We Bury the Dead: Daisy Ridley leads Zak Hilditch’s survival thriller

Introduction — why We Bury the Dead matters

We Bury the Dead arrives as a notable entry in contemporary survival-horror cinema, combining genre elements with a human-centred story. Directed and written by Zak Hilditch and starring Daisy Ridley, the film has drawn attention for its setting, performances and approach to familiar zombie tropes. Its world premiere at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film & TV Festival in March 2025 marked it as a film to watch for audiences and critics interested in genre reinvention.

Main body — facts, plot and critical responses

Development of the project was first publicly reported in October 2023, when it was announced that Hilditch would write and direct, with Ridley attached as the lead. The film, commonly referenced as Bury the Dead or We Bury the Dead in coverage, is set in a post-apocalyptic, ash-covered Tasmania where the dead do not stay down and the living struggle to survive.

Plot details available from industry summaries and reviews describe Ridley’s character, Ava, as a woman searching for her husband after a botched military exercise. Ava volunteers in hopes of reaching southern Tasmania, where her husband was attending a business retreat when disaster struck. Along the way a character named Clay reappears, having fled to try to help; he supports Ava as she attempts to deliver a final goodbye, and the two share what reviewers call one last, reckless night. These elements situate the film more as an intimate human tale within a zombie framework than as a standard action-driven survival movie.

Critical responses cited in early coverage emphasise craft and emotional grounding. One reviewer noted, “Overall, the craft of the movie is top-notch, with compelling performances, urgent pacing, and gorgeous cinematography.” Variety critic Siddhant Adlakha observed the film is “at its most interesting and exciting when it approaches the well-worn [zombie] subgenre with brand-new spins,” producing haunting scenes that probe dark and mysterious aspects of the human condition. Other coverage described the film as a “wild, ash-covered ride” through Tasmania and praised its indie sensibility and focus on honesty over pure horror.

Conclusion — significance and outlook

We Bury the Dead positions itself as a film that uses horror elements to explore grief, guilt and human connection. Its SXSW premiere and early critical notes suggest it may resonate with viewers seeking a more emotionally grounded or artful take on the zombie subgenre. For Australian audiences and international viewers alike, the film’s Tasmanian setting and character-driven narrative offer a distinctive addition to recent genre cinema; further festival screenings and distribution announcements will clarify its wider availability and impact.