Danny and Michael Philippou Directed Parts of ‘Bring Her Back’ “Through Tears”
On May 6, 2025, A24 hosted a series of special preview screenings of the highly anticipated Bring Her Back, the follow-up film from Danny and Michael Philippou, who shocked the world with their debut feature, Talk To Me. Their sophomore feature is a much more melancholic affair, an even deeper meditation on the experience of grief, which, as the twins explained in a post-screening Q&A, was inspired by their own experiences with death.
Bring Her Back Is Steeped In Personal Grief
Bring Her Back, which the brothers wrote while directing Talk to Me, is based on their own very real experience with grief after their cousin lost her two-year-old. Danny explained how raw and all-consuming that grief felt, especially when watching their cousin leave her child’s body for the last time. That experience is infused throughout their latest film as the filmmaking duo is unafraid to let the camera linger on the devastated faces of their characters.
On top of that grief, the twins also lost a close family friend while filming (they dedicate the film to him in the ending credits). All of this to say, filming Bring Her Back was, for them, extremely cathartic. “There were moments that were meant to be scary but actually ended up being more sad through re-writes and shooting,” explained Danny. He also explained that some scenes, like a certain moment in the pool house, were directed through tears.
A Kick-Ass Cast
The twins were open about their deeply personal connections to the film from the get-go, especially with their producers and Sally Hawkins, who plays Laura, a foster mother with rather sinister intentions for her new wards, Andy (Billy Barratt) and Piper (Sora Wong). Hawkins put her whole self into the film, going so far as to even shop for set decorations in character, then bringing objects to the production designers to help dress Laura’s home. The Philippous were deeply impressed with her talent, and were at times even nervous to give her notes just because Hawkins was so committed to her character.
But that level of commitment is what they wanted. “What Happened To Baby Jane and the performances of Bette Davis were massive North Stars for Bring Her Back,” the Philippous explained.
Hawkins wasn’t the only performer who blew Danny and Michael away. Sora Wong, who plays Piper, was 12 years old when she was cast, and she’d never acted before. The Philippous wanted someone who was actually visually impaired to play the character, and their pool of talent was admittedly small. But once they met Wong, they knew they had found their Piper. “She blew us all away,” said Danny during the Q&A.
Bring Her Back comes to theaters on May 30, 2025.
Categorized:Interviews
