Today, we’re sitting down with Leyla, the creative force behind The Magic Trick, a film that has already made an impressive journey from independent production to international festival screenings.
In 2025, The Magic Trick successfully raised 10,000 through crowdfunding, demonstrating the strong support and belief behind the project. Since then, the film has reached audiences beyond its home base, with screenings at Filmzyt in Bern and the North Film Festival in New York. Its festival journey will continue this November with a screening at the Los Angeles Fantasy Fest in Los Angeles.
Adding to its growing recognition, The Magic Trick was awarded Best Film at Filmzyt Bern, marking an important achievement for the film and its team.
FM42: How did you make this film? What was the process like?
Leyla: It was a two-year journey. Funnily enough, we shot it literally two years ago. Crazy how time flies. This was my first time stepping behind the camera as a writer, director and producer, as I come from an acting background.
I started filmmaking for two reasons. Firstly, for me, making a film is almost like an artist making an album. It’s a way of expressing inner turmoil and things from my personal life. It feels almost like a therapy session, understanding parts of myself better and turning them into a story. In this case, that became a dark comedy psychological thriller.
Secondly, as an actress, you spend so much time waiting. And because I hate waiting, I decided to create my own opportunities. Somewhere along the way, I also completely fell in love with filmmaking.
FM42: What was the biggest challenge during those two years?
Leyla: The two years were full of obstacles, blessings and a LOT of perseverance. There were so many moments where we could have quit, but we kept pushing. I’m actually grateful for the rejections we received because many of them ended up being redirections towards something better.
We shot everything in Zurich and Winterthur, and I’m incredibly grateful to our cast and crew for putting so much love into the film.
FM42: What do you love most about filmmaking?
Leyla: That’s what I love most about filmmaking, the collaboration. I remember on our last shooting day, Mike Ogden was doing the monologue as Todd Grim and it genuinely felt like there was magic in the air. Everyone felt it.
FM42: What happened during post-production?
Leyla: Post-production brought its own challenges, with one of the biggest being raising 10K through crowdfunding. There were so many setbacks and moments where we could have given up, but with the support of our team, we somehow pushed through, including doing some rather absurd things, haha, and eventually secured the funding to finish the film.
I’m also incredibly grateful to Innovative Eye for their support.
FM42: Where has the film travelled so far, and what has the journey been like?
The film is still in its early festival run, but it has already won Best Film and Best Actor for Mike Ogden at Filmzyt Bern, screened in New York at the North Film Festival, and will screen at Los Angeles Fantasy Fest this November.
Leyla: What has this journey taught you?
More than anything, this journey taught me to keep persevering and to remember why you started when things get difficult. The dedication it takes to follow your dreams is insane, but that’s what I love about it.
To do the best with the cards you’ve been dealt, focus on your own journey, and keep creating.
For me, being an actress and making movies has been the most alive experience I’ve ever had.
DIRECTOR STATEMENT
FM42: Where did the story of The Magic Trick come from?
Leyla_ As a teenager, I often felt suffocated by strict rules and expectations about how I should behave and who I was supposed to be. All I wanted was independence and freedom, without fully understanding the weight and responsibility that come with it. That inner conflict is where The Magic Trick was born.
FM42: How personal is the character of Jenna to you?
Leyla: The lead character, Jenna, is closely inspired by my own experiences, blended with fiction.
When you are young, life often feels black and white. You are either completely exhilarated or deeply overwhelmed. With this film, I wanted to show both sides, the excitement of breaking free and the price that freedom demands, including the difficult choices and emotional consequences that follow.
FM42: What does the magic trick represent in the film?
Leyla: At the center of the story is a magic trick that shifts everything. It becomes a moment that questions how free you truly want to be and forces the character to confront who she really is and what she truly wants.
FM42: What were your visual and creative inspirations?
Leyla: Emotionally and visually, I was inspired by the raw intensity of Joker and the intimate, striking style of Euphoria.
These influences shaped a world that feels heightened, emotional, and slightly dreamlike, reflecting how teenagers experience reality through extremes.
I wanted the film to live between realism and fantasy, where emotions are amplified and authority figures can feel like villains, even though the truth often exists in a gray zone.
FM42: What do you hope audiences take away from The Magic Trick?
Leyla: With The Magic Trick, I hope audiences feel entertained while connecting to the universal and complicated journey of finding yourself and stepping into adulthood in a dramatic, emotionally charged way.
A Big Thank you to all movie supporters like Fashionmag42.com, innovative eye, Shirt World it means a lot.
BTS Photographers: @simonominus @felisframing @ilakyan.mov
Poster Photography: @lucias.photo
Title & Graphic Design: @rebelthruart
