Nikoleta Karaffová: Bringing a London Perspective to Central European Stories
When Nikoleta Karaffová packed her bags for London, she expected a year full of film theory, hands-on practice, and new experiences. What she didn’t anticipate was how much she’d miss home. “I enjoyed being there, but I missed my family and friends. When I came across CME Content Academy, I thought – why not give it a try? If I hadn’t found it, I’m not sure whether I would’ve stayed in the UK or gone a different route.”
When she received an email saying she had advanced to the second round of the admissions process, she was still in London. She had no idea the interview could be done online – so she didn’t hesitate. “I told myself that if this really matters to me, I have to be there in person. I bought a plane ticket and flew to Brno. I didn’t even tell the admissions team.” She remembers little about the interview itself, but clearly recalls how she felt. “I knew I had strong English skills and I worked hard on the application. I wanted it to show that I was serious about this.”
Although storytelling had always appealed to her, Nikoleta never wanted to be boxed into a single role. At just fourteen, she and her friends launched a vintage clothing brand and built a thriving fashion community on Instagram. Over time, their page reached more than 80,000 followers, leading to brand partnerships and eventually a successful sale. “Fashion still means a lot to me. If I weren’t working in film, I’d probably be in the fashion industry.” In London, she worked at a vintage store and continues to draw inspiration from the intersection of fashion and film – whether in visual style or character design.
Now, she’s focused primarily on directing and screenwriting, but she’s also interested in the role of a creative producer. “I love being on set, making decisions, and dealing with the technical side of production. But the creative process, that’s where I really feel at home.” She’s currently working on an adaptation of Mengele’s Girl, the true story of a woman who survived four concentration camps. “It’s a powerful, emotionally charged story. I’m in contact with the author, and it means a lot to me to connect my love of history with filmmaking.” She envisions the project as a six-part miniseries.
CME Content Academy, a project of TV Nova and TV Markiza, provides practical training alongside theoretical lectures at the Television Institute. The aim is to educate the next generation of TV professionals and enable them to work with these leading TV companies.
-Kristina Sverkunová