Barbara Vekarić is a director and producer. She directed the travelogue documentary series “Couchsurfer Girl” and the children’s television show “Space Lab.” Vekarić has also directed several short films including “First Lady of Dubrava” and “Mouth of Truth.” “Aleksi” is her debut feature.
“Aleksi” will premiere at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival on March 9.
W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.
BV: “Aleksi” is a coming-of-age film, but the girl who is coming of age is pushing 30. Stuck under her parents’ roof, she is ignoring her pressing responsibilities and acting on her impulses with various men. I think a lot of young women could relate to her. We all have an Aleksi in our lives. She is your savage friend, your rebellious daughter, and that girl who broke your heart.
W&H: What drew you to this story?
BV: My personal experience and the experience of my generation, which takes a bit too long to grow up. In this post-recession period, people in their late 20s are stuck in between, spat out from university into a big fat nothing.
The expectations society has of women are insane—nothing more or less than “to have it all.” I wanted to add to the diversity of heroines presented on the big screen and portray a pretty flawed girl who is totally deaf to what society wants from her.
W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?
BV: I want them to think: “Oh, what a nice time I had watching this little movie!”
I would like for young women to feel empowered by the unconventional leading character and for people to get accustomed to girls who “act like guys.”
W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?
BV: The biggest challenge was to get it funded. It always is. Film is rarely a good investment, and I don’t know any billionaire benefactors in love with the arts. The circle is vicious—the most expensive movies are the safest bet, but who will entrust directing a high budget movie to a gal who has never done it before?
It’s a huge risk, and most people are not so insightful to recognize somebody’s potential. After all, it’s their job on the line if they make a mistake, so they are super cautious. They will follow “heat” and “trends” and will hire the same people over and over to do certain types of things. It takes big balls and really good intuition to take a chance on somebody new.
W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.
BV: I’m contractually obliged to keep my mouth shut about the finances, but I can say the budget of “Aleksi” was very modest. I did the same thing that every first-time filmmaker does in these circumstances: I gave up most of my salary and begged my friends to work for peanuts. And then I begged some more.
The trick with not making this whole begging process uncomfortable was finding people who had their own interest in it, whether they were talented aspiring creatives with nobody to take a chance on them for a feature film, or just people with certain resources who wanted a movie to be shot in their houses or wineries or yards because it’s something that refreshes their routine. Or maybe they just felt good seeing a well-known actress sipping coffee from their mugs during breaks. The downside is that the beggar’s way takes more time than if you could just throw money at people.
It also helped that we filmed in Croatia. Money is about four times more valuable there than here in the United States and because I am from the European Union, I could also lean on European co-production systems and raise money from state funding bodies.
W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
BV: I have loved writing stories since I learned the alphabet, and when the time came to decide what to do with my life, I wanted to put these stories in motion and visualize them for the audience. I wanted to make all these decisions about how it looks and how it feels, and I wanted to unite the actors with the space and chase them with the camera. I was lucky to have the choice and access to a free education.
W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?
BV: Worst advice: “You should do a cheap horror movie.” I am so afraid of horror movies—even if I survived the set and editing, my heart would collapse while mixing sound.
Best advice: “Listen to your inner voice.” This is such a general piece of advice, but it’s worth thinking about. Different things make different people fulfilled.
Hear advice, but think with your own head. You know the best what makes you happy and gives you purpose. Time goes by fast.
W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?
BV: Listen to your inner voice.
W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.
BV: “Lost in Translation” by Sofia Coppola is unpretentiously perfect, both sweet and sensitive and full of emotions. Maybe it is because I am living such a life, living out of a suitcase and frequently away from my friends and family, so I can personally relate to this search for warmth and somebody who can be close to you even just for a moment.
W&H: It’s been a little over a year since the reckoning in Hollywood and the global film industry began. What differences have you noticed since the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements launched?
BV: It is very positive that people are thinking about these power dynamics more, noticing it more, and verbalizing their objections. It takes a long time for true change, but I applaud all the women and men who are strong enough to be publicly vulnerable and who are forging a path for the upcoming generations.
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