Abhiroop Das
Directed by twins Danny and Michael Philippou AKA RackaRacka, A24’s ‘Bring Her Back’ follows two siblings who find themselves embroiled in the mysterious actions of their foster mother, Laura. Much like the Philippou brothers’ other project, ‘Talk to Me,’ this movie is a bone-chilling horror story, one which forces the audience to question the narratives presented by every character in the story, as their fundamental understanding of what’s possible is overturned. As the movie centers around the trials and tribulations the siblings face while acclimatizing to their new home, it doesn’t feature many locations. Instead, it hones in on the emotions that seemingly ordinary things and places can evoke, with or without context, indicating the presence of something supernatural.
Bring Her Back Filming Locations
‘Bring Her Back’ was filmed in Adelaide and its surrounding regions. Specific locations include Adelaide City, the suburbs of Lightsview and Ridgetown, and Adelaide Hills. Principal photography began on June 1, 2024, and the team was spotted in Lightsview more than a month later, on July 3, 2024. The production eventually concluded on August 3, 2024, reportedly after a 41-day shoot. While the region became the base for most of the exterior shots, some scenes were also shot in the Adelaide Film Studio.
Adelaide Metropolitan Area, South Australia
The city of Adelaide, which is also the capital of South Australia, became the primary filming location for ‘Bring Her Back.’ The region is known for its creeks, rivulets, and iconic wine regions, earning it the title of the country’s wine capital. South Australia also happens to be the Philippou brothers’ home state. While the two currently reside in Los Angeles, California, they are quite proud of their roots and often express affection and gratitude for the same. In an interview with InDaily, Danny remarked, “It always feels good coming home, even if we’ve gone for a week or a year. When I come home, I feel safe and supported and I can’t see myself moving out of Adelaide any time soon.” They further stated that their decision to return had less to do with experience or comfort but to maximize the city’s potential and center several components of their production around it.
Most of the narrative takes place at the residence of a character named Laura, who lives deep in the woods. The house is reportedly real and situated at Brownhill Creek in Adelaide Hills, particularly where the creek’s road turns into Tilleys Hills Road. The house’s backyard swimming pool becomes an important setting in the movie, often visible through the windows during pivotal scenes. Thus, the narrative has been built to fit organically with the real location where it was filmed. Several other locations in the city serve as the base for important scenes, such as the funeral scene, which is reportedly shot inside the Chapel at Harrison Funerals, located at 63 Golden Grove Road in Ridgehaven, Adelaide.
The filming process of ‘Bring Her Back’ also extended to the surrounding regions of Adelaide, notably Lightsview, a suburb in the city of Port Adelaide Enfield. The suburb was created in 2016 by merging parts of Northgate, Northfield, and Greenacres, three larger suburbs within the region. The crew was reportedly spotted filming in the city on July 3, 2024. A sequence in the film involving a lake was likely shot at Lightsview. According to local input, a few scenes were also seemingly taped in the suburbs of Parafield and at an old hospital in the town of McLaren Vale, roughly thirty kilometers away from Adelaide City Center. Some locals also reported the filming crew’s presence on Bartels Road and Pirie Street, both of which are major areas in the city.
Besides on-site shooting, the team also utilized the facilities of Adelaide Studio, managed by South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC), one of the production companies of the film. Located at 1 Mulberry Road in Glenside, SAFC is reportedly the oldest screen agency in the country and has been hosting the studio as a creative hub for budding artists. Since opening in 2011, it has assisted in the production of several major titles, such as ‘Mortal Kombat,’ ‘2067,’ and ‘The Babadook,’ and TV series such as the third season of ‘Royal Flying Doctor Service.’ The Philippous had also employed the services of this facility to create ‘Talk To Me.’ The studio, thus, enabled them to shoot complicated interior sequences with complete control, seamlessly blending a controlled environment such as this with the rest of the film’s creative approach.
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