The Grand Illusion

An aimless girl in her final week of college goes to great lengths to win the affections of a boy from her hometown, Philadelphia, and ends up having to confront anxieties about her love life, family, and future. A bare-boned independent drama with brief but meaningful touches of gentle comedy, Actual People is a poignant triumph, a simple but effective voyage into the mind of a young woman trying to find herself in a world that has somehow become hostile to those who refuse to find a place within its preconceived standards. As a debut, and a film in general, Zauhar’s work here represents an auspicious start to a very promising career for someone who is likely to become an essential voice in contemporary cinema, if this film is anything to go by.

“Actual People is a sharp, smart, poignant drama, filled with a spirit of truth and resilience.” Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, AWFJ Women on Film

“Zauhar’s writing is strong, reminiscent of the mumblecore independent films that blossomed in the 2000s. Has a profound understanding of the current plights facing our young college graduates.” Megan Robinson, Film Cred

“Actual People is a poignant triumph, a simple but effective voyage into the mind of a young woman trying to find herself.” Joseph Jenner, International Cinephile Society