On a String
A quirky indie film about a violist hitting all the wrong notes in love, ambition, and the chaos of post-college life.
Isabel is a Juilliard-trained violist who is still living with her eccentric family in New York. She is trying to make it as a musician, performing in string quartets in strangers’ apartments and taking on odd freelance gigs while navigating the daily hustle of postgraduate life. When her charming but toxic ex-boyfriend reappears as the Philharmonic’s rising star, he offers her a coveted orchestra audition that could change her career. Suddenly, Isabel finds herself caught between ambition, romance, and the messy comedy of growing up a little later than planned.
With its sharp wit and heartfelt humour, “On a String” revives the spirit of the classic American indie – intimate, smart, and irresistibly funny – a playful story about searching for love, purpose, and the courage to take centre stage in your own life.
Triin Tramberg
Isabel Hagen (1998) is a stand-up comedian and classically trained violist based in New York City. She has been featured twice on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as a stand-up comedian. Isabel started stand-up immediately after earning her Bachelors and Masters degrees in viola performance from The Juilliard School. As a violist, she has played in the orchestra of many Broadway shows, and worked with artists such as Björk, Max Richter, Japanese Breakfast, Steve Reich and Vampire Weekend.
Filmography:
On a String (2025)