centers on a Juilliard-trained violist looking for her big break. In real life, Hagen somehow also finds time between appearing on 'The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon' and performing at the Just for Laughs festival to tour with buzzy bands, most recently Vampire Weekend.
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The official synopsis for 'On a String' reads: 'Isabel (Hagen) is a young, Juilliard-trained violist still living at home with her parents in the heart of New York City. She's trying to make a living playing gigs with her friends but when her toxic ex- boyfriend reappears, who also happens to be the Philharmonic's 'newest, hottest cellist,' he informs her of a viola opening in the prestigious orchestra. Nothing can go wrong, right?' Dylan Baker, Ling Ling Huang, Frederick Weller, Jamie Lee, and Eric Bogosian co-star.
'As a Juilliard graduate, I freelanced as a violist in New York City for over a decade,' Hagen told IndieWire. 'I played weddings, private parties, backup strings for singer-songwriters, among other engagements. I've been a tiny part of other peoples' big life moments, finding paradoxical intimacy in being an observer. It's this role of the observer that initially inspired me to write 'On a String,' which is not about someone driven by a desire for success, but rather by a need for true connection to the world around her, with no idea how to find it.'
In an additional director's statement, Hagen cited her love for the viola 'faded' during her time at Juilliard. 'Still, music was all I knew, and I freelanced as a violist in New York City for over a decade (I did eventually become a stand-up comedian, but that's another movie),' she said. 'While this film tells a tale of a classical musician navigating a specific world, with which many may be unfamiliar, I was interested in using that specificity to capture an experience I find to be universal — that of confronting the reality of following your dreams and accepting life's inevitable limitations. Authenticity was a priority for me in telling this story. The film features live-captured musical performances, and the musician characters are almost entirely played by trained musicians, including my real-life brother, pianist Oliver Hagen, portraying my character's brother in the film.'
'On a String' is produced by Hagen, Olivia Vessel, Torrance Shepherd, Alex Vara, and Annie McGrath.
'On a String' premieres at the Tribeca Festival as a sales title with Andrew Herwitz at the Film Sales Company handling rights. Check out the first look clip below.
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