Hit the Road

An Iranian family makes a run for the border in Panah Panahi’s unforgettable debut

Panah Panahi, son and collaborator of Iranian master director, Jafar Panahi, makes a striking feature debut with this charming, sharp-witted, and deeply moving comic drama. Hit the Road takes the tradition of the Iranian road-trip movie and adds unexpected twists and turns. It follows a family of four -- two middle-aged parents and their sons, one a taciturn adult, the other an ebullient six-year-old -- as they drive across the Iranian countryside. Over the course of the trip, they bond over memories of the past, grapple with fears of the unknown, and fuss over their sick dog. Unspoken tensions arise and the film builds emotional momentum as it slowly reveals the furtive purpose for their journey. The result is a humanist drama that offers an authentic, raw, and deeply sincere observation of an Iranian family preparing to part with one of their own.


"Hit the Road is a masterful debut film for writer/director Panah Panahi. His skill at capturing this bittersweet chapter for this family so naturalistically, yet cinematically is breathtaking at times." - IGN

"From the first jokey moments of Hit the Road until its heartbreaking end you will not want to be anywhere else." - A.O. Scott, New York Times

"Panahi illustrates the dynamics of parenting, spoils us with glorious natural scenery, and provides an extended shout-out to one of my favourite films, 2001: A Space Odyssey. What’s not to love?" - National Post

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