By Paul Salfen, Christine Thompson for AMFM Magazine
In a wide-ranging conversation, acclaimed director Oliver Laxe opens up about his latest film Sirât, a visceral journey through Morocco’s desert raves that has captivated audiences and critics alike. The film, which follows a father (Sergi López) and his son as they search for their missing daughter amid endless electronic music parties in the southern Moroccan mountains and burning wilderness, is more than a search story—it’s a profound meditation on life, death, family, and confronting one’s inner limits.
Laxe describes the experience of sharing Sirât with U.S. audiences as electric, particularly the thrill of being in the theater post-screening to sense the audience’s reaction. “There’s definitely electricity, especially at the end,” he notes, highlighting the film’s cathartic twist that catches viewers off guard. For Laxe, this isn’t mere surprise—it’s intentional “shock therapy.” “We wanted people to die watching the film,” he explains. “Because it’s healthy to learn to die. We have to do it.”
Oliver LaxeThe director, who has lived much of his life away from cities—10 years in Morocco and now in rural Spain—draws deeply from personal transformation. After making the film, he says, “I have less fears today.” Sirât forces viewers to look inside, confronting death while offering an invitation to life. The pulsating score and dance sequences play a crucial role, turning the film into a celebratory ritual. Laxe loves dancing at free parties and raves, where there’s no idol on stage—just the system and the collective energy. “We dance. We keep together. We celebrate,” he says, seeing it as a counter to worldly fears.
Sirât was no easy feat—risky, painful, and born from fear of misunderstanding. Laxe worked with a “family of filmmakers,” blending professionals and non-actors for authenticity. The process demanded surrender: “If you want to serve, you have to surrender your intention.” His guiding principle? Servanthood and faith in caring for the audience, even when the medicine is bitter. “This therapy… the good medicine… has honey in the head,” he quips.
Sirât aims for the same—dialoguing with our time through essential themes: death, life, family, fears.
Laxe’s rave culture passion shines through; he writes scripts while dancing, editing images in his head on the floor. He hopes viewers leave thinking about their families, their paths, feeling alive in a “magical world” where life cares for us, even painfully.
With nominations including Gotham Awards for Best Director, nine European Film Awards nods (Best Film, Director, Screenwriter, Actor), Critics’ Choice shortlists for Original Score and Sound, and serving as Spain’s official submission for Best International Feature at the 98th Academy Awards®, Sirât has earned its place as a bold, transcendent work.
As Laxe teases his next project—another “shock therapy,” but perhaps gentler—it’s clear his vision remains rooted in service, surrender, and the dance of existence. In Sirât, the path (sirât) isn’t just through the desert—it’s through the self, toward emancipation and celebration.
AMFM Magazine salutes Oliver Laxe for reminding us: Keep dancing. Keep looking inside. The world might just be more magical than we fear.
