– BERLINALE 2026: We sat down with the German director to get the low-down on his film about a teenage boy who keeps his problems to himself
In Saša Vajda’s The Lights, They Fall [+see also:
film review
interview: Saša Vajda
film profile], teenage boy Ilay (Mohammed Yassin Ben Majdouba) works, meets up with friends and wanders around the outskirts of Berlin, keeping his problems to himself. His mother is dying, but Ilay comes to a conclusion: maybe death is not the end? The German director breaks down his Berlinale Generation 14plus entry for us.
Cineuropa: It’s surprising that there is so much silence in your film. Ilay is so young, yet he’s also so withdrawn.
Saša Vajda: It’s a deliberate choice I made, but I don’t really know why. Teenagers can be driven by their hormones and everything is intense, but not everyone his age is outspoken and energetic. I wanted him to feel like a metaphysical character. He carries the weight of existence on his shoulders; he holds his own secrets. I was a bit older than him when I lost my mother. That can lead to silence and feeling overwhelmed by life. You enter another dimension.
This whole spiritual part of the film is interesting because it comes very late. For most of it, he deals with such ordinary issues. Where did it come from?
Usually, movies offer you something at the beginning, and then you feel like you know all the codes. “Ok, this is a coming-of-age story and he’s struggling.” Then, suddenly, there’s room for something else. I found it interesting to add this extra layer. With a realistic film, the question is: how do you talk about spirituality? I’m not going to make people fly! I tried to find subtle ways of weaving it in. Besides, I do believe that spirituality is around us every day. The rhythm of the film, its silence – and the fact that I managed to find a person who was able to really embody it – allow you to accept that. Working with Yassin was amazing because I didn’t even have to say very much. He just got it. I liked that there’s a sense of mystery surrounding his character. There’s a mystery to the whole process of making a film.
He has to deal with so much. Do you agree that it’s hard to see someone so young and already so resigned?
There’s a lot of invisible pain in our society. It’s out there, also among teenagers. My mother passed away when she was very young. My youngest brother was the same age as the main character. The key to understanding him is recognising his weariness when he later says that he’s “stepping out of time”. He’s so overwhelmed that he doesn’t know how to cope. He enters something else, but he doesn’t know what it is. This film is fictional, but similar stories exist among young people. I still think Ilay might go on to have an amazing life. At this stage, it’s definitely not easy. But he has a sense of spirituality, and he has his agenda. He’s actually very wise.
You mentioned “invisible pain”, and he says: “I am a ghost.” It’s as if he’s acknowledging that people don’t see what he’s been through.
It’s so tough to have existential moments in your life, especially when you lose someone close to you. There’s a lack of rituals in our society, rituals that could provide some sort of framework or relief. You have to deal with these questions by yourself. That’s the invisible pain, which pops up when life throws something at you. In big cities, there are so many lonely people.
Thinking about rituals or his approach to death, you don’t explain Ilay’s background or beliefs. Why not?
I didn’t find it important, for the story that is told, to explain his background. Generally speaking, I try to “explain” as little as possible. I also just liked the idea that he stubbornly holds onto his own individual belief in some sort of transcendence.
In a way, he creates his own beliefs.
As long as you’re not proven wrong, that’s what you hold onto. This character has a connection to a deeper spiritual level. What he says is very poetic. He’s not trying to make a point; that’s just how he feels. Interestingly, he might be right. When my mother passed away, she was smiling. It felt like something suddenly opened up. I would never say that a person is dead when they pass away. Who am I to judge? How could I know? People live on in our memory after they pass away. They always leave something behind. There are no concrete rituals here, at least not in a religious context.
We have discussed the more serious aspects of the film, but the boys also have moments together. Of course, Ilay doesn’t say much, but he’s still part of the group. Why did you want to give him that?
He has friends, but he’s a little mysterious. His friends, as is usually the case with teenagers, totally accept him the way he is. He’s obviously not that much fun at this particular moment, but can you blame him?
Life is complex. Maybe that’s the reason I wanted these scenes, but I also loved these teenagers. They are so skilled at creating dialogue that’s entertaining but also beautiful. Nothing’s ever just sad, and nothing’s ever just funny; there’s always some sort of synchronicity.
