With ‘Talk to Me,’ Australian filmmaking duo Michael and Danny Philippou made a big splash in the world of genre filmmaking. Their horror film was a phenomenal success and had made the brothers ones to watch out for in the industry. Their brand of truly frightening horror films, grounded in strong emotions, is at the center of their debut film. In the press release for their upcoming film, ‘Bring Her Back,’ Michael Philippou shared, “We really want our stories to have a strong emotional core. The stuff we want to create, we want it to work on multiple levels.”
This can be seen in the upcoming film ‘Bring Her Back,’ which stars Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins along with Billy Barratt and Sora Wong. It tells the story of two teens, Andy and Piper, played by Barratt and Wong, who lose their father and are placed in foster care under Sally Hawkins’ character, Laura. But Laura harbors a dark secret,one that tests Andy and Piper’s bond and puts their safety in peril.
Not relying on special effects, the scares come from how vulnerable Andy and Piper are when faced with the danger that their foster mother has dark plans for them. But it also reaches in and tugs at your heartstrings when you are faced with the realisation that all three characters are reacting intensely to grief and loss.
ClickTheCity was fortunate enough to have a five-minute Zoom interview with Michael and Danny Philippou, where we had the chance to ask them about the making of the film.
ClickTheCity: In the press kit, it says that you wrote all this lore behind your film, but chose not to include it in the film. Something you also did with your earlier film ‘Talk to Me.’ I love that. I really love that. When did you decide that you wanted to make horror movies this way where you don’t explain everything?
Michael Philippou: It’s the same as when you are creating a character. You need to know everything that happens with that character’s life that led them up to this point. What are the things that affected them? What is their personality? What was it like for them growing up? You build these backstories that people will never see but it arrives at the story you are telling now. It’s the same with the world. You need to know all those things, so you know how it got here. [he then shares details about the film that I will not share for sake of spoilers] It’s what is necessary for the story but it’s the human side of the story. We are being put into the center of the story.
Danny Philippou: We like it as a puzzle box. There are secrets in ‘The Shining’ where the answers aren’t overt but if you read the script and the novel there are more answers there.
CTC: But do you fall in love with the lore that you’d want to do a prequel or an origin story and, with regards to that, how do you feel about horror franchises? Do you feel your films could do that?
DP: I think if I was ever going to expand ‘Bring Her Back’ it would be a novelization as opposed to another film and really track her arc. That, to me, is really exciting. I’d be so down for that. And I love horror franchises. I’m obsessed with all of them. Like I’m obsessed with ‘Child’s Play’ and ‘Friday the 13th.’ I loved watching the new ‘Final Destination.’ Yes, I love the idea of franchises but I don’t think ‘Bring Her Back’ is franchise-able.
CTC: Thank you for that. I love that answer. Horror films are great as their own stand-alone thing and I love it that you think that same way about your movie. Both films, ‘Talk to Me’ and ‘Bring Her Back,’ talk about the dangers of contacting the dead. What are your feelings about mortality? At the same time, both films are fueled by rage… uh… no, grief, sorry! What is your relationship with grief?
DP: Well, it’s about rage as well. [laughs] We lost someone while we were writing the project and then we lost someone while we were about to shoot as well. So it eventually made its way into the material.
MP: Danny is just a sad f**k.
DP: Yeah.
[we all laugh]
DP: And the thing is… No. That’s a good answer.
CTC: Sally Hawkins is wonderful. Was she the first person you had in mind to play Laura?
DP: Yeah, she was the first person in the list and the first person we approached. We felt so honoured to be able to work with her.
MP: It wasn’t written with Sally in mind but then when we were thinking about casting, we were thinking what could be unique and special about it. If we could approach anyone, Sally was first on the list.
CTC: It also says in the press kit that she really threw herself into the material and into the character, did you have to reign her in? What were the ideas that she had with the character that you kept into the film?
DP: It’s even small things. There’s a dialogue exchange between Laura and Andy and in the script, she said, “I would have done anything to hear her call me ‘mum’ one more time.” And Sally suggested to change it to “I would do anything…” and bring it out of the past tense and put it into the present tense and that really underlined the ending moments of the movie. So even small things like that, she can elevate the movie into something even more.
Then, it was here that my time was up. I wanted to ask more about working with Sora Wong, who not only fits the character of Piper but also shares the character’s vision impairment. I also wanted to talk about their penchant for using practical effects and not rely on CGI to create the horror in their movies. But even in just five minutes, the enthusiastic directors, who were so accommodating even when you could tell that I was their first interview after the lunch break and goodness knows how many interviews, they already had that morning. Their passion and joy in talking about their film was undeniable. It’s artists like these that truly excite me and with ‘Talk to Me’ and ‘Bring Her Back’ as proof of their emotionally resonant and well-crafted films, I really must echo other critics in saying these two are the ones to watch in the future of genre filmmaking.
Don’t miss Bring Her Back, hitting cinemas tomorrow, July 16, 2025! Get your showtimes and tickets now here.
