{"id":48399,"date":"2025-06-30T13:46:17","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T11:46:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sfu.sk\/?post_type=novinka&p=48399"},"modified":"2025-07-17T12:36:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T10:36:14","slug":"katarina-gramatova-promise-ill-be-fine","status":"publish","type":"novinka","link":"https:\/\/sfu.sk\/en\/news\/katarina-gramatova-promise-ill-be-fine\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with the director Katar\u00edna Gramatov\u00e1 about the film Promise, I\u2019ll Be Fine – KVIFF 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last year, Katar\u00edna Gramatov\u00e1 was selected for Future Frames: Generation NEXT of European Cinema \u2013 a program organized by <\/strong>European Film Promotion<\/strong><\/a> and the <\/strong>Karlovy Vary IFF<\/strong><\/a>, during which she presented her graduation short film <\/strong>A Good Mind Grows in Thorny Places<\/em><\/strong><\/a> (interview <\/strong>here<\/a>). Shortly afterwards, she completed her directorial feature debut <\/strong>Promise, I\u2019ll Be Fine<\/em><\/strong><\/a>, which premiered last fall at the Tokyo IFF and is now coming for its European premiere to Karlovy Vary (July 4\u201312, 2025).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How big of a game changer was participating in the Future Frames for you?<\/strong>
Since I\u2019m going to Karlovy Vary with my film again this year, and have a lot of interviews ahead, I can say that Future Frames has helped me a lot. It was great training \u2013 we had excellent masterclasses on pitching and directing. As an editor primarily, I wasn\u2019t used to present myself like that, but during the program I realized that a director has to manage it. Hopefully,  I won\u2019t be the one hiding from the questions this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the last interview with you, we already know that you collected material for the script in the so-called hunger valley, in a village of Utek\u00e1\u010d, and the lives of the local people inspired you. When a child realizes their parent is involved in a scam and refuses to take part \u2013 that is a beautiful conflict for an artistic work, though not so beautiful for a real life. To what extent is the film fictional and to what extent a documentary statement?<\/strong>
The fact that this fraud story happens between a mother and son was purely my creative decision. The theme of complex family relationships and all the unpredictable situations life brings is very close to me, and I enjoy exploring it. Although the film is inspired by reality, its specific shape and form are fictional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did you combine the work of boys non-actors with professional actresses (Eva Mores, Jana O\u013ehov\u00e1)?<\/strong>
Casting was key for me. I was looking for actors with a strong inner presence, especially in their eyes. Our non-actor had a powerful natural strength, so I had to choose actors who wouldn\u2019t try to overshadow him with expressive gestures, but would act with restraint and inward depth. I really wanted the dialogues to feel authentic, as if the characters were genuinely searching for their words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Life as a teenager in such an environment, without a single functioning parent, or with completely dysfunctional ones, sounds like hell, yet it\u2019s the reality for many children. Your film is a tool that serves to highlight this reality. Talking about the issue certainly helps. Can we do more?<\/strong>
I made the film precisely to spark discussion. I believe the most important thing is to give more attention to children growing up in families that are long-term reliant on welfare, or in single-parent households. To talk to them, explain the context, name their feelings. I honestly don\u2019t know how I would react to a mother in such a situation. Can one forgive someone who never admits what they\u2019ve done?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interview was conducted by Veronika Krej\u010dov\u00e1<\/em> (National Cinematographic Centre of the SFI).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/em><\/strong><\/a>Promise, I\u2019ll Be Fine<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/strong>
Special Screenings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Screenings:<\/strong>
July 7 | 15:30 | Cinema A (Press & Industry)
July 8 | 11:00 | Grand Hall (premiere)
July 9 | 18:00 | Small Hall
July 11 | 21:00 | Drahom\u00edra Cinema
July 12 | 9:00 | \u010cas Cinema<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last year, Katar\u00edna Gramatov\u00e1 was selected for Future Frames: Generation NEXT of European Cinema \u2013 a program organized by European Film Promotion and the Karlovy Vary IFF, during which she presented her graduation short film A Good Mind Grows in Thorny Places (interview here). Shortly afterwards, she completed her directorial feature debut Promise, I\u2019ll Be Fine, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":48463,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false},"kategorie_noviniek":[2145,2144,2152],"festival":[2076],"rok":[2331],"class_list":["post-48399","novinka","type-novinka","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","kategorie_noviniek-prezentacia-en","kategorie_noviniek-slovenska-kinematografia-na-festivaloch-en","kategorie_noviniek-slovak-cinema-abroad"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sfu.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novinka\/48399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sfu.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novinka"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sfu.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/novinka"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sfu.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48463"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sfu.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"kategorie_noviniek","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sfu.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kategorie_noviniek?post=48399"},{"taxonomy":"festival","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sfu.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/festival?post=48399"},{"taxonomy":"rok","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sfu.sk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rok?post=48399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}