Directed by Jordan Scott, daughter of the famed Ridley Scott, who also serves as a producer on the film, A Sacrifice, which opened in theaters yesterday, follows American social psychologist Ben Monroe (Eric Bana) who is investigating a disturbing cult in Berlin when his rebellious teenage daughter, Mazzy (Sadie Sink) comes to stay with him. She meets a local boy, Marting (Jonas Dassler), who introduces her to the underground party scene and she starts making questionable choices. As their two worlds are about to collide, Ben must race against time to save his daughter.

According to Scott, who also wrote the screenplay for the film, the book on which the film is based, Tokyo, by Nicholas Hoggs, was more about the relationships between characters than it was about the cult. “The original book was focused much more on this amazing father-daughter story and also the love story between Ben and [the character] who is now Nina (Sylvia Hoeks),” explained the director to SciFi Vision during a recent interview. “But there was this underlying hint of this nefarious cult throughout that sort of kept poking its head above the parapet, but we never really went into the cult or into their world. Then, right as the book ended, the cult kind of opened up…So, I really focused on creating the cult and Hilma (Sophie Rois)’s world and having those two stories intersect.”

Bana, who also spoke with the site, loved Scott’s script. “I thought Jordan had done an amazing job,” said the actor. “…I just loved it. It was so well written. I was intrigued by it. It's exactly the kind of film I like to watch as a movie goer.”

Besides the shift of focus, another big change was the location, which changed from Tokyo to Berlin, which excited the star. “I thought it would really add an interesting dimension to the story,” said Bana, “and also the the way that Berlin feeds into the younger generation and the older generation between Mazzy and Ben, like, in how both are equally as comfortable in that society, and they just coexist in such an interesting way.”

For more, watch the full interview and read the transcript below.




SCIFI VISION:   I'll start with you, Eric. What was it that made you want to be a part of the film? 

ERIC BANA:   I just loved the script. I thought Jordan had done an amazing job. We jumped on a zoom, and I was like, “Okay, can I please play Ben?” I just loved it. It was so well written. I was intrigued by it. It's exactly the kind of film I like to watch as a movie goer. Once I have that reaction, it's like, you're not getting rid of me. You better delete me out of your phone, because I'm not going to let go. 

JORDAN SCOTT:   Thank God. 

SCIFI VISION:   Then, Jordan, can you talk about balancing what you pulled from the original book versus what you were able to add on your own? 

JORDAN SCOTT:   Yeah, the original book was focused much more on this amazing father-daughter story, and also the love story between Ben and [the character] who is now Nina. But there was this underlying hint of this nefarious cult throughout that sort of kept poking its head above the parapet, but we never really went into the cult or into their world. Then, right as the book ended, the cult kind of opened up, and then I was like, “Oh, this is where I want to be now.” So, I really focused on creating the cult and Hilma’s world and having those two stories intersect. 

SCIFI VISION:   Eric, did you read the book? 

ERIC BANA:   I read the read the screenplay first, and was in regardless. So, I didn't really get that much extra out of the book. I just felt like, when a script is really well written, that sort of becomes my Bible. Then, Jordan and I had many conversations about Ben and the dynamic between him and him and Mazzy and things that have happened in the past. So, I really just try to focus and build the character from that. 

SCIFI VISION:   Jordan, did you read the book then beforehand, and that made you want to direct it, or were you given the script from somebody? 

JORDAN SCOTT:   No, I was given the book and there were just a million ways in into the story, like there was just so many incredible characters, but there was a world. They each had their own world, and I just wanted to dive in and bring them all together and sort of create a whole universe. 

SCIFI VISION:   Eric, did you do any research kind of into cults and that kind of thing at all, or did you just go 100% by the script? 

