{"id":2639,"date":"2026-03-27T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/?p=2639"},"modified":"2026-03-27T12:37:45","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T11:37:45","slug":"how-the-black-oath-was-born","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/coffee2go\/how-the-black-oath-was-born\/","title":{"rendered":"How The Black Oath Was Born"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Some stories are born out of silence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This one \u2014 out of a drive. Out of a conversation. Out of a piece of history waiting for someone to speak in its name. It all began one day when my actor from the Mrki Theatre, my friend Azeglio Picco, came to a rehearsal at the Pore\u010d Theatre. He looked at me with a smile and said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKate, I have something crazy for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I told him, \u201cWait until rehearsal is over and then we\u2019ll go for a drive, so you can tell me everything in peace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the car \u2014 and I\u2019m pretty sure there was no coffee \u2014 Picco told me a true Istrian story from 1796. A story about Tar and Vabriga. About Father Martin Vellovi\u0107, charismatic and defiant, accused of heresy. About Father Mate Corazza. About the county prefect Vukovi\u0107. About letters that travelled all the way to the Venetian Republic. About the cavalier who was sent to investigate what was happening in Istria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of it was written on 300 pages in the Venetian archives \u2014 unearthed from dusty boxes by our friend and brilliant historian Gaetano Ben\u010di\u0107, who transformed it into a synopsis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s when it happened \u2014 that famous click. In me, in the story, in everything. I devoured every word Gaetano wrote, breathed that story, lived inside it. I kept thinking about what else was needed to create the emotion that would tie it all together: what is the moral and emotional arc of the characters? What could be added, removed, lifted or softened to shape the tension?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Picco and I already believed in the film The Black Oath. We could see it in our minds \u2014 long before the trailer existed. For days we drove around and talked about everything: who had horses, where we could borrow period clothing, where we could shoot. Everything had to be timed perfectly, because Livio, Luka and Robert were coming for only two days, and we still had to shoot scenes with Robert and Olivera \u2014 inside a church. Livio and Luka were sword-fighting in the atrium of the Euphrasian Basilica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone who works in film knows how demanding all of this is; there are official job titles for every role \ud83d\ude09 but the list is long and dull, so I\u2019ll shorten it to the essentials we needed at the time: shooting locations and permits, extras, doubles, makeup and hair, costumes, animals (horses), props, coordination with actors and crew, shooting schedules, set decoration and art direction, working with actors, script supervision, directing\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And with us, all of it was handled by one person \u2014 a true one-woman band \u2014 who organized everything, directed, coached the actors and, finally, edited it all. And of course, the exceptional Pino, who filmed everything with a single camera.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
From the movie set<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

We shot the entire trailer in just two days. Nothing new for me \u2014 but this time, I enjoyed it to the bone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wrote the shots as if I were already editing them. I was inside that mist, inside every word, every tone, every expression and twitch of an actor\u2019s face. The shots were unfolding on the monitor \u2014 each more beautiful than the last. It was an extraordinary experience and a love story \u2014 at first sight and for life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team included: Max Hozi\u0107 \u2014 who helped me with the script and story; Zoran Trubi\u0107 \u2014 I remember discussing logistics with him, and the music he composed for the trailer, atmospheric and superb. And Pino \u2014 with the camera and his excellent sense of lighting, mood and character.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I gathered them all and said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGuys, we\u2019re going to make a trailer. If we only send the script \u2014 no one will understand how big and powerful this story really is. What a film this could become.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The shoot lasted two days: horses, doubles, a period carriage, costumes, makeup, hair\u2026 sword fighting. A church in Fu\u0161kulin, the Euphrasian Basilica in Pore\u010d, the atrium\u2026 the tavern (Picco\u2019s studio). Night scenes. Love scenes (the studio in Castel Rausch). Mirza Novalija with the crane\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trailer Cast – The Black Oath<\/strong>

