Lars Eidinger Says Tom Tykwer’s New Film ‘The Light’ Exposes the ‘Reason the World Is on the Brink’: We’re ‘Being Governed by People’ Who ‘Clearly Have a Narcissistic Personality Disorder’

Lars Eidinger, the star of Tom Tykwer‘s latest film “The Light,” said during a Berlin Film Festival press conference that the drama exposes “the reason the world is on the brink”: narcissism.

The German-language film, which is set to open the fest on Thursday night, stars Eidinger and Nicolette Krebitz as Milena and Tim, the 40-something parents of irate 17-year-old twins. Tala Al-Deen (“Tatort”) portrays Farrah, their housekeeper, who challenges the family in unexpected ways but turns out to have her own agenda.

When asked about the hot-button topics the film addresses, Tykwer said that the generational divide between the parents and the children “is an abyss … You’ve missed the train! That’s what the other generation tells us.”

Eidinger added that “The Light’s” main statement is that “we are the reason the world is on the brink,” he said, referring to the generation of the parents in the film. He continued: “We are living in times of narcissism and are obviously being governed by people — the most powerful people in this world –– who clearly have a narcissistic personality disorder.”

Tykwer, for whom “The Light” marks a return to filmmaking after four seasons at the helm of hit period series “Babylon Berlin,” told Variety last week that the film makes a “hardcore political statement.” It’s premiering amid political turmoil in Germany, taking place in the lead-up to crucial general elections on Feb. 23. The elections have been marked by the rise of right-wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has caused controversy with its anti-immigration stance.

Eidinger underlined that political and societal change must start from within. “The way I understand the story, a narcissist is unable to love themselves because they are unable to recognize themselves so they have to be a stranger to themselves,” he said. “This is the central statement of this movie: if we manage to be courageous enough to show who we are and allow others to recognize themselves, then we can actually change the world.”

The actor also commended Tykwer, who has said this is a personal film, for his courage in presenting himself “in a flawed state” and said he thinks it’s a fitting choice for the festival’s opening film.

“At first I was a bit sad that we were not part of the competition, but I really think this movie has the potential to be important for these debates that we are dealing with today,” Eidinger said. “To use this film as a starting post to not just enter into the debates — to be able to say this one’s right and this one’s not right — but perhaps to find a way to live with this contradiction that both parties might be right.”