Hit the Road

119 mins, Iran (Persian)
Directed by Panah Panahi (2021)

A family of four take a road trip across Iran, the reasons for which are initially unclear to us. There is tension in the car: the older brother who is driving is told not to use his phone; his father is in the backseat with a cast on his broken leg. All the love, tensions, secrets, affection and frivolity that families share is on display.

With superb acting, writing and directing the family’s dynamics are observed in all their quiet complexity. The cinematography gazes over the mountainous landscape and squeezes us in to the intimate and claustrophobic space of the car while 70s Iranian pop provides the soundtrack for our journey. This is a warm, big-hearted and compelling debut feature from Panah Panahi, son of the great Iranian director Jafar Panahi.