INTERVIEW: ‘Lost Child’ is supernatural thriller with theme of PTSD
Photo: Leven Rambin stars in Lost Child, the new film from Ramaa Mosley. Photo courtesy of Breaking Glass Pictures / Provided by K2 Publicity with permission.
Ramaa Mosley’s new film, Lost Child, looks at the painful issue of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through the lens of a supernatural thriller. In the movie, Leven Rambin plays a war veteran who has returned home to look for her brother (played by Taylor John Smith). What she finds instead is a mysterious child living in the woods behind the house.
Mosley both wrote and directed Lost Child, her second feature after 2013’s The Brass Teapot. The new thriller is now playing in movie theaters thanks to Breaking Glass Pictures and is also available on VOD.
Recently, Mosley exchanged emails with Hollywood Soapbox about the film. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What inspired you to make this film?
I was inspired by intense madness I suppose. I wanted to make a film, and I didn’t want to wait for permission. There were a number of themes I wanted to explore that were very personal to me. One was veterans returning from the war. My brother had been deployed 11 times and was suffering from PTSD. The other issue was how children that are abandoned are stigmatized. I have always found it disturbing that no one wants to care for older children in foster care. I felt that I could bring something to these two issues that was unique.
What was it like working with this cast?
Working with the cast was a deeply collaborative experience. Our lead, Leven Rambin, was a partner in the process from day one — partly because most of the people in the movie were locals from the Ozarks who had never acted before, so Leven had to step in and improvise with them (many of who couldn’t remember lines). I asked each of the actors to work extensively on their character’s back-story, their obstacles and their objectives. We developed specific tools together during the prep process that were instrumental while we were shooting.
Why do child characters play such a pivotal role in so many horror films and thrillers?
I think childhood is a time when our feelings are so much deeper than when we are adults. Childhood is mysterious because we don’t have all the supposed answers. I think films with children remind us of ourselves.
Was it a difficult filming process?
The process of filming was very rigorous. We were in the Ozarks in August. It was 96 degrees with high humidity. We shot 80 percent of the film in the woods, and we were dealing with ticks, chiggers and poison oaks. The elements were beautiful but rough. We had no trailers/motor homes. It was just a very small crew, and it was like we were on this great adventure.
What do you feel the film says about PTSD and issues that veterans experience?
The film is looking at the trauma that veterans experience coming home after seeing unspeaking violence. What I was trying to say was less specific about veterans in general and more about my relationship with my brother who I was estranged from because he had pulled away from our family. I think many veterans’ families struggle and fall apart when they return because civilians don’t understand what it’s like to survive a war zone. The PTSD that most veterans experience is very serious and debilitating. They need treatment but are also stigmatized when they get it.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Lost Child, written and directed by Ramaa Mosley, is now playing in movie theaters and available on VOD. Click here for more information.
