Nicolas Winding Refn Marks 15 Years of Drive with 4K Restoration and Her Private Hell Premiere

Nicolas Winding Refn's 2011 film Drive, adapted from James Sallis's novel, remains a landmark of contemporary cinema. The director, who suffered a 25-minute cardiac arrest in 2023, recently toured Italian cinemas to present his latest feature, Her Private Hell. A key stop was the Refn Celebration event on 28 September, where a 4K restoration of Drive was screened, followed by a live-streamed Q&A and the Italian premiere of Her Private Hell, arriving a decade after The Neon Demon. Refn described Drive as his "first LA Fantasy" and credited it with expanding his audience and distribution. He also revealed that a third collaboration with Ryan Gosling is planned. The director reflected on his near-death experience as a creative rebirth, stating he felt like a sixteen-year-old with renewed energy. He emphasized cinema as fantasy and desire, and expressed a preference for dangerous art over sanitized media. The event was part of a promotional tour that included appearances at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival and the Deauville Film Festival.