00:00:00: Hi folks, we are at Kallaviwari and now talking with our next director about his competition movie for the Crystal Globe.

00:00:09: We're here with Martzen Mengele's and film The Guest!

00:00:13: This is a family story with Trina Dyrholm in main role very impressive.

00:00:19: just had chance to talk her last year.

00:00:22: I'm talking you this exciting story.

00:00:25: how did you create

00:00:27: it?

00:00:29: Christian Bengson, who is the scriptwriter on The Film.

00:00:31: And we knew for a long time that we wanted to make a film about family in some way like a complex family.

00:00:37: So I think that was the beginning and then we quickly came up with our main character, which somewhat reflected ourselves in many different ways.

00:00:44: We just built from there.

00:00:46: It took couple of years And it has been in many forms and shapes to end where this is right now.

00:00:51: A central theme is neurodivergence Also used be called mental illness.

00:00:57: How did you choose that thing?

00:00:59: Do have any personal experience with it especially on a family basis ?

00:01:05: Yeah, and also it's a mixture of my own experiences... ...and observations.

00:01:09: And stories I've heard so on.

00:01:12: So there is-I draw for some part of my life But this work of fiction.. ..And i find that mental illness or neurodiversion.

00:01:20: I found the whole theme quite interesting Because we have hard time talking about it And expressing ourselves just right now what should be called as an example To explore all those themes in family In our families.

00:01:35: It's a good arena to do that, because I think lot of us know you have a complex relationship with our family.

00:01:41: But with mental illness or neurodiversion... You kind-of dial it up to eleven and boom!

00:01:49: So an essential aspect is also where do you draw the personal border?

00:01:52: To protect yourself if you've got a family member especially apparent who suffers from a condition and we never have a definition or diagnosis what actually the mother that's portrayed by Trina Deerholm suffers from.

00:02:07: But there is this strong suggestion, that it's schizophrenia And schizophrenia maybe one of the most misunderstood mental illnesses That is out there because most people think that schizophrenia People would be like raving maniacs Or they'd be dangerous Which was very rarely true.

00:02:24: Did you research that illness?

00:02:26: you talk to people who have it or with experiences.

00:02:29: It

00:02:30: was very important for us in the beginning and also... the afterlife of the film that we didn't want to have it be a film about one kind of illness.

00:02:38: We did a lot research with different kinds people, both suffering from mental challenges or illnesses and also loved ones too.

00:02:48: You got stories and experiences for those people who tried to put into character And I think all of us... It is a film which has this theme of mental illness.

00:03:20: So that's an interesting word, forgiveness.

00:03:23: I

00:03:25: think both actually and the day you forgive your parents You can forgive yourself, I think you become a healthier and more wise person.

00:03:35: Not saying that i have but it's an difficult task And if you cant force forgiveness like say im one of the given now It has to come from within and grow out in some ways.

00:03:47: The first step which is this film about That Step Is To Be Open To It Because If Dot You Can Be Trapped In A Mental Prison Of Sorrow.

00:03:57: How did you get Trina Derholm

00:04:03: for the role?

00:04:07: At least she is, I've grown up with Trine.

00:04:13: She's an amazing singer and actor...

00:04:16: Yeah!

00:04:16: She can sing too?

00:04:17: She really

00:04:18: good

00:04:19: right?!

00:04:19: I've been to some concerts of her.

00:04:21: it's amazing.

00:04:22: uh see-she is a very very gifted artist.

00:04:25: so i said i wanted Trine Dyrholm Of course but i didn't think in my wildest fantasies that you would say yes.

00:04:31: But Josephine Park who's a wonderful act as well who plays the sister Reggae In this film.

00:04:36: I worked with her on another television show And she actually knew.

00:04:40: no

00:05:07: How did she connect to the themes of that?

00:05:10: you discuss these themes.

00:05:11: Did she have input for the role?

00:05:13: She has a lot of inputs and what do see on this screen is Trine, her way of expressing their roles.

00:05:21: we talked about script our intentions and theme forgiveness family mental illness motherhood all those things in film.

00:05:30: it was big collaboration not just with Trine but also Simone Bendevia who plays the main character Carl Josephini Parkour plays Reige.

00:05:36: We had really nice group thing.

00:05:39: It was a collaboration to end up where we are now.

00:05:42: And I think Trine had her own ways into the themes, which on personal level... ...I don't know anything about but she has a way of using her craft.. ..to understand every human being that wants to understand and is quite empathetic.

00:05:57: The

00:05:57: film also has an interesting colour scheme.

00:06:00: You have these soft lights These white colours.

00:06:03: How did you develop it?

00:06:04: And how do you create it?

00:06:06: Well

00:06:07: i have wonderful photography for David Bauer, who is an expert on those things.

