In an exclusive sit-down with Fame Magazine, director Tolga Karaçelik opened up about the twisting, genre-defying journey that is his latest film, Psycho Therapy: The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer. The Turkish filmmaker, known for his Sundance-winning Butterflies, returns with a fresh blend of black comedy, relationship drama, and meta-commentary on storytelling itself.

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From the start, Karaçelik makes it clear that even the film’s mouthful of a title was intentional. “I always had the title from the beginning,” he shared, laughing about the logistical headache it caused theaters. But to him, the length and absurdity of the name reflects the story’s self-aware tone and his belief that “something that takes your attention deserves to be watched.”

Unlike his past work, which often drew from personal or political experiences, Karaçelik said this time the creative process was “painless.” Citing a quote from Björk about not needing to suffer to create, he explained that Psycho Therapy came from a place of pure artistic joy. “I just enjoyed writing,” he said. “I didn’t hold back.”

At the film’s core is a story about a couple—fractured, complex, and confronting each other in therapy—except one of them may be a serial killer, and the therapist may not be real. This chaotic yet controlled layering is intentional. “I try to push limits,” Karaçelik said. “Feeling is more important than making sense.”

Despite its outlandish premise, the film dives deep into themes of identity, partnership, and the act of creating. Karaçelik weaves satire into the narrative, including a subplot about awards obsession that reflects his own self-doubt after winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. “Am I getting full of myself?” he wondered, recalling his mother’s hilariously grounding response: “Oh, we always thought you were a megalomaniac. Congratulations.”

One standout moment in the film involves a seemingly mundane scene about chopping onions—delivered with dry wit and emotional precision by actress Britt Lower. Karaçelik says it’s one of his favorite scenes to write, allowing the character Suzie to express years of pain with deadpan humor and quiet devastation. “Suzie is literally shouting without shouting,” he said.

Throughout the interview, Karaçelik emphasized the importance of instinct and discovery. He writes to understand himself, crafting films that aren’t just about plot, but about peeling back layers of personal and societal meaning. Whether it’s absurd therapy sessions or subtle glances across a dinner table, Psycho Therapy thrives in the in-between—where comedy, grief, and love collide.

“Art is about remembering who you are in a relationship,” he said. And in Psycho Therapy, the line between fiction and truth—between murder plots and marriage counseling—is razor-thin, and all the more honest for it.

In NY Theaters April 4, 2025 With A Theatrical Expansion And On Demand April 11, 2025.

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