In You Won’t Be Alone, writer and director Alex Karpovsky crafts a dreamy and introspective exploration of the creative process. The film follows two struggling artists, one a painter (Karpovsky) and the other a musician (Elise Muller), as they attempt to make art in the face of mounting personal and professional pressures. In this interview, Karpovsky discusses the making of You Won’t Be Alone and his approach to filmmaking.
Alex Karpovsky: A friend of mine had done something similar to this a little bit. He started asking me questions, and then he gave me a camera. I didn’t have a big plan for it; I just shot some stuff and ended up with about an hour of footage.
Do you know about the release date of the You Won’t Be Alone Series:
This series will be released on 1 Apri 2022. Also, the series has been a critical darling and has been nominated for many awards such as “Best Independent Film”, “Best Debut Biography/Drama” and “Most Original Screenplay”. ‘”Karpovsky is a natural storyteller who, despite a tendency to go off on very personal tangents, tells a compelling tale.”‘ – [MoJo]
‘”by turning mysterious, revelatory, and beautiful, You Won’t Be Alone creates an engrossing portrait of two creative souls.” ‘ – [The Awl]
Here is the plot of the You Won’t Be Alone Series discussed:
The main character, Karpovich, is an artist who suffers from anxiety and depression. He lives alone in a tiny Manhattan apartment that he’s painted black. As he works on his paintings, he frequently breaks down into bouts of uncontrollable sobs that he tries to contain by swatting at his face as if it were a fly.
Then, one day while walking past an outdoor public sculpture exhibition in the East Village, something catches his eye: an elegant stone sculpture of a giraffe with its head stuck in the earth. It’s been there since 1981 and it’s starting to look neglected—but then again it might be brand new because Karpovich has no idea how old it is.
The Name of Cast & Characters of You Won’t Be Alone:
- Noomi Rapace · Bosilka
- Alice Englert · Biliana
- Anamaria Marinca · Maria
- Sara Klimoska · Novena
- Félix Maritaud · Yovan
What inspired you to write the You Won’t Be Alone series and what message do you hope for?
The series is inspired by my experience dealing with anxiety & depression. I find that the world is beautiful, but I often feel like I don’t want to be in it. So the series’ main message is “No matter how bad things seem, you should be hopeful.” I’m a writer first, although I’ve acted and directed in the past. But I feel like this is all “information for my potential directorial career”–I don’t really want to direct right now except maybe music videos or commercial work. It has been such a great journey so far that I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
Why do you think it’s important for young adults to read stories about characters?
Well, I think literature is an important way to learn about your past and deal with internal stuff, but also it’s great to have a fun way to escape into worlds that a lot of people find hard to live in.
Other than the You Won’t Be Alone series, what is new and exciting you are doing in 2022?
I’m writing my first feature film, starring Noomi Rapace! The shoot will be next June. It was previously released in Europe under the title “The Escape”, but we’re going for a more international release soon, so stay tuned!
What has the reaction been like so far from readers?
The response has been great! I’ve been so happy to hear from so many people who have related to the work. It’s a heavy film, but I think it’s important to be able to talk about these things, which is why I’m always trying to get the film out there in any way I can. The series is about artistic struggle and the questioning of what it means to be an artist, but also about hope and friendship in times of need–it’s one big storm of feelings, but ultimately very uplifting. It’s also very funny.
Are there any plans to continue the series or write any spin-off novels in the future?
I’m in pre-production on the feature film version of “You Won’t Be Alone”, which will double as a sequel. The schedule has been kind of crazy, but I really want to shoot it with the same actors and crew.
The series is called You Won’t Be Alone because I think it’s important to take breaks, especially if things seem like they’re getting out of hand. It gives your brain a rest and lets you figure something else out! So don’t be afraid to take time off, or even leave a job. We all need that every once in a while.
How do you think society has changed since the release of the You Won’t Be Alone series?
I think the world is facing a lot more struggle than it used to–the U.S. just elected a new president who has promised to get rid of Obamacare, which will leave millions of Americans without health care, and I’m worried about what might happen under his administration.
