– The Danish auteur returns to the Croisette with his first feature in a decade, a futuristic thriller starring Sophie Thatcher and Charles Melton, set in Tokyo and Copenhagen
Sophie Thatcher in Her Private Hell
Renowned Danish provocateur Nicolas Winding Refn is set to return to the Croisette with Her Private Hell, a futuristic thriller that will world-premiere Out of Competition at the 79th Cannes Film Festival (13-23 May – see the news). This marks the Danish writer-director’s first feature in exactly ten years, following The Neon Demon.
Set in a futuristic metropolis engulfed by a strange mist that unleashes an elusive and deadly presence, the film follows a troubled young woman searching for her father. In this quest, her fate intersects with that of a US GI engaged in a desperate mission to rescue his daughter from hell.
The cast is led by rising US actress Sophie Thatcher (Yellowjackets, The Boogeyman) and Charles Melton (May December, Warfare), alongside Havana Rose Liu (Bottoms, Lurker) and Kristine Froseth (The Buccaneers, The First Lady). They are joined by Scottish actor Dougray Scott (Sea Fever), Mexican thesp Diego Calva (Babylon), Japanese actresses Shioli Kutsuna (Deadpool & Wolverine) and Aoi Yamada (Perfect Days), and Japanese star Hidetoshi Nishijima (Drive My Car).
Refn directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with Esti Giordani (Vida). His previous film, The Neon Demon, starring Elle Fanning, screened in Competition in Cannes. Known for his highly stylised and polarising body of work, Refn is a regular presence on the Croisette. His neo-noir thriller Drive, starring Ryan Gosling, earned him the Best Director Award, while Only God Forgives, also starring Gosling, premiered in Competition. In recent years, he has focused on series, directing projects such as the ten-part Too Old to Die Young, starring Miles Teller, for Amazon, which premiered Out of Competition at Cannes, and Copenhagen Cowboy for Netflix.
Principal photography took place in Tokyo and Copenhagen, beginning in May 2025 and wrapping in late July. Cinematography is by Magnus Nordenhof Jønck, who previously collaborated with Refn on Copenhagen Cowboy. The score is composed by veteran Italian composer Pino Donaggio (Carrie, Body Double, Dressed to Kill). The film blends English and Japanese dialogue, further emphasising its cross-cultural setting.
Her Private Hell is a US-Danish production staged by Nicolas Winding Refn for byNWR, alongside Neon, which is also handling North American distribution. Executive producers include Takuma Takasaki, Kimberly Willming, Christina Erritzoe and Lene Borglum. Its international sales are managed by Neon International. The film has already secured key distribution deals, with Mubi acquiring rights for the UK and Ireland, Italy, Spain and Latin America.