00:06:12: And we were quite early on found the hotel where this whole film takes place Marine Leuchttes Beach Hotel and they have these long halls with all of these colors you're describing so-and-so.

00:06:23: We kind like said okay let's use what here and expand that make a movie like this so warm cozy not hard for eyes to be in because I think thought it had to express some sort to let the mother comes along without being invited, disrupted even more.

00:06:42: And we also have a hotel setting which is of course very charged in cinema but it's also interesting because that's not really your home.

00:06:50: so how did you find locations?

00:06:52: and was there always an action play out?

00:06:57: Quite early on I knew they had to be at their hotels And while I was there, it's like this place is weird.

00:07:09: But in a good kind of way... ...I want to make the film here one day and then we started writing The Guest.

00:07:15: We knew that they had to take places at their hotel not somebody else's home.

00:07:19: Then we thought of Marine Lüsten, we drove up there saw them talk with them.

00:07:23: They were quite open for us.

00:07:25: actually It went more...it really an easy task To get our hotel which i'm very fond of.. ..i feel it would be much harder find a place where you could shoot the whole film.

00:07:36: What would you say were the biggest challenges when creating and realizing this project?

00:07:49: getting aligned and getting the actors, calendars.

00:07:52: And crew and hotels all those things.

00:07:55: so I think the hardest part for me was to just sit tight when sometimes you wanted go-go.

00:08:01: but then i have been really fortunate with people that my crew worked with.

00:08:05: I've enjoyed going to work every day making this film.

00:08:08: actually what am most proud of is chosen right people different kind tasks.

00:08:17: Also, the main character is a father to little babies.

00:08:21: How does that connect with yourself and why did you want this double structure?

00:08:25: Well I became a father myself while we made the film like early on in the script process.

00:08:31: only my girlfriend was pregnant now have beautiful little son.

00:08:35: so and the same thing happened for The Scriptwriter, Christian Bengtsson as well.

00:08:39: So our perspective... As it does with many people who become parents first time parents are perspectives on life and family And everything changed a lot.

00:08:47: We knew that we had to have that feeling and experience in film In some way.

00:08:54: Then we realized Carl also needs child.

00:08:57: That is why he suddenly started looking at his life in different light.

00:09:01: I think

00:09:02: An essential aspect of this team of neurodiversions is that there's this factor And there are a ton of studies on it, but we still don't know if it's inherited or is like this nature versus neuter thing.

00:09:16: If they're such a genetical component that you will get it and not get it.

00:09:19: You might be loaded weapon But nobody ever pulls the trigger.

00:09:22: How did you think about?

00:09:24: Was There A moment when you wanted to put more in The story Or Is It there In some way because I was always kind Of looking for it and never really seemed To come out from me?

00:09:34: Well

00:09:34: its an excellent question.

00:09:35: Excellent Talked alot About That versions of the script where it had a bigger part in the film than it has now.

00:09:43: You asked me before, what was the hardest part?

00:09:45: And then I realized that think The Hardest Part is to cut things you like from this story To make as clean as possible.

00:09:51: Like we worked for This Film For Four Years We Had A Lot Of Stuff.

00:09:54: i Could Have Made This Film Twenty Hours Long and Luckily I Didn't but But It Was A Big Thing and I know its'a big thing.

00:10:02: Its Been In My Thoughts As Well.

00:10:04: Everyone Who Becomes A Parent Afraid giving to our children.

00:10:08: And I think that feeling gets even more extreme when you have some sort of condition or illness, something with your label on you and we talked a lot... Some of them didn't want to have a child just for that reason and it was quite moving to hear their stories and i felt great sympathy for them.

00:10:25: We also met someone who said fuck it!

00:10:28: I still wanna get a

00:10:29: child!!

00:10:29: And the fear can be dangerous thing if you let it consume you choices you want to make.

00:10:37: The idea of not doing it right can be overwhelming, I think people who suffer from mental illness in any way or shape and form this part feels a lot for

00:10:46: them.".

00:10:46: It's also big pressure on the relatives because if you have a relative with any mental condition then put frankly everybody is always waiting for your snap!

00:10:56: Everything that you do will be judged into relation to those mental illnesses like oh was already the first sign?

00:11:01: Or did he just once lose his

00:11:03: temper?!

00:11:04: the main character that he seems very calm and very composed.

00:11:07: I seem to be a direct reflection of having our parents who behave like this, because you have to be super accurate not to suspect it yourself... ...to have the same condition.

00:11:16: Exactly!

00:11:17: And that was a very important part also for Simon, who plays Karl the main character.

00:11:21: It was big part of his role like he had to be really controlled because inside him there's lot things going on and as you say... ...he wants to run away from what comes out.

00:11:31: He doesn't want to lack his mother in any way shape or form.

00:11:35: The thing about Vibhika is her children actually everybody around them they always looking at it.

00:11:40: Is this it?

