Strings of the Innocent

This film began with a simple yet persistent question: “What if?” That question haunted me as I struggled to find the heart of the story until, one day, I came across an article about elderly individuals in retirement homes taking their own lives with medication. Suddenly, the pieces fell into place. What if this story follows an old man, overwhelmed by the loss of his daughter, who turns to medication to escape his pain? Once I discovered this emotional core, the script flowed naturally.

Casting and location felt serendipitous. My dear friend and mentor, Roy Kift—a successful playwright from London and the author of Tour the Ruhr, now known as The Complete Ruhrgebiet—was the first person I thought of for the lead role. Roy had taught me invaluable lessons about writing during our time in Essen, my hometown, and his Berlin apartment became the perfect setting for this story. Collaborating with him was creatively fulfilling and deeply personal.

The greatest challenge was portraying the daughter’s presence. Her role was crucial, but I debated whether she should appear as a real character or an illusion shaped by Walter’s grief and medication. Ultimately, I chose Freya, a marionette I had crafted during my puppeteering studies. Freya brought a haunting, dreamlike quality to the film, perfectly reflecting Walter’s fragile mental state.

As my directorial debut, this project allowed me to merge my technical background as a writer, gaffer, and production designer with my vision for a profoundly intimate narrative. At its core, this film is about confronting mortality and the raw emotions that arise when one faces the end of life. My goal was to immerse the audience in Walter’s inner world, letting them experience his longing, fear, and fragile hope.

To heighten the film’s emotional impact, I used bold, surreal lighting—purples, yellows, and pinks—to reflect Walter’s turmoil and blur the lines between reality and his unraveling mind. These stylistic choices create a disorienting atmosphere that mirrors the protagonist’s descent into grief.

Ultimately, this is a story about love, memory, and the quiet ache of loss. Its ambiguous ending invites viewers to decide whether Walter’s final moments bring peace or simply reflection. My hope is that the film resonates deeply, evoking emotions that linger long after the credits roll.