Don't Breathe (Original Title: Don't Breathe) is a 2016 American horror thriller film directed by Fede Álvarez. The film follows three young burglars who break into the home of a blind man, only to encounter a far more dangerous situation than they anticipated.
Plot
Rocky, her boyfriend Money, and their friend Alex decide to rob the home of a wealthy blind war veteran in order to secure a better life for Rocky’s younger sister. Believing the heist will be easy, the young criminals soon discover that the blind homeowner is far more dangerous and ruthless than he appears — a serial killer. Their goal shifts from stealing money to simply escaping alive from the locked, dark house. The man’s blindness has heightened his other senses to an extreme degree, turning his home into a lethal labyrinth designed to trap and eliminate anyone who enters.
Don't Breathe Trailer (Sony Pictures Türkiye)
Thematic Structure
- Claustrophobia and Entrapment: The film’s strongest theme is the feeling of being trapped and confined. The director uses visual elements such as window bars, door grates, and prison-like shadows to emphasize this theme both physically and symbolically. The characters’ entrapment within the house also reflects their broader desire to escape the suffocating poverty of their lives in Detroit.
- Shifting Roles of Victim and Predator: The blind man, initially perceived as the victim, transforms into a merciless predator over the course of the film, blurring the lines between good and evil.
- Survival Instinct: The characters’ fear and struggle for survival in the face of a lethal threat maintain a constant sense of tension throughout the film.
- Class Conflict: The impoverished, desperate youths breaking into the home of a wealthy man to find a way out of their circumstances reflect underlying social and economic tensions.
Production and Release Information
Don't Breathe is an American-Hungarian co-production directed by Fede Álvarez and written by Fede Álvarez and Rodo Sayagues. The film was released in the United States on August 26, 2016, and premiered in Türkiye on the same date under the title Nefesini Tut. With a runtime of 1 hour and 29 minutes, all interior scenes were filmed at the Stern Film Studios in Pomáz, Hungary.
Cast
- Stephen Lang: The Blind Man
- Jane Levy: Rocky
- Dylan Minnette: Alex
- Daniel Zovatto: Money
- Sergej Onopko: Burglar
- Jon Donahue: Victim of the Burglar
- Katia Bokor: Ginger
- Christian Zagia: Raul
Awards and Nominations
International (U.S.) Awards
- Best Comedy Short Film – IMDb’s Independent Shorts Awards, Los Angeles 2018
- Best Original Story – IMDb’s Independent Shorts Awards, Los Angeles 2018
- Best Fiction Film – Splice Film Fest 2018
- Audience Special Award – Splice Film Fest 2018
Awards and Selections in Türkiye
- Second Prize – Istanbul Short Film Makers Association 16th Short Film Festival 2018
- Mention Award – Rotary Short Film Festival 2019
- Finalist – İzmir International Film Festival (Artemis) 2018
- Official Selection – 19th İzmir Short Film Festival 2018
- Official Selection – 29th Istanbul Short Film Festival 2018
- Official Selection – 4th Art Nicomedia National Short Film Days, İzmit
- Official Selection – 11th İnönü Short Film Festival, Malatya
- Special Screening – 4th Marmaris International Film Festival
Other International Selections and Finalist Nominations
- Finalist – Las Vegas Global Film Festival 2019, USA
- Finalist – Nanocon International Film Festival 2019, Colombia
- Official Selection – 9th Comedy Cluj International Film Festival 2018, Romania
- Finalist – Cinemì Cinemà International Short Film Festival, Italy
- Finalist – Bovi Film Festival 2018, USA
- Official Selection – Dalmatia Film Fest 2018
- Official Selection – Strasbourg Film Festival 2018
- Official Selection – Betina Film Festival 2018
- Official Selection – 3rd Västerås Film Festival 2018, Sweden
- Official Selection – 2nd Truva Atı Short Film Festival, Türkiye
- Official Selection – Short Film Directors Association 2nd Short Film Selection
Box Office Performance
Don't Breathe, made with a budget of $9.9 million, achieved significant box office success worldwide. The film earned $89,217,875 in the United States and Canada, and a total of $157,761,002 globally. In Türkiye, during its opening weekend, it generated ₺254,073 in revenue with 20,740 viewers. By the end of its six-week run, it had accumulated a total of ₺1,172,054 in revenue and was watched by 97,431 viewers.
