Introduction to a Critical Issue
The removal of natural words such as "acorn", "Bluebell", and "Otter" from the Oxford Junior Dictionary in favor of technological-centered words like "binding", "broadband", and "Voice-Mail" sparked a significant reaction. Writer Robert MacFarlane and illustrator Jackie Morris responded with their book, The Lost Words: A Magic Book (2017), which aimed to create a broader discussion and protest about the loss of nature and celebrate the creatures and plants that share the planet with humans.
A Documentary Inspired by The Lost Words
Hannah Papacek Harper’s directorial debut, Lost for Words, was inspired by MacFarlane and Morris’s book. The documentary premiered in Great Britain at the Sheffield Docfest and worldwide at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen. It features cinematography by Tess Barthes and editing by Becky Manson, offering a unique visual, audio, and musical experience that takes the audience on a journey through nature and thoughts. According to the Sheffield synopsis, "This poetic journey through language and landscape examines how re-connection with the disappeared vocabulary of nature can help to reinterpret our future with hope."
The Making of Lost for Words
Papacek Harper and Rétroviseur Productions are handling sales for the project. The trailer for Lost for Words is available to watch. After completing her Bachelor’s program in film at La Sorbonne Panthéon in Paris, Papacek Harper acquired a degree in audiovisual communication at the University of Lima, Peru, and now works in film and what she calls "sensitive cartography."
The Inspiration Behind the Film
"Lost for Words was born out of the desire to create, understand, and feel nature in a creative way," Papacek Harper explains. The inspiration for the film came during the Covid pandemic and its lockdowns. She was lucky enough to isolate herself at her parents’ home in the French countryside, where she grew up, and created a ritual for herself to maintain connection and order. She listened to Matthew Bannister’s podcast "Folk on Foot," in which he meets folk musicians across Great Britain, goes on walks, discusses music, and then makes music. One of the episodes featured Jackie Morris, the illustrator of The Lost Words.
The Film’s Approach to Environmental Issues
The film mentions some shocking information about the impact of humans on nature but does not overwhelm the audience with too much data. Papacek Harper explains that in her conversations with scientists, "it was clear that they have a thirst to find new ways to bring their data to the public because it’s very clear that we’ve crossed the fracture." She did not want to confront the spectators with too much environmental information, as she believes that people are already informed but lack a sensitive commitment to the issue.
The Role of Empathy in the Film
Papacek Harper and other filmmakers strive to "make sensitive tools in a world where empathy decreases every day." She points out two forms of empathy: immediate emotional empathy and cognitive empathy. Cognitive empathy requires dealing with a topic, and to allow people to deal with the topic, it is essential to rely on emotional connection and poems that touch them throughout the film.
Music and Sound in Lost for Words
Music and sound play a crucial role in the film. The composer Leonie Floret and sound designers Julie Marechal, Florian Vourlat, Kirstie Howell, Cassandra Rutledge, Heather Andrews, and Zoë Irvine create a sound landscape that often gives the feeling of being in nature or brings the audience close to nature. "We wanted to create this immersive sound, which invites you to the landscape and wraps you up," says Papacek Harper.
The Importance of Children’s Perspectives
A recurring element in Lost for Words is children discussing nature and its loss. Papacek Harper spent time with children during filming and noticed how much they think about things that adults might not expect them to think about. She wanted to include the perspectives of scientists, researchers, and artists, but in the end, everyone comes to the same conclusion.
Future Projects
Papacek Harper is working on various new creative projects and ideas. One of them is a film she is making with her mother, which is about hope and will be set in a Scottish forest conservation project. Another part of her work focuses on the feeling of belonging in the world, which she explores through a hybrid approach to cinema. She aims to find ways to loosen and try to find a place in an over-complex world where people often feel hopeless.
