You Won’t Be Alone, writer/director Goran Stolevski’s feature debut, premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. The story of a young woman destined to become a witch, the film is a poetic and disarming meditation on love, identity, and what it means to be human. I recently had the pleasure of speaking to Luca Cappelli, the film’s editor, about his work on the film. We discussed the film’s elliptical nature, what it was like collaborating with a first-time feature director, and the joys of working with an international cast.
Film Cred: Congratulations on making it to Sundance. Can I ask you what drew you to the project? What appealed to you about this movie?
Luca Cappelli: Well, yeah, from the script, I guess. Yeah, that’s the first thing. That was the first document, I’d say, that I got sent from Goran. But I didn’t know Goran, and I didn’t know the producer. They just got in touch out of the blue because they had seen a film that I’d worked on previously. But it was an incredibly strong and original concept. And that really struck me because, you know, you read a lot of scripts, and you work on a lot of films that sometimes they’re not as thematically cohesive. Especially with a first feature director, sometimes that’s the case. Well, this one was like a rock, at least for me, you know: thematically and philosophically, he was trying to say a very definite thing. And also, I guess, I really appreciated…how ambitious it felt, the script, from the get-go. Kind of frightening, I guess. I mean, not from my perspective, but if I was Goran I would have been frightened. (laughs) But, you know, somehow that turned — it really felt exciting for me…the ambitiousness of it.
FC: Yeah, that’s one of the things that struck me so much, especially with a film where you’re kind of trading the lead cast member every few minutes: the cohesion and how it always felt like the same character, regardless of whose face we were looking at.
LC: Yeah, yeah. It’s quite remarkable in that sense.
FC: Something that struck me — this is a really meditative and kind of expressionistic film. But it feels like the cuts are so quick; we don’t spend a lot of time on any one shot. Can you talk about the decision behind that?
LC: Oh, well, I guess it’s the methodology with which Goran and Matthew [Chuang], the DOP, were operating. It was quite improvisatory and quite, you know — it was all handheld. And there’s always a lot going on on-screen. So they just wanted it to have this almost documentary feel to it, somehow. But still, Goran had really, you know, really wanted the action to have a certain dynamism. So we tried to be meditative when we could, but whenever there was something big happening on-screen, we were sort of trying to, you know — we jump cut, we were making things happen abruptly in some way and a little bit more dynamically. I mean, that’s the hope.
FC: Oh, yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I found the pacing really interesting, because it is so dynamic and moves so quickly for something that is so introspective, where we’re essentially seeing most of the film through someone’s inner narration, especially someone who doesn’t have quite the grasp of language, even though it’s really poetically written.
LC: Yeah.
FC: But yeah, I found that contrast really interesting, and one of the things that makes the movie stand out so much,
LC: Great. In a good way?
FC: Yeah, absolutely.
LC: Okay, awesome. (laughs)
FC: Yes. This was one of my favorite films of the festival. I was blown away by it.
LC: Oh, amazing. Amazing. Amazing to hear. (laughs) Because, yeah, you never know. (laughs) And also not being in a room in a cinema, watching it with people — I’m like, “I hope that people liked it,” but it’s different from really feeling it, you know.
FC: Yeah, Sundance was all virtual this year. No one was able to sit in the screenings and kind of feel the energy of the audience. Can you talk about what that’s been like?
LC: Oh, yeah, it’s not great, obviously. I mean, it was, but just being on the other side of the world and watching it — yeah, it’s a completely different experience, especially for a film like that. Yeah, I don’t know. We were hoping it to be a very, almost different cinematic experience. And, you know, obviously, being in a dark room would have helped that feeling that you were talking about, of heightened subjectiveness, you know, just really being in her mind and experiencing the world through her eyes and through her body. It would have made it more of a visceral experience, I think, for the audience. But yeah, I guess hopefully in April, people will be able to see it in theatres.
FC: Yes, that will be very exciting. I find it interesting, also, that it was kind of billed as a genre film, because you’re dealing with witches and shapeshifting. But it doesn’t really play that way. It’s more, as you said, kind of a psychological drama, I’d say — I hate trying to pigeonhole it. But how did you approach it? Did you have genre on the mind at all?
LC: I think from the first conversation that I had with the producer and Goran the director, it was clear from the get-go, that they were really aware of the fact that they were bending the genre elements. And for me, again, that was super exciting, not being — I mean, I like horror, but more classic horror. I’m not a huge modern horror fan. So, you know, that felt really exciting. And again, it was already in the script; this element was already in the script. So we knew that we were playing with the genre from the get-go. And it was fun.
