Slovenian filmmaker Urša Menart drew inspiration for her new dramedy “Everything That’s Wrong With You” from an intriguing internet trend she observed just before the COVID-19 pandemic. The director noticed young women creating fabricated tragic narratives online to attract followers’ attention, with some people going so far as to travel across continents to meet these micro-influencers in person. This peculiar dynamic between content creators and their devoted audiences became the foundation for Menart’s exploration of parasocial relationships in the digital age.
The film follows Maruša, a young woman grieving her mother’s death while readjusting to life in Slovenia after time spent in Berlin. Through online scrolling, she discovers Alja, a nurse living in a German coastal town, and the two quickly develop an intense friendship that faces complications when they finally meet face-to-face. Rather than focusing solely on the deceptive storytellers, Menart was more captivated by the followers who formed these attachments and traveled to meet their online friends.
The director’s personal experiences during the pandemic, including becoming a mother for the first time, deepened her interest in human connection and isolation. After nearly seven years of development, the film explores loneliness’s impact on young women while examining themes of caregiving pressures and digital dating culture. “Everything That’s Wrong With You” premieres in the narrative competition section at the Sarajevo Film Festival, arriving as conversations about isolation and technology’s role in human relationships continue to intensify.
Originally reported by Variety →
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