Livio Badurina \u2014 Martin Vellovi\u0107
Robert Kurba\u0161a \u2014 Mate Corazza
Luka Dragi\u0107 \u2014 Marco Antonio Mattei
Edvin Liveri\u0107 \u2014 The Innkeeper
Olivera Baljak \u2014 Marija Zelenkovi\u0107
Dunja Sep\u010di\u0107 \u2014 Wife of the Prefect
Azeglio Picco \u2014 Prefect Vukovi\u0107
Amir Kazi\u0107 \u2014 Soldier<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then came one of my favourite moments \u2014 Massimo, one afternoon at Oli and Darko\u2019s, said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKate, you have to give me a role. I\u2019ll be your hunchbacked circus performer who announces the miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And he was. I wrote him into the script. I adored creating that character \u2014 all charm, madness and brilliance.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Josip Ru\u017ei\u0107 & Katja Restovi\u0107<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

And my dear friend Sandra Sagena also wanted a role \u2014 an uninhibited Venetian courtesan in the passionate embrace of cavalier Marco Antonio Mattei. Those days, we were all living and breathing this film. That miraculous creative energy does wonders \u2014 it connects people, feeds them, gives oxygen to every vein in your body and everyone around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will never forget how Livio and I went to the store to buy chicken skin for the dissection scene in the laboratory and \u201cRibice\u201d snacks \u2014 which we needed for a more believable vomiting scene. At the checkout, we both got that forbidden wave of laughter \u2014 the kind you absolutely shouldn\u2019t have, yet it bursts out uncontrollably. We\u2019ve known each other since we were eighteen and have been through so much together \u2014 so when the cashier asked what kind of meat it was for such a low price, since it clearly wasn\u2019t salami, inspiration struck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Livio answered, dead serious:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe chicken skin is for dissection. Katja, have the instruments been sterilised?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And I replied, equally serious:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course, Father Vellovi\u0107. Everything is ready in the laboratory and waiting for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her expression is something I will never forget. Those innocent but confusing little moments were the highlight of our day. There were plenty of them \u2014 and that creative madness stays with you forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HAVC and All the producers – The Sound of Closed Doors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I sent the trailer and screenplay to HAVC, applying for \u201cFeature Film Script Development.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Twice \u2014 but without success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I knocked on doors, wrote to producers, sent countless emails, showed everyone the trailer \u2014 which still looks better than most of what is being filmed in Croatia today. And everyone said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have time right now\u2026 Too demanding\u2026 Too expensive\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Someone else might have given up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I didn\u2019t. Because when something matters to you \u2014 you don\u2019t stop when they reject you. You stop only when you stop loving it.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
From the film set of Black Oath<\/em>, Euphrasian Basilica atrium: Livio Badurina and Luka Dragi\u0107<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

So I said: Fine, if you don\u2019t want a film \u2014 I\u2019ll write a novel. If a door closes, I will open another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s how The Black Oath was born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First as a book. Now \u2014 as a trilogy. And one day \u2014 it will be a film. I hope on the international market, not here. Because I believe in every page, and in every heart that beats inside it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It reminded me of another story from my life:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in the \u201990s, when I organised the Fashion News festival with around 60 designers from Croatia and Europe, Croatian National Television didn\u2019t want to come film it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have the crew\u2026 it\u2019s expensive\u2026 you know\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I contacted MTV in London directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They sent a crew, shot a report, loved it \u2014 and Croatian TV later aired their footage in the evening news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Need I comment? Other than the classic line about \u201ccasting pearls\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was hard. Always a battle to the last drop of blood. I heard \u201cno\u201d so many times. Life stopped me in front of locked doors more than once. But I learned something: Dreams don\u2019t ask for permission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If something moves you, feeds you and shapes you \u2014 every \u201cno\u201d becomes fuel for a better \u201cyes.\u201d What is born out of truth, love and passion \u2014 always finds its way. Sometimes sooner, sometimes later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember: never \u2014 absolutely never \u2014 give up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now, the doors to The Black Oath are wide open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Edvin Liveri\u0107<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Gaetano Ben\u010di\u0107<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Livio Badurina<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Luka Dragi\u0107<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Robert Kurba\u0161a<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Some stories are born out of silence. This one \u2014 out of a drive. Out of a conversation. Out of a piece of history waiting for someone to speak in its name. It all began one day when my actor from the Mrki Theatre, my friend Azeglio Picco, came to a rehearsal at the Pore\u010d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2638,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[70],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2639","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-coffee2go"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2639"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2639\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4524,"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2639\/revisions\/4524"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2638"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2639"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katjarestovic.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}