ERIC BANA:   Yeah, I did, but I'd been interested in them for such a long time. I mean, I'm old enough to remember Jonestown, right? I mean, like, there's just been so much of this over the years and so many great documentaries that I've just automatically been attracted to and had watched way before this came about. So, I was interested in what Ben's job was and what that would entail. But I think also, like just as actors, I think we kind of consider ourselves amateur psychologists anyway. You know, it's like so much a part of our work, trying to understand human behavior in the way people think and the way people respond to things. So, I was really interested in that as well. 

SCIFI VISION:   Was there any kind of though specific preparation then, I guess, other than already being interested in it, that you did? 

ERIC BANA:   Oh, no, there was nothing, no, just a lot of conversations with Jordan. Then, we had quite a good rehearsal time, and sitting down with Sylvia and stuff, which was very helpful, and she was just so delightful to work with as Nina. And being in Berlin really helped as well. I love locations. I hate being in a studio. When we shifted from Tokyo to Berlin, I was so excited. I thought it would really add an interesting dimension to the story, and also the the way that Berlin feeds into the younger generation and the older generation between Mazzy and Ben, like, in how both are equally as comfortable in that society, and they just coexist in such an interesting way. 

SCIFI VISION:   Was there anything about the character that you had a hard time connecting with? 

ERIC BANA:   No, not really. I really surrender to my characters. I try not to allow myself to get in the way. So, I'm just always really, really open to it. So, no, there was nothing in particular. 

SCIFI VISION:   Jordan, I actually read that you didn't think you wanted to direct when you were younger. I mean, I was surprised after reading that, because of your family, but when did you decide, what made you decide that that is what you wanted to do? 

JORDAN SCOTT:   I mean, I think, [laughs] maybe, yeah, that was an act of rebellion, potentially. I mean, I think the amazing thing about being a director is you can bring in all your different artistic interests and just smush it into one discipline. So, I mean, it's everything: it's design, it's music, it's, theater, it's just everything that I loved, and then I realized, “Oh, actually, you can do this for a job. You can encompass all of these things in one profession.” So, yeah. 

SCIFI VISION:   Eric, is there anything after doing this that you kind of learned about yourself, or that maybe your your life changed? I don't know, in some way just from doing this that you've thought about after the fact? 

ERIC BANA:   Oh, not so much. I mean, I guess it sort of opened my eyes into the themes of people being isolated and lonely. It's probably heightened that, I think. I maybe more aware of how dangerous it can be, that we're not being as social as we as we used to be, and the way algorithms feed into things. I really like watching content on YouTube, and I'm always fascinated by how much just taking like a peanut from the table here, like, within a couple days, it wants to feed me bucket loads of peanuts. You know, it's like, no, I just wanted that one peanut. I'm really aware of that sort of stuff now, and I think that social media and the way that it can steer people and misinform people and stuff, it's really powerful. But, yeah, this made me very aware of that. 

SCIFI VISION:   What about you, Jordan, is there anything that that you learned or that’s different after this? 

JORDAN SCOTT:   I mean, now I just see cults everywhere. [laughs] Everything's a cult. You know, it's like, fitness is a cult. Wellness is a cult. I don't know. It's just, be careful what bandwagon you jump on, and yeah, be careful of YouTube algorithms, I guess. It's trying to get you from every direction. 

SCIFI VISION:   Then, quickly, can you talk a bit about directing some of the scenes in the water? Because obviously, that's kind of a big, difficult thing, I'm sure, to have to film some of that underwater. 

JORDAN SCOTT:   Well, it's probably more difficult for the actors. I'm nice and dry and warm on land. Yeah, no, it was really hard. I mean, the lake was - Eric - freezing cold, freezing freezing cold, and it was night time, so yeah, I think it was probably pretty miserable for Eric and Sadie. But then, there's this sort of beautiful underwater sequence with Sadie at the end, and we did that in a tank. Yeah, it's really hard. It's hard having crew and cameras underwater, being pulled all over the place, and then, you know, the poor actor that has to be in there for hours and hours on end. It takes everything. It just takes double the time.