The Light (2025 film)

2025 film directed by Tom Tykwer

The Light

Festival premiere poster

German| Das Licht
Directed by| Tom Tykwer
Screenplay by| Tom Tykwer
Produced by| Uwe Schott
Starring|

* Lars Eidinger
* Nicolette Krebitz
* Elke Biesendorfer
* Julius Gause
* Elyas Eldridge
* Tala Al Deen
* Şiir Eloğlu

Cinematography| Christian Almesberger
Edited by| Jasper Brandt
Music by| Johnny Klimek

Production
companies

* X Filme Creative Pool
* Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF)
* ARP Sélection
* Gretchenfilm
* B.A. Produktion GmbH,
* Gold Rush Pictures (UK)

Distributed by|

* X Verleih
* Warner Bros.
* Beta Film

Release dates

* February 13, 2025 (2025-02-13) (Berlinale)
* March 20, 2025 (2025-03-20) (Germany)

Running time

| 162 minutes[1]
Countries|

* Germany
* France

Language| German

The Light (German: Das Licht) is a 2025 drama film written, directed by Tom Tykwer, and starring Lars Eidinger and Nicolette Krebitz depicts everyday life of a middle-class family in a world that has become unstable.[2][3] The German-French co-production also have Elke Biesendorfer, Julius Gause and Elyas Eldridge in pivotal roles. The film premiered at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival in Special Gala section on 13 February 2025. It will be released on 20 March 2025 in German theatres by X Verleih.[4][5]

## Synopsis

[edit]

Tim and Milena share a household with their twins, Frieda and Jon, along with Milena's son, Dio. Living under one roof, the family exists more as individuals than as a family, bound by little more than circumstance. Their fragile life is disrupted when Farrah, a mysterious housekeeper from Syria, enters their lives. Her presence challenges the Engels in unexpected ways, uncovering long-buried emotions and hidden truths. However, Farrah has her own secret agenda, one that promises to reshape the family's existence forever.

## Cast

[edit]

* Lars Eidinger as Tim Engels
* Nicolette Krebitz as Milena Engels
* Elke Biesendorfer as Frieda Engels
* Julius Gause as Jon Engels
* Elyas Eldridge as Dio
* Tala Al Deen as Farrah
* Max Kruk as Jan Wozniak
* Daniel Grave as Josef
* Ruby M. Lichtenberg as Zazie
* Anna Shirin Habedank as Elsa
* Şiir Eloğlu as Doctor Scholl

## Production

[edit]

Principal photography began on 25 September 2023 on locations in Berlin, Cologne, and Nairobi.[3] Filming ended on 16 December 2023 with filming locations in the regions of Germany as Berlin, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Kenya.[6]

## Release

[edit]

The Light had its world premiere on 13 February 2025, as part of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, in Special Gala as opening film.[7] In cooperation with X Verleih, the film was transmitted in seven cities across Germany on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the festival.[8]

It will be released theatrically on 20 March 2025 in Germany by X Verleih and distributed by Warner Bros. The world distribution of the film is handled by Beta Film.[6]

## Reception

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 8% of 13 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.1/10.[9]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Das Licht (The Light)". Berlin International Film Festival. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
2. ^ Abbatescianni, Davide (5 December 2024). "Tom Tykwer's The Light to open the 75th Berlinale". Cineuropa. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
3. ^ a b "Das Licht: Deutschland, Frankreich, 2023-2025 Spielfilm" [The Light, Germany, France 2023-2025 Feature film]. filmportal.de (in German). 5 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
4. ^ Tykwer, Tom (5 December 2024). "The Light". Cineuropa. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
5. ^ "Tom Tykwer Opens the 75th Berlin International Film Festival with Das Licht (The Light)". Berlinale. 5 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
6. ^ a b "The Light, Feature Film: 2023-2024 – Drama, Germany". Crew United. 5 December 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
7. ^ Scott Roxborough (5 December 2024). "Tom Tykwer's 'The Light' to Open 2025 Berlin Film Festival". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
8. ^ "75th Berlinale: Opening Gala and Opening Film Will be Shown in Seven Cities Across Germany". Berlin International Film Festival. 21 January 2025. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
9. ^ "The Light". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 26 February 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* The Light at IMDb
* The Light at Rotten Tomatoes
* Official trailer on YouTube
* The Light at Berlinale

* v
* t
* e

Works by Tom Tykwer

Feature films|

* Deadly Maria (1993)
* Winter Sleepers (1997)
* Run Lola Run (1998)
* The Princess and the Warrior (2000)
* Heaven (2002)
* Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
* The International (2009)
* Three (2010)
* Cloud Atlas (2012)
* A Hologram for the King (2016)
* The Light (2025)

Short films|

* True (2004)
* Paris, je t'aime (2006; segment "Faubourg Saint-Denis")
* Germany 09: 13 Short Films About the State of the Nation (2009; segment "Feierlich reist")
* 60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero (2011; segment)

Writer only|

* Life Is All You Get (1997)

Producer only|

* Absolute Giganten (1999)
* Soundless (2004)
* A Friend of Mine (2006)
* Soul Boy (2010)
* Nairobi Half Life (2012)
* Veve (2014)

Television|

* Sense8 (2015–2018)
* Babylon Berlin (2017–present)

Company founded|

* X Filme Creative Pool

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