About The Real Truth about the Fight

Andrea Slavicek’s ingenious storytelling, made of snappy scenes, tonal shifts and direct address to the camera, conveys both a certain kind of teenage mindset - a life of school, etiquette, hierarchy, and violence - and a peculiar character’s very own perspective. Beyond its light touch, cheeky sense of humour, and some funny scenes, the film brushes on a dark subtext made even more potent as the director merely hints at it.

Interview with Andrea Slaviček

"Protagonist Lena draws us into her teenage world and its intensity and troubles. I wanted to depict the highlights from that period that shaped my memory of it, authentic moments, peculiar characters, that were later changed for the needs of the structure, but served as a basis for the development of the characters and their world. Most of all, the intensity we felt, and importance we were giving to these is somehow trivial events. Also, the view from a female perspective as to peer violence, hierarchies at school, and trying to comply with necessary codes for saving face.


But as in real life, the things we don’t say usually show us more than the actual words... This led me to the form that resembles a train of thought. Deconstructing the linearity, that is, the chronological course of events, the structure is based on the thoughts and feelings of the main character, Lena. The idea of the main structure being unreliable, that would deviate the viewer, in contrast to what’s underneath the surface, that which Lena doesn’t want to show.

I used the narration of the film in opposition to what it’s commonly used for, to lead you to the right path. Through the form of it, the objective was to create a witty personality with a bright radiance - the best way to depict a person would be by showing how her mind works. This was deliberately accentuated as much as possible to achieve greater contrast to the subplot. Often, I was guided by a premise not to be constrained with portraying reality, but the subjective experience of the main character.

We had a long preparation and a long post-production. As there are a lot of non-professional child actors, the main focus was to achieve the commodity between them. A lot of rehearsals, they haven’t seen the script so I did particular exercises for each scene. I think because of this they were also more relaxed..."