Toby Dick Studio - Kaitlyn Katsaros - Smack-up ... 'link' Jun 2026

As of this writing, SMACK-UP has been rejected by Sundance, Cannes, and TIFF – “too dangerous,” said one programmer. However, it won the at the Athens Avant-Garde Film Festival , with the jury citation: “Katsaros doesn’t act pain; she becomes the archive of it.”

(often stylized as TDS) is not a Hollywood backlot. If it exists, it is likely a low-ceilinged warehouse in Brooklyn, Los Angeles’ Arts District, or a repurposed Berlin factory. The name itself is a provocation—mashing a classic literary reference ( Moby Dick ) with a boyish, almost absurdly common first name. The “Toby” softens the blow, but “Dick” ensures you don’t look away. Toby Dick Studio - Kaitlyn Katsaros - SMACK-UP ...