FC: I talked earlier about kind of adopting different perspectives. How did you keep things so cohesive? Sometimes we’re seeing things from an animal’s point of view or from a human’s point of view, but it all feels like the same two characters viewing the world. Can you talk about working to get that cohesion?
LC: It was obviously in the script, so it happened fairly organically, I’d say. And it was just amazing to see, really, from when I was getting the rushes. But I guess it’s Goran’s merit, really. He imbued these actors with this amazing confidence. And they were still using their own physicality. They managed to represent this soul really well. And in the end, obviously, the voiceover does a lot of work in that sense to bring it together. But…it was easier than it looks, (laughs) which is probably a good thing. You know, it’s something that comes from the actors and from Goran’s directions and from, again, from the overall really strong concept of the whole project. It emanated throughout the performances nicely.
FC: You talk about how strong the script is — I’m curious how much of the cuts, between seeing the landscape and looking at the trees, how much of that was in the script and how much of that was you piecing together the footage?
LC: Ah, yeah, Goran was really aware of this. And Matthew, the DOP, was really aware of this. Every time they were shooting in the woods or there was a scene in the woods or around nature, there was always a lot of footage, like a lot of subjective footage. So there was a lot to choose from, in a sense, and I guess, seeing this in the edit, obviously there was a lot of it in the assembly stage. But, you know, we sort of trimmed it down and just kept it for the main beats. We’re sort of trying to streamline the emotions, because obviously if we had too much of it, things tended to get a little bit too confusing in some way. But yeah, through trial and error, I guess, we managed to find the right balance. I hope.
FC: Yeah, absolutely. Like I said, it feels like it moves quickly and slowly at the same time, which is really important, I think, with such a subjective film. That struck me the most. I’m curious, do you have to kind of put yourself in the character’s headspace and go on that journey with them as you’re editing?
LC: A little bit. A little bit. And obviously, you put your own experiences into it, you know, but I guess there were bits of Nevena that I was obviously identifying with for different reasons: not being able to express yourself in certain moments or in certain situations, or…bigger identity problems that a normal person goes through. But in that sense, it was interesting how I got hired and I got attached to the project, because, like Goran, I’m someone who was not born in Australia. So I guess there’s a lot of an outsider’s perspective in it, you know, and feeling like you’re not really part of the actual world, but you’re something else. And that’s something that I was identifying with throughout the process. And I think it’s an important element of the film, you know, an important existential element of the film.
FC: Especially in the conversation at the end with Nevena kind of finding her way back into humanity, and Maria asking her, “How is it so easy for you?” Did you have to play with tension between those two perspectives?
LC: Of course. Yeah. That, again, that was coming across at script level already. But it was a tricky scene to cut, because obviously we wanted to get the full range of exactly that line. You know, that was the key line that we really wanted to land. But throughout the whole film, obviously, we tried as much as we could to build the right amount of tension between Maria and Nevena…there were even those shots of Maria looking at her while she’s in the village, and she’s living a different life. And, you know, we get this just to add this other perspective on the film and to heighten the conflict between the two of them. That was something that we crafted really carefully.
FC: Yeah, I did think it was interesting when we have the story of Old Maid Maria, when we’re kind of put back into her perspective — initially, it feels like Nevena. I like that there were parallels between the two of them before Maria becomes who she becomes later. Can you talk about that sequence?
LC: It’s funny, because parts of that sequence were the first things that they shot. And obviously the actress who plays Maria, Anamaria Marinca — yeah, she was just mind-blowing, you know, both with the prosthetic on and without. I think that her performance was, yeah, it was a real treat to start with her, because I already knew her from — she was in this Romanian film that won Cannes in [2007], called 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days — and so putting together the sequences was a pleasure. Only when we had the full film, obviously, this thing of the parallels became, I think, bigger than what Goran had planned, even, and it felt like an amazing story to counterbalance Nevena. And obviously, you know…we sort of went for the tragic, because we thought that the film needed it to feel authentic and impactful.
FC: Were there any other instances like that where it felt like something emerged that wasn’t in the script or that was bigger than what was planned at first?
LC: Well, there were moments for me like, I remember I was getting the rushes that had dialogue. The assistant editor in Serbia was putting subtitles, so I would get them translated. But there was also the voiceover. And the voiceover was recorded separately by Sara [Klimoska], who is the young girl who plays Nevena in the cave in the first half of the film. And I just remember, you know — even not being a Macedonian speaker, I just remember the sheer emotion that I felt when I started playing with this voiceover on the images and on the montages and with the music. There was just this incredible quality to the way she was speaking, even if I had no idea what she was talking about. (laughs) But somehow, her speech and her performance was coming across and almost had — like, there was almost a tactile element, you know. I was there with my headphones — this was during the pandemic, so we were in lockdown in Melbourne, and I was at home — and just closing my eyes with these headphones and just listening to this completely obscure voiceover. It was really amazing. And I think it’s just a great element in the film. And I’m really glad that it’s in Macedonian (laughs), you know, even if it’s obviously difficult for foreign audiences. But I think that there’s something to say about its sound. It creates its own atmosphere and world.
