The Lost Daughter

By SpetsesDirect - March 2021

Elena Ferrante's book, The Lost Daughter, has recently been made into a Hollywood all-star cast film and was shot at the end of last summer on our beautiful island of Spetses. Starring Olivia Coleman as the lead role, it looks set to be a 2021 box office hit.

Italian author Elena Ferrante is known for her four-part Neapolitan novels that became famous around the world. Lesser known was the novel The Lost Daughter, which she wrote in 2008. All that is just about to change, when the film will be released later on this year!

Naturally, Covid –19 initially delayed filming and resulted in the process being a little more complicated than in normal circumstances. As with all filming at the moment, face masks and Covid tests were mandatory for all of those involved and there was none of the usual off-set socialising.

We don’t know whether the film would have been shot in Italy, where the novel was originally set, or whether or not it was Covid that brought it to Greece, but nevertheless this was a great bonus for Spetses as it meant that crew and cast were ‘marooned’ there for the best part of 6 weeks.

Filming started on our magical island of Spetses at the beginning of October 2020 and wrapped in early November 2020. The film is about Leda, a middle-aged divorcee on an Italian beach holiday. While on holiday, things begin to take a dark turn when she begins to confront the troubles of her past.

 
The Lost Daughter was directed by Academy Award-nominated actress, Maggie Gyllenhaal who is making her debut as a film director. She is also the sister of actor, Jake Gyllenhaal, famous for the groundbreaking film, Brokeback Mountain.

Major roles were as follows:

The woman, Leda, was played by British actress, Olivia Coleman.
 

Nina, the mother of a family on holiday, played by American actress, Dakota Johnson.

Professor Hardy, played by American actor, Peter Sarsgaard.

Young Leda, played by Irish actor and singer, Jessie Buckley.

Will, played by new upcoming Irish actor Paul Mescal (famous for his role in lockdown’s ‘Normal People’).

Toni played by British, Oliver Jackson-Cohen.

Ed Harris and Jack Farthing were also cast and a handful of Greek actors also had starring roles.

A highly skilled Greek production company were in place to film The Lost Daughter and local Spetsiots were given the opportunity to work as extras in various scenes. There was much excitement on the island, especially as the unusually quiet Covid summer season came to an abrupt end.

We’re all looking forward to seeing this film in cinemas soon and will be looking out for local faces as well as local filming spots, such as the fish market, Ayios Mamas, Zogheria beach, Ligonerie Villas, Anargyrios College and Cinema Marina.

Release date: 2021