00:11:41: Are just normal now?

00:11:42: are you sick?

00:11:43: That's the thing with all these things we talk about Invisible like and we don't quite understand them.

00:11:49: if I were to tell you that.

00:11:50: I had cancer everyone would feel know how to react.

00:11:53: We get a lot of sympathy And oh my god, and I had to go to the hospital do all these kinds Of things which is horrible for people who experience it.

00:12:01: but we as A society in this people are much more.

00:12:04: we have a much easier way of understanding This physical illness and the mental ones are not of them are invisible.

00:12:12: So what will draw the line from just being you?

00:12:15: with your personalities and everything.

00:12:17: And now you're sick, I think a lot of people who suffer from mental illness in any way can feel quite judged on their scope all the time like everybody's always watching them.

00:12:27: You just as she said what if we were angry?

00:12:30: What is for us old school regular angry?

00:12:32: then it would be put into perspective that many ways are sick.

00:12:37: This

00:12:37: also relates to theme of forgiveness which mentioned earlier because its very hard.

00:12:43: where does personality start?

00:12:45: where does the illness stop?

00:12:46: And that also can work in a reverse way, because you wonder how angry am I allowed to be at that person.

00:12:52: Are they too blame for what they do?

00:12:53: sometimes there are two blames some times just being as old and it's not the illness.

00:12:59: and then you wonder like Can i Be Angry on them?

00:13:02: or Am I A Bad Person?

00:13:03: and this necessity of drawing a line saying Like I Cannot Live with That Permanent Pressure Of Constantly Having To Look After That Person?

00:13:11: so Was that a lot of discussion also in the acting?

00:13:14: Was there like, conscious decision?

00:13:16: okay now.

00:13:16: The character of Ibiki is in her... mental phase or now she's being like normal?

00:13:21: Yeah, we talked... Me and Trine talked a lot about it.

00:13:24: And sometimes we talk with Simon in Yosefina About It another times We didn't because we also wanted them to be this constant state of analyzing which I think is quite normal.

00:13:36: siblings have two very different reactions to growing up With the mother who suffers from these things as Vibhika does so they're always on a constant alert.

00:13:45: Yosefinis reaction Is to smother her being all around and Carl's reaction is to draw himself away from the situation.

00:13:52: So we talked a lot about.

00:13:54: I think, the relationship between three of them always lives in this gray area.

00:14:00: This grey zone of what is what?

00:14:02: Where's mom right now, where am I to Mom Right Now and with my sister to MomRightNow And so on...

00:14:07: A major aspect that is actually very much explored as medication and the question What does medication do?

00:14:14: So The film has a relatively positive approach To Medication As something That can help.

00:14:19: How was it at discussion?

00:14:21: Was there also moment when they were maybe more negative views?

00:14:24: Because i know that its'a Very contentious subject If medication helps or if medications even makes it worse.

00:14:30: Well,

00:14:30: I'm actually not sure... ...I would describe as the film has a positive view on medication.

00:14:36: but for me the medication in this film is what the loved ones try to control their uncontrollable.

00:14:44: You try understand what's not understandable and you see what's invisible And they can't.

00:14:49: so i think that medication says more about Carl than it does about me.

00:14:55: He's fixated on trying to understand if she is taking her medication, where he sits and all these things that are in the film And I think it's his way of trying to control something instead of just dealing with the emotions and being in these situations.

00:15:07: Because my own personal view on medication, as you said is complicated... ...I have met people who where they saved their lives.. ..and gave them back some things that could never do!

00:15:17: And i've seen people being trapped on it and never been able to get off because its structs for the brains & there are strong some of this medications.

00:15:26: if u got like wrong medication It can fuck your up!

00:15:31: I think we could talk about that for many hours, like how did we end up in this situation where the only way We can really try to treat these illnesses is with medication?

00:15:39: and i think it also reflects on How society approached This thing.

00:15:44: We have approached It The same Way as if you wanted If You get Physically Sick.

00:15:47: so i don't Think That its Black As White And i would say the Medication Is good but i think Its a way of trying To control the Situation.

00:15:55: What

00:15:56: Would you hope For People?

00:16:00: especially families that might watch it together.

00:16:06: Like five o'clock or something, I'm looking really forward to it.

00:16:32: Is there already a new project that you're working on at the moment?

00:16:36: Yes!

00:16:37: Several actually...I am working on a television show and also me and Christian is starting to write our next feature.

00:16:45: I love working with him and he's a script machine And i mean this in the best way.

00:16:48: So right now we are actually an early development.

00:16:51: Would like just maybe one word.

00:16:52: what´s about?

00:16:53: It´s abou state of journalism today.

00:16:58: very interested in seeing that.

00:17:00: So thank you so much, Mats Mengele.

00:17:02: and the guest is now on Crystal Globe Competition.