“He’s stuck in between two chapters of his life”: Jan-Ole Gerster on Islands

In Islands, tennis coach Tom (Sam Riley) is constantly being told that he is living the dream. He works in a place others go to for vacation, gets to spend all day in the sun, goes clubbing every night and is accountable to none. However, with the arrival of a bickering British couple (Stacy Martin, Jack Farthing) and their son, the facade of his lifestyle’s eternal sunshine begins to crumble.

The beguiling vacation thriller premiered earlier this year at the Berlinale, before heading to Istanbul Film Festival and nabbing a number of nominations for the German Film Awards (Best Feature, Best Male Lead, Best Sound Design and Best Score). Ahead of the film’s theatrical release in German-speaking territories, we spoke to director Jan-Ole Gerster about his English-language debut. We were curious to learn what qualities he was looking for when it came to casting actors, and similarly, locations. Gerster’s previous film Lara, was his adaptation of Blaž Kutin’s script, and for Islands, the two collaborated on a screenplay. The director shared how this approach differed from previous experiences and how changes in his own life may have been mirrored in those of his characters.

Selina Sondermann

Islands is released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland on 8^th May 2025.