Just before the world came to a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Slovenian director Urša Menart stumbled upon an intriguing phenomenon online: a wave of young influencers, predominantly women, fabricating heart-wrenching personal stories to capture the fleeting attention of their followers. Even more startling was Menart’s realization that many people were willing to drop everything to visit these micro-influencers, drawing on a complex yet muddled parasocial relationship between the poster and their audience. This observation became the catalyst for her film “Everything That’s Wrong With You,” which recently had its world premiere in the narrative feature competition section at this year’s Sarajevo Film Festival.
A Journey from Grief to Connection
The dramedy opens with young Maruša (Anuša Kodelja), who returns to her native Slovenia after a season in Berlin, grappling with her mother’s recent death from cancer. Her grief heightens her emotional dislocation. One day, as she mindlessly scrolls through social media, she discovers Alja (Klara Kuk), a nurse from a quaint German coastal town. A simple message evolves into a budding friendship, but the dynamics come into question when they finally meet face-to-face.
Inspired by Isolation
Menart explains her inspiration: “What fascinated me wasn’t really the aspect of people inventing these stories, but the other side, those who befriended those folks, who followed them, and who traveled across continents to visit them.” She cites the isolation induced by COVID and the challenges of new motherhood as moments that deepened her reflection on human connection.
Development Over Time
The two central characters were crafted from Menart’s observations of “interesting people” she encountered during her research. The nearly seven-year journey to bring the project to fruition saw Menart balancing her work on other films, including “My Last Year as a Loser,” while continually refining her thoughts on the story.
“In Slovenia, the production process is quite long,” Menart notes. “It takes a while even after getting financing to secure co-producers and additional funding. I often worried, will this theme even interest me six years from now? Because making a film is a marathon.”
The Relevance of Loneliness
Little did Menart know that her film’s themes would grow even more pertinent over time, particularly as advancements in technology, such as artificial intelligence, heightened discussions surrounding loneliness and the fundamental human need for connection. “Humans are connecting more and more with machines, while on the other hand, slowly realizing how important it is to spend actual time with one another,” she observes.
Exploring Female Loneliness
While much discourse centers on the loneliness epidemic among men, Menart delves into how isolation uniquely affects young women. “Everything That’s Wrong With You” raises questions about caregiving burdens, the societal pressures of relationships and motherhood, and the hypersexualized landscape of online dating.
“I’m a woman, and that’s the perspective that feels like home,” she asserts. “Honestly, I think women lead more fascinating lives. We have it harder, but our experiences are rich and still unexamined. There have been excellent films and novels about women’s inner lives, yet so much remains unexplored.”
A Tailored Casting Process
From the outset, Menart understood her film would hinge on the casting of its two leads. “I wanted actors from Slovenia because language was very important to me,” she explains. “This meant our pool of actors wasn’t huge, and I still wanted to conduct open auditions.” Interestingly, both actresses initially auditioned for the roles opposite of those ultimately cast, leading Menart to appreciate the unique traits each brought to their respective characters.
Cinematography and Location Challenges
Finding the right location for Alja’s home in a small German seaside town posed its own challenges. “Heringsdorf attracted me with its flat landscape, which starkly contrasts Slovenia’s steep, claustrophobic environment. I aimed for Maruša’s arrival there to convey a sense of openness,” says Menart.
Despite logistical difficulties—like limited space for crews in a tourist town—these issues actually aligned with the film’s intimate narrative. “This story is small and personal, so flexibility was key. We couldn’t plan everything ahead.”
A Focus on Intimacy in Filmmaking
Menart sought a cinematographer with a documentary background who could emphasize a natural, intimate interaction between actors and camera. When she met Dutch cinematographer Roy van Egmond through a producer friend, the connection was immediate. “It was crucial for us to cultivate a conversation between the camera and the actors, allowing the camera to capture the intimacy of their relationship,” she explains.
Celebrating Premiere and Future Prospects
With the world premiere of “Everything That’s Wrong With You” at the Sarajevo Film Festival, Menart expresses joy about returning to a supportive community that championed her film during its production. “The festival feels like a joyful high school reunion of the region,” she remarks.
The film is produced by Slovenia’s Vertigo in collaboration with Germany’s Chromosom Film, Tidewater Pictures, Serbia’s Living Pictures, and RTV Slovenija, receiving support from various sources such as the Slovenian Film Centre and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia.
