How “Run Rabbit Run” Delivers a Uniquely Australian Thrill

Beyond a down-under twang, it can be difficult to encapsulate what truly defines a film as “Australian,” but Run Rabbit Run has emerged as a compelling example of Australian storytelling.

The horror film, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, became the third most popular film globally the week of its Netflix release, delving deep into the psyche of its characters against a backdrop of stunning Australian landscapes.

Run Rabbit Run is a modern-day ghost story set in the heart of rural South Australia, created by an Australian creative team that includes director Daina Reid, writer Hannah Kent, and producers Anna McLeish and Sarah Shaw. The film follows Sarah (Sarah Snook), a fertility doctor, who believes in life and death, but after noticing her young daughter, Mia (Lily LaTorre), acting strangely, she is forced to question her own beliefs and confront a ghost from her past.

Going Beyond Slang

Speaking at Netflix’s APAC Film Showcase, Carver Films’ producer Anna McLeish emphasizes the importance of embracing distinctive Australian elements other than slang, emphasizing the importance of landscape and mannerisms in capturing the spirit of the country.

The sweeping shots of regional Victoria and South Australia’s Riverland in Run Rabbit Run serve as a love letter to the Australian landscape as well as a psychological thriller.

Hannah Kent used the harsh, dry, and elemental nature of an otherwise ordinary small town as a hauntingly oppressive backdrop for the character Sarah to spiral into her past trauma and serves as a visual metaphor for desolation and brutality, drawing on her own childhood memories of Waikerie.

Mother Knows Best

What distinguishes Run Rabbit Run is not only its artistic merit but also its dedication to promoting female representation both in front of and behind the camera.

Sarah Snook’s first Australian project since starring in the critically acclaimed series Succession. Snook, who recently gave birth to her first child, was overjoyed to be a part of the project and “was really excited and happy to see so many women on set.”

Run Rabbit Run is proud to have a female majority among its production heads in a male-dominated industry. More specifically, for a film so deeply rooted in the trials and tribulations of motherhood, the majority of the women behind the film are also working mothers.

“Run Rabbit Run is a unique take on the genre by offering a female perspective and exploration of themes such as motherhood, guilt, and the female psyche,” says director Daina Reid. Sarah is a stay-at-home mother. For many of us, it is the epicenter of our guilt.”

“The jeopardy lies in Sarah’s emotional confrontation and eventual acceptance of her ghosts, in order to move forward and be the best mother to Mia. It is this ultimate acceptance of our imperfections and failings that I hope an audience will relate and connect to.”

‘Run Rabbit Run’ is now available to watch on Netflix.