The 2020s are shaping up to be the decade when female filmmakers venture forth with vigor. Between Greta Gerwig’s billion-dollar Barbie success, Sarah Polley’s soul-stirring offering with Women Talking, and Emer Reynolds’s Joyride, that proverbial glass ceiling has been shattered. But even director Nadine Crocker knows the road ahead will still be filled with hard work in an industry expanding in diversity.

The filmmaker, who’s had a successful career as an actor in Hollywood, keeps the creative fires burning with her latest film Desperation Road, a wild ride all around — from genesis to execution. The modern noir thriller was written by Michael Farris Smith, based on his acclaimed novel. The story chronicles two troubled souls tortured by past mistakes yet connected by a secret that just keeps them running. Oscar-winner Mel Gibson (Braveheart), Garret Hedlund (TRON: Legacy), and Willa Fitzgerald (Scream: The TV Series) headline the film.

In an exclusive MovieWeb interview, Crocker shared more about creating the gripping tale, what it was like working with Mel Gibson (who is currently turning heads in The Continental, the John Wick streaming spin-off), and being a female director in Hollywood.

A Gritty and Thrilling Film
Lionsgate

Desperation Road is Nadine Crocker’s second film made. Audiences should appreciate the story about redemption that revolves around Maben (Fitzgerald), a desperate woman who suddenly finds that she and young daughter (Pyper Braun) are caught in the frenetic fires from outside sources seeking revenge.

“I think people will be most surprised about how much heart this film possesses,” Crocker said. “You can see in the trailer that it’s action-packed. It’s a fun ride. And it still shows a lot of heart. You see it with Mel and Garrett as father and son, and Willa and Piper in their mother-daughter relationship. They are such grounded, beautiful performances. I think that people are going to be surprised by how much they feel when they watch the film.”

The thriller is filled with high-stakes intensity. Maben is taken aside for an alleged interaction she had nothing to do with. A gun accidentally goes off. The cop dies. Maben must run. But she has to get her daughter first. Meanwhile, Russell (Hedlund) returns home beat up and bothered. His father, Mitchell (Gibson), wants to help. Perhaps too much. Maben and Russell’s fates intertwine. Somebody is bound to get hurt.

Related: Here Are Mel Gibson’s Best Performances, Ranked

On Working with Mel Gibson and Others
Lionsgate / Steven Squall

Desperation Road should win over fans of Michael Farris Smith’s book. “I think the story speaks for itself,” Crocker noted. “It’s such a fun ride, and it has so many beautiful themes all wrapped up in and throughout the story, and also such incredible characters. I was excited about the potential when I first received the script. And after my first meeting with Michael, I just knew I had to tell this story.”

She praised the entire cast, noting the professionalism Mel Gibson brought to the project:

“Honestly, Mel is like the most kind and giving artist, and he’s so collaborative. You don’t know beforehand what each person and their process is, especially when you’re talking about, you know, Mel Gibson, who I grew up watching and who has been in some of my like favorite films. I’ll never forget the moment I watched Signs or The Patriot. His dramatic work is groundbreaking.”

“So, for me, it was exciting to go from watching someone your whole life and revering them as the director as well, because he’s obviously such an incredible director,” she added, “and then getting to work with him and seeing how humble, kind, funny, and fun he is on set. And because of his experience as a director, when sh*t felt stressful and sh*t hit the fan, he was always there with a supportive smile and a nod, like, ‘You’re going to be okay, kid!’ I don’t think he even understands how much that meant to me.”

On Being a Female Creator
Lionsgate / Steven Squall

Fans may know of Crocker’s work from her acting roles in Eli Roth’s remake of Cabin Fever — remember that flesh falling off? — and playing Scorcher on CW’s Supergirl. Using what she learned as a director on her award-winning independent feature Continue, based on her true-life experience surviving a suicide attempt when she was 23, Crocker was determined to create a meaning and effective film with Desperation Road.

Related: 8 Must-Watch Movies From Women Directors

“It’s been a fascinating and hard journey to go from acting, then having me be something people think they’ve figured out,” Crocker said, continuing:

I feel like no one really wanted to give me the opportunity to be seen in a new light as a writer and director because I had started in acting. And it’s like, ‘No, you’re pretty and you do this. You don’t do that.’ And I’m like, ‘No, I actually do both. And let me show you why. And oh, if you’re not going to give me the opportunity, I’m going to create the opportunity.’

That she did. Crocker and her husband Anthony Caravella and their producing partner allowed the duo to not “wait around for anyone” to give them an opportunity. “It’s been an extreme challenge as a female creator. I do feel like there is a different — and I hate saying this — but I do feel like there’s a different expectation with women than men,” said Crocker, continuing:

“Like, if we are too outspoken, if we’re too clear on our vision, we fight for our vision, you know, and all of those different things. And I had to basically just be like, ‘I’m not afraid. I’m going to fight for my vision because I know that it matters. I know that my voice matters. I know that the projects I’m attaching to matter.’ So, I only attach to projects that I believe I have to tell.”

Desperation Road was one of them. Catch the film in theaters and On Demand October 6.