Paradise Highway

Paradise Highway is a 2022 thriller film written and directed by Anna Gutto in her feature length debut and starring Juliette Binoche, Frank Grillo, and Morgan Freeman. An international co-production between the United States, Germany, and Switzerland, the film was released in the United States on July 29, 2022, by Lionsgate.

Plot
To save the life of her brother, truck driver Sally reluctantly agrees to smuggle illicit cargo, a girl named Leila. As they begin a danger-fraught journey across state lines, a dogged FBI operative sets out on their trail, determined to do whatever it takes to terminate a human-trafficking operation and bring Sally and Leila to safety.

Production
The film is an international co-production between the United States, Germany, and Switzerland, produced by Grindstone Entertainment Group and Silver Reel; they confirmed the lead cast of Juliette Binoche, Frank Grillo and Morgan Freeman in July 2021.

Filming occurred in Jackson and Clarksdale, Mississippi, in July 2021. Filming also took place in Brookhaven, Mississippi.

As of August 2021, the film was in post-production. In October 2021, it was announced that Lionsgate acquired North American distribution rights to the film.

Release
The film was released in theaters and on-demand in the United States by Lionsgate on July 29, 2022. The film was also shown at the Locarno Festival in August 2022.

Critical response
Joe Leydon of Variety called the film "A shrewdly constructed melodrama that does not transcend cliches and conventions so much as show how useful and effective they can be in the right hands". Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com wrote: "Paradise Highway is the kind wayward, tonally muddled project an actress the caliber of Binoche would only sign onto if promises were broken and payback was required". The New York Times's Concepción de León had this to say about Paradise Highway: "Though it is refreshing to see members of law enforcement focused on recovering and supporting a victim rather than pursuing her abusers, it does not allow for much narrative tension".

Box office
Paradise Highway was released direct-to-video and streaming services in North America, but did earn $222,607 at the box office in other territories.