Graviteur Studios, a joint venture between Dolphin (NASDAQ: DLPN) and KYNETIC Media Ventures, has selected Kristen Brancaccio to direct its first feature film, Crush Party. The project marks Brancaccio's feature directorial debut, with production slated to begin in early 2027.

Graviteur Studios was launched in June 2026 and is led by Dolphin CEO Bill O'Dowd and KYNETIC CEO David Freeman. The studio announced both its formation and Crush Party at Cannes Lions that same month.

Crush Party, written by Johnny Saras, is described as a YA thriller centered on college students invited to an anonymous Valentine's Day event where guests begin to die and blackmail tied to their secrets emerges.

Brancaccio has directed more than 20 microdramas across platforms including ReelShort, TikTok, NetShort, Shorts App, and DramaShorts. She most recently directed Issa Rae's vertical series Screen Time, which has accumulated more than 250 million views on TikTok. Her other credits include Audible's Southern Belle Insults, starring Keke Palmer, Phaedra Parks, and Zachariah Porter, which premiered in August 2026.

Prior to her work in vertical formats, Brancaccio was a top-10 directing finalist on HBO's Project Greenlight and wrote and directed an action-romance pilot for SYFY. She is represented by Select Management Group.

"Kristen has proven her ability to create stories that connect with audiences worldwide, and we are excited to give her a feature platform with Crush Party," said Emerson Davis, Head of Development and Production for Dolphin Entertainment and Graviteur Studios.