9
9
The best road movies to (re)watch for the release of Sirāt
From the vast American landscapes to the dusty roads of the Maghreb, road movies hold a unique place in the history of cinema. This genre of escape and freedom follows the journey as much as about the inner transformation of the characters. From Easy Rider (1969) to Ridley Scott’s legendary Thelma & Louise (1991), Wild at Heart (1990) and the Oscar-winning Green Book (2018), the road movie is constantly reinventing itself. As director Oliver Laxe embraces the genre with Sirāt – winner of the Jury Prize at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival – Numéro has selected the very must-see films in that category…
par Nathan Merchadier.
Published on 9 September 2025. Updated on 15 September 2025.
Easy Rider (1969) by Dennis Hopper
Directed by Dennis Hopper, Easy Rider (1969) follows the journey of two young bikers who ride across the United States, from Los Angeles to New Orleans. As a true manifesto of American counterculture, the film captures the spirit of a generation caught between dreams of freedom, flower power, and disillusionment. Backed by an iconic soundtrack – including Steppenwolf and The Byrds – and shot on a shoestring budget, this road movie has become a cinematic myth and remains a source of inspiration to this day.
Easy Rider (1969) by Dennis Hopper, starring Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson, available in VOD on Apple TV+.
Wild at Heart (1990) by David Lynch
With Wild at Heart (1990), David Lynch signs off on the wild and passionate run of a soft-hearted bad boy (Nicolas Cage) and his fiancée (Laura Dern). Hunted across the United States by a group of menacing, yet grotesque killers, the two lovers embark on a feverish road trip… A space where the filmmaker reimagines the American dream in a trashy version. Burning desire and extreme violence earned the film a Palme d’Or at the 43rd Cannes Film Festival. To this day, it remains one of the most striking entries in David Lynch’s filmography.
Wild at Heart (1990) by David Lynch, starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern, available in VOD on Canal+.
Thelma & Louise (1991) by Ridley Scott
With Thelma & Louise (1991), Ridley Scott delivers one of the most striking road movies in the history of cinema. The film follows the journey of two friends – Thelma (Geena Davis), a housewife trapped in a stifling marriage, and Louise (Susan Sarandon), a waitress with an independent spirit. What was meant to be a carefree getaway between girlfriends turns into a tragic manhunt across the American Southwest… Since Louise shoots the man who tried to rape Thelma. The first major road movie to place two women at the heart of its story, Thelma & Louise has since become both a feminist manifesto and a classic of American cinema.
Thelma & Louise (1991) by Ridley Scott, starring Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon, available on HBO Max.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) by Terry Gilliam
Adapted from Hunter S. Thompson’s cult novel, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) by Terry Gilliam follows journalist Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp) and his attorney, Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro), on a hectic trip to Las Vegas. Among drugs, excess, wandering, and odd hallucinations, the film draws the portrait of America in the early 1970s. The illusions of counterculture collide with a harsher reality.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) by Terry Gilliam, starring Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro, available on Netflix.
Green Book (2018) by Peter Farrelly
Directed by Peter Farrelly, Green Book (2018) tells the unlikely story of a friendship between Tony Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen), an Italian-American driver, and Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali), a brilliant pianist. Their journey across the American South in the 1960s sheds light on the racial tensions at that time, while following the evolution of a bond marked by humour, cultural clashes, and growing solidarity.
Green Book (2018) by Peter Farrelly, starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, available on Amazon Prime.
Sirāt (2025) by Oliver Laxe
Sirāt premiered last May 2025 at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize. In this mystical road movie, French-Spanish filmmaker Oliver Laxe (Mimosas, 2016) leads us across the arid space of the Moroccan desert. The title refers to the bridge over Hell that souls must cross on Judgment Day according to the Muslim tradition. This powerful metaphor permeates a feature film that stands among the most anticipated ones of Fall. There, wandering becomes both spiritual and physical.
Sirāt by Oliver Laxe, coming out in theatres on September 10th, 2025.
