British-Iranian filmmaker Babak Anvari premiered his gripping new thriller Hallow Road, which centers on two parents who receive a distressing call late one night–their teenage daughter has accidentally hit a pedestrian while driving along a dark road. As the parents race to reach their daughter, disturbing revelations threaten to tear their entire family apart.
Hallow Road is led by Matthew Rhys, known for his work in projects including The Americans and Perry Mason, and The Wheel of Time season 3’s Rosamund Pike. Rhys and Pike had to unravel complicated family dynamics and turn in emotional performances while spending the majority of the film in the constrained setting of a car. From navigating the claustrophobia of long shoots to exploring power dynamics in simple actions and roles, the actors brought the tension of Hallow Road to life through their work.
ScreenRant’s Liam Crowley spoke with director Babak Anvari and star Matthew Rhys about their work on Anvari’s latest film at SXSW. Anvari shared what drew him to the script and Rhys spoke about the joys and challenges of the movie’s unique setting. The director also discussed his never-ending quest to amp up the strangeness and tension in his films.
Babak Anvari Was Drawn To The Challenge Of Hallow Road
Anvari Also Loved How It Felt “Like A Rollercoaster Ride”
Babak Anvari is known for expertly crafting scenes and films full of unrelenting pressure. “I’m a bit nuts,” the director offered, “because I love tension.” The tension inherent in William Gillies’ script roped Anvari right in: “I started reading it. I was like, ‘Yes. This is so intense, and it’s such a rollercoaster ride.’”
As a masochistic filmmaker, I was like, ‘This is an amazing challenge.’
Hallow Road presented a unique challenge, though, due to its setting. Good thing Anvari had an appeтιтe for that: “It was all set almost entirely in a car. As a masochistic filmmaker, I was like, ‘This is an amazing challenge. I really want to do this’ … I knew exactly, immediately, how I [was] going to do it, approach it, and shoot it.”
The Movie’s тιԍнт Setting Affected Its Stars’ Performances
“The Claustrophobia Definitely Helped”
As Anvari said, the majority of Hallow Road takes place in a car. “For the majority of the film, I’m driving,” Matthew Rhys said, although, “given the characters, Rosamund would’ve been the better choice.” But, according to Rhys, “That’s part of the whole narrative of the film–the roles we take, not just in parenting, but [in] any aspect of life, and why snap decisions then lead to greater findings.”
One finding of Rhys’ was that filming a whole movie in a car had its ups and downs. “From a lazy actor’s point of view, you go, ‘Oh, I’m going to be in a climate-controlled car, sitting down the entire film. It’s fantastic,’” Rhys said, but, “Then, you forget how much of an emotional rollercoaster it is. The claustrophobia definitely helped. Being in a small, confined space for hours at a time was a free bonus as to helping you ramp up.”
Anvari Shares His Mission Statement When Adapting A New Script
“How Can I Make It More Horrifying, More Strange?”
“Did it ever seep into your dreams?” Anvari asked Rhys about the film’s unrelenting stress, continuing, “[Rosamund] had weird dreams.” “I’m not surprised,” Rhys replied, later saying, “The level of intensity in this film… it starts at a ten.”
When asked if he always looked to elevate scary moments in a script, Anvari had an immediate answer: “That’s part of the fun. Every time I’m reading a script, it’s like, ‘How can I make it more horrifying, more strange?’” Anvari found his method of doing so, saying, “Once you’re in the car, you’re almost in the psyche of the parents. You’re literally experiencing their anxieties and their imagination … we had a lot of fun with visual cues and things like that to really tap into their anxious psyche.”
Does Hallow Road Have A Post-Credits Scene?
Matthew Rhys Has An Answer
While far from an entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hallow Road may reward viewers who stick around after the movie ends. “Definitely don’t get up until the credits are done,” said Rhys, “There’s certainly an Easter egg in there.”
Hallow Road premiered March 7 at SXSW 2025 and is currently awaiting U.S. distribution.
Check out our other SXSW 2025 interviews here:
- The Ballad of Wallis Island
- Another Simple Favor
- American Sweatshop
- The Accountant 2
- Surviving Earth
- The Threesome
- The Astronaut
- O’Dessa
- Sweetness
- The Studio
- It Ends
- How Was Your Weekend?
- Bella Ramsey & The Last of Us
- Pedro Pascal & The Last of Us
Source: Screen Rant Plus
