Cherish
By Cherish Clinton and Lisa Ward
“The Lost King” is the dramatized version of a true story following an amateur historian’s efforts to find King Richard III’s remains and correct his legacy in modern history.
King Richard III died at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, the last English king to die in battle, and his gravesite had been lost in time. In 2012, having been lost for over 500 years, the remains of King Richard III were discovered beneath a carpark in Leicester, England.
The search had been orchestrated by Philippa Langley, whose obsession over King Richard III was met with incomprehension by her friends and family and with scepticism by experts and academics. She refused to be ignored and took on the country’s most eminent historians, forcing them to think again about one of the most controversial kings in England’s history.
After seeing Shakespeare’s depiction of the king in Richard III as an ugly hunchback it sparked her interest in his life. Langely bonded with the lost king over chronic afflictions that most misunderstood, King Richard with scoliosis and Langley with chronic fatigue. This bond and sensitivity led her to dive deeper into his probable experience and reputation.
The storytelling of the true events were excellent. Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water and Spencer) played Langely and did a masterful job, drawing the viewer into the story as if they were on the historical mystery quest, and we were.
The 38th Santa Barbara International Film Festival runs through February 18. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held throughout the city, including at the historic Arlington Theatre. Passes and tickets are on sale now at .
