Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Katrin Vankova. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Katrin , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

For me, the most meaningful mission that I feel belongs to me is to try, as much as possible, to experience all the layers that life offers us as a gift. We are living in very difficult and disconnected times, in my opinion. I had a non-technological childhood and a technological youth, and it deeply saddens me to see how this evolution is unstoppable and how, unconsciously, it is disconnecting us more and more from the real moments of life.

As an actress, director, and photographer, I am constantly surrounded by a highly fictional world where the struggle of egos and the need for fame and success continuously obstruct what, to me, is the pure necessity to create. I’ve always had a deeper and more dimensional understanding of life, of people, of what moves me… and I’ve always felt the need to express this understanding and vision through my art and the way I relate to the world.

I am deeply interested in subtlety, and with so much noise and distraction around us, it becomes impossible to connect with it. I feel like we are constantly chasing something that isn’t real, and I would hate to grow old and suddenly say, “Damn, I wasted so many valuable years seeking belonging and validation,” when I truly believe life is about something entirely different. I increasingly believe in the power of the tribe and community, and I feel that it is in our hands to take responsibility for not losing the sense of cooperation. It is the only way to uplift and sustain ourselves as humans and as a society. And also, as artists.

My most meaningful mission is not to let this external noise obstruct my vision and to continue connecting and creating in a way that truly touches people’s souls. To be able to share learnings and unique moments that make us feel truly fulfilled—because when that happens, nothing material or external can fulfill you in the same way. That, to me, is the real path. If we built from that place in any field, we would live in a much better world.

Katrin , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I knew I wanted to be an actress the first time I was on stage as a kid. I still remember that adrenaline—impossible to explain. You just feel it. I’ve always been a very creative, energetic, and curious kid, and I felt that through acting, all my imaginary worlds could become real.

I’ve been working professionally in both audiovisual and theater my entire life, and it’s a career that has gifted me with beautiful stories, experiences, and people. It has also taught me that I can push myself far more than I sometimes believe. There’s something very magical that happens on set and on stage that makes me feel something unique, beautiful, and fulfilling.

I recently participated in two American films: “Savage Haunt” by Halo’s filmmaker Roel Reiné and “Verified Target” by Serbian director Milena Grujić. Right now, I just finished shooting a new Catalan TV show called El creador d’influencers (The Influencer Creator), where I had the best time. Basically, it’s a “fictional comedy documentary,” I would say, where we criticize the absurdity of the influencer world in Barcelona.

As I mentioned earlier, life really inspires me, so through my art, I try to interconnect what I see and feel. Photography has always accompanied me. I’m a huge fan of documentary and street photography, and I love sneaking around and capturing those subtle moments and situations that we easily ignore because of the speed of everything. I just love capturing the essence of people. I have a secondary personal Instagram account, @katrinvankova_lens, where I share all my film and photo work. :)

I also love directing. It’s a language that allows me to externalize all my inner ideas, and it’s something I’m good at and truly enjoy. I’ve directed music videos for artists like Rita Payés, Anna Ferrer, and Hanso, and I’ve also created some other personal creative films. Right now, I’m in postproduction for my first documentary, where I explore the lack of sexual education and the need to break social taboos around this topic. I’m also starting to work on ideas for my first fiction projects, which I’m very excited about. I love writing and have always considered it something deeply personal, where putting my thoughts and feelings on paper has become a beautiful and intimate relationship.

Something I REALLY love is collaborating with artists who inspire me. I feel that art and creativity have no limits, and it’s so fun and inspiring to mix different disciplines and minds to create meaningful, sensitive work. I’m also a huge music, culture, and fashion lover, and I just love blending creative boundaries to see what can happen when those disciplines interconnect. Jesus, I spend soooo much time listening to music! It’s become like a third leg for me.

I’m always open to new ideas and connections, so let’s have fun! :)

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

I had a very hard time after COVID. The entire audiovisual industry changed a lot. We got used to working online, and the beautiful ceremony of meeting in person just disappeared. All the auditions suddenly became self-tapes, more and more online platforms appeared, and the speed of creating led projects to be very superficial—they just became fast food. The time for rehearsals disappeared, and suddenly, I found myself giving my time and effort to a career that I had fallen in love with for completely different reasons. It was no longer my career, and I really struggled to find meaning in the way things were being done. Putting myself in those situations was just harming me. I truly wanted to stop. It just didn’t make sense to me. But every time I wanted to stop, there was always some kind of project that popped up as a sign, pushing me to keep going.

It took time, and it’s still taking time, to adapt to these new times and find a way to coexist within the industry while maintaining your own vision and creativity, which can sometimes be very hard. We must not forget that, above business, we deal with human beings and work with vulnerability, and all of that needs its own care and space.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I’ve always been a huge lover of the interview format. Actually, during COVID, I created a digital magazine where I used to interview people who inspired me from different art fields. I find that, through interviews, you get a small opportunity to dig a bit deeper into a person’s character. You can feel their real essence. I love watching interviews with other creatives and artists because it makes me feel that I’m not alone—that we all have the same struggles and that, in the end, we are all just people.

Hearing about other people’s experiences and paths is very inspiring to me; it makes me feel that there are always different ways of doing things. Learning new approaches and tricks is always a lovely and encouraging push to keep going. I love watching “The Hollywood Reporter” roundtables, Variety’s “Actors on Actors,” “The A24 Podcast,” or simply googling an artist’s name to explore their interviews. It’s truly inspiring.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.katrin-vankova.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katrinvankova/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@katrin-vankova

Image Credits

Photographer: Marc Sirisi @marcsirisi