Exclusive Trailer for Saša Vajda's Berlinale Debut The Lights, They Fall
Next week marks the start of the 2026 Berlinale, which promises plenty of new finds. One film that has caught our attention is the feature debut of Saša Vajda. Titled The Lights, They Fall—featuring Mohammed Yassin Ben Majdouba, Flor Prieto Catemaxca, Mahira Hakberdieva, Safet Bajraj, and Shanthi Philipp—the story follows a 16-year-old as he meanders through summer on the fringes of Berlin, while a palliative nurse supports his ailing mother during her final days. Before its world premiere in the Berlinale’s Generation section, we are excited to present the exclusive first trailer.
“In creating this film, I was particularly fascinated by the altered perception of time that arises when someone is nearing death,” said Saša Vajda. “I aimed to examine this change in perception through a straightforward narrative inspired by Cesare Zavattini’s neorealist screenplays—especially Umberto D., a film that focuses on a single moment in the protagonist's life, revealing its full complexity.”
“Positioning himself somewhere between classic neorealism and Andrea Arnold’s unvarnished social dramas, Saša Vajda delivers a delicate coming-of-age film with The Lights, They Fall. The hesitant movements of the amateur actors and the vivid texture of the 16mm film weave a unique poetry,” remarked German distributors Grandfilm.
Watch the exclusive trailer below:
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Exclusive Trailer for Saša Vajda's Berlinale Debut The Lights, They Fall
Starting next week, the 2026 Berlinale will offer plenty of new discoveries, one of which is the feature debut by Saša Vajda. The film, titled The lights, they fall—features actors Mohammed Yassin Ben Majdouba, Flor Prieto Catemaxca, Mahira Hakberdieva, Safet Bajraj, and Shanthi Philipp—and tells the story of a 16-year-old who meanders through summer in the outskirts of Berlin.