[1][2] Kusijanović grew up in Dubrovnik and studied film, theater, and producing at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb.

[9] She moved to New York, attended Colombia University and shot her short film and graduate thesis, Into the Blue (U plavetnilo).

[2][11][12] Its success lead to Martin Scorsese coming on board as an executive producer for her first feature film Murina.

[13] Kusijanovic expanded on the themes of Into the Blue, including adolescence and gender, in Murina, rehiring the same lead actor, Gracija Filipović.

[14] Kusijanovic wrote the role in Murina specifically for Filipoviç and has known her since Filipoviç was nine, saying "... the relationship was more mothering back then and over the years it grew into friendship and then real collaboration.”[14][9][15] Kusijanovic latest project is a short film Stane, commissioned by Miu Miu for the companies “Women’s Tales” series.