The Lost Souls

Sarah is 16, pregnant and unwed. In an era where this is frowned upon, closed adoption seems the only answer. Sarah is forced into the system of barbaric and inhumane treatment, only to receive a formal apology nearing the end of her life.

Based on actual accounts, The Lost Souls tells the story of Sarah who is 16, pregnant and forced to give her baby for adoption. Set in 1968, it’s the harrowing tale of the policies, practices and treatment of the governments’ of the time and the views of society.

The dramatic intent for this story is to convey the order vs chaos and the pain, emotion and coldness of the past adoption practices and policies which were forced upon women back then. I’ve approached this story with short dialogue and powerful impacting scenes.  It’s a personal drama with a tragic trajectory and defining characters such as the abrupt, detached, and cold nurses of the time, the shamed parents and society’s views resonating through the laundry workers. There is also the subtle hint through Mary, that the less than moral practices imposed by the government and treatment executed by the nurses, that the women in such a predicament should be treated more humanely.

This story is based on actual events/accounts from women who have endured such treatment. For decades, these practices and events have remained silent or swept under the carpet and unacknowledged. It is only in recent times that the Australian government is coming to realise the error of those times and take responsibility for the policies and practices that were put in place back then. This awareness is gaining momentum globally with Australia spearheading the movement. This short films’ aim is to reflect the silent voices of those women with which it affected and to make them heard. It’s to raise public awareness of what women endured when in such a position.

This is a period film set in Australia in the 60’s. It’s dramatic, emotional, heart wrenching, captivating, authoritative and more than familiar to thousands, if not millions of women and at the least has had some sort of relativity to society in general. It is said that adoption affects 1 in every 5 people. I don’t believe that there are too many films on this subject and I’m almost certain that very few of them, if any, have exposed the treatment of those women back then as those women are only now beginning to have a voice.

Fortune was on us for the entirety of the process. Many doors closed however many opened just as quickly. There was only one day that we needed to move filming due to awful weather conditions however the replacement day was perfect sunshine for us. I feel very humbled by the support and dedication of the Cast, Crew, staff of the locations, public supporters and the people backing this project including PASS, Evelyn Robinson, Thomas Graham, Garry Humphries, Warren Jarratt and Clorine Jackson.

STATS
Runtime: 19mins     Filmed: 2012     Released: 2013    Cast: 56     Crew: 30      Budget: 20k    Shooting: 1080p