Why Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Lost Daughter Is The Film I Am Most Excited To See In 2020

While getting on with my usual morning news scroll in the bus, I encountered a pure and vibrant moment of happiness when my eyes laid on the news that Maggie Gyllenhaal was adapting Elana Ferrante’s famous novel The Lost Daughter (and that Olivia Colman was set to star in it). 

I guess I didn’t know I was a fan of Gyllenhaal until now, but I really can’t think about another actress turned director that could pull this off better than her.

Greta Gerwing, you say? Maybe, but Ferrante’s novels are visceral in a very specific way and I imagine it would require a very particular eye to be transformed into a palatable and yet honest screen product. 

When asked about the film, Gyllenhall said to Deadline, “When I finished reading Elena Ferrante’s The Lost Daughter, I felt that something secret and true had been said out loud.

“And I was both disturbed and comforted by that. I immediately thought how much more intense the experience would be in a movie theatre, with other people around.

“And I set to work on this adaptation. I find that the script has attracted other people interested in exploring these secret truths about motherhood, sexuality, femininity, desire.

“And I’m thrilled to continue my collaboration with such brave and exciting actors and filmmakers,” she finished.

Why The Lost Daughter is my most anticipated film of 2020

The Lost Daughter HBO

My Brilliant Friend was… brilliant – Credit: HBO

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If you haven’t heard of Ferrante and you have no idea what I am talking about here, drop everything and find a way to watch My Brilliant Friend.

The series, beautifully directed by Saverio Costanzo, is one of the best things I have watched in years.

The curated scenery, the incredible actors, the heart-warming and powerful story: everything is thoughtfully made perfect.

But most of all, the protagonists – female characters that we see growing, like dolls that are slowly stitched together right before our eyes. 

Lila – thanks to the incredible actresses that brought her to life, Ludovica Nasti and Gaia Girace – stole my heart.

What will Gyllenhaal do with Ferrante’s writing?

My Brilliant Friend HBO The Lost Daughter

My Brilliant Friend is worth watching on HBO – Credit: HBO

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A small seed of a woman that already contains all its brilliance, fueled by anger (for the situation she lives in) and hunger (to make her own way in the world).

A story, the one of Lila, that seems so far away from us but I am sure touches a lot more that we could ever imagine.

I, for once, can’t wait to see what she is going to do next, just as much I am looking forward to seeing what Maggie Gyllenhaal will do with Ferrante’s genius writing. 

Are you looking forward to watching The Lost Daughter?

Let us know in the comments below.

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