FC: The voiceover, it’s so gorgeous. I said earlier that it sounds like poetry. It’s such a poetically written script, and her delivery is so emotional and introspective, but it still draws you into her world.
LC: Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. And you know, with voiceover, sometimes things can get really cheesy or corny, but with her, it just — she didn’t do that many takes, from memory. It was just amazing. Really.
FC: Obviously, this was a very international production, you’re working with all these different elements — how was that working, not being in the same place as people or having time zone differences and things like that?
LC: Oh, yeah. No, it was fine. At the end of the day, the only time we were not together was during the shoot, but that was planned anyway. There was no talk of bringing me to Serbia, which is where they shot, but they were sending me rushes every day at the end of every day. So I would assemble things in Melbourne. And yeah, you know, (laughs) it’s just one of those crazy things, you get a phone call at the end of the day from the producer, “Hey, can you — we’re not really sure about this thing, can you assemble it?” So, you know, you would assemble things really fast and then send them. But you know, the time difference in some ways really worked, because Australia is always ahead of everyone. (laughs) So it was quite effective. At the end of the day, I would send assemblies back so that they could watch and make decisions based on that. And then once production finished, well, that was during a fairly long window when there was no lockdown in Melbourne. So, basically, Goran and I could work together. We were together all the time. We never worked remotely, so that was great. I hope I wouldn’t have to do that. (laughs) But on something like this, and especially on a first feature, it’s fundamental to be in the same room. And yeah, then we’ll see what happens in the future. (laughs)
FC: So how is it different working with someone with a first feature versus someone who’s got several films under their belt?
LC: Well, the first feature…it’s its own beast in itself. It’s really exciting. There’s obviously a bit of a learning curve for the directors, because sometimes, like in the case of Goran, he had worked on several shorts by himself. So he’s always edited by himself. So from the editor’s perspective, you have to be very mindful of that and sort of help them transition from a one-man band into something a little bit more organized. And so in that sense, I would sometimes let Goran actually operate a little bit or find shots, or, you know, I gave him a second mouse. (laughs) And sometimes he would scroll through footage. But yeah, that’s the tricky bit…obviously, everyone is anxious. And this was a fairly big first feature for him, you know, with the international cast. And so there was a lot of anxiety around it, but at the same time, it’s like a first album for a band: it’s this amazing outpour of raw creativity, you know, it’s completely unspoiled. And I love it, somehow, I’m addicted to it. (laughs) Even if it presents its own problems in some way.
FC: Yeah, that creativity and ambition definitely come through. This is such an epic but intimate story at the same time, which feels like it would be a hard balance to carry off.
LC: (laughing) Yeah, for sure. For sure.
FC: Is there anything that, in doing interviews on the film, that you have not had the opportunity to talk about that you do want to talk about? Something that you think people are missing or that you’d like to mention?
LC: There’s a lot of ellipses. So not everything is explained, and not everything completely makes sense in the world that was created. Because it’s a fairy tale at the end of the day. And so it was really important for us, and tricky, I think, from the get-go — especially from the first 10 minutes, I’d say — just to create a world that was credible and grounded, but at the same time allow these almost magical ellipses and magical cuts in time back and forth. I think that’s a really important element of the film that I hope people are going to get and enjoy.
FC: Yes, I love films that — it’s a self-contained universe. And to me, everything makes sense. It’s not dream logic, but kind of poetry logic —
LC: Yeah, totally.
FC: — in a way that feels totally cohesive with the rest of the themes of the film. So I’d say it comes across, at least, for me.
LC: Nice. Awesome. Awesome.
FC: Like I said, this is one of my favorites of the festival. It’s such a beautiful film.
LC: That’s great to hear. Thank you so much.
FC: What has it been like seeing reactions to the film? Or do you avoid reviews?
LC: No, no, no, I read everything. (laughs) I read absolutely everything. And none of my previous films have been reviewed so much. Like, there’s a new review every day. (laughs) But, yeah, I’m really happy. People seem to enjoy it and to get it. And as I was saying, it’s always tricky to know, because the process itself is so stressful and chaotic at the same time. So, you know, sometimes you get out of it — and, I mean, I was really proud of it and really happy with it — but obviously you’re always waiting for the audience reactions. And it seems like it really touched people’s hearts, which is amazing.
