A young boy must fight to stay alive after an outing turns hazardous in Director Andrew Boodhoo Kightlinger’s family adventure, Lost on a Mountain in Maine.
Kightlinger’s film tells the inspiring true story of 12-year-old Donn Fendler, who becomes trapped on a treacherous mountain when a fast-moving storm separates him from his family. With no food or proper clothing, he begins a desperate fight for survival in the unforgiving wilderness of northern Maine.
On November 10, after the DGA membership screening in New York, Kightlinger discussed the making of Lost on a Mountain in Maine during a Q&A moderated by Director Laurie Collyer (Furlough). He also spoke about the film with Director Christopher Landon (We Have a Ghost) following the Los Angeles screening on November 17.
During the Los Angeles conversation, Kightlinger spoke about how he landed the film and revealed, “Part of my job interview for this movie was to hike the mountain. I was flown out to Northern Maine and had to hike Mount Katahdin. I got to bushwhack and explore where Donn Fendler had actually gotten lost which helped me get in his head a little bit.”
He also spoke about how he used Fendler’s experience to help inspire the crew during a difficult shoot. “It was a hard shoot. We were sometimes up to our necks in water. There were ticks. We had to climb down to go get shots. I would always just remind the crew this is a movie about a boy who wants a hug from his father.”
Kightlinger’s other directorial credits include the feature films Tater Tot & Patton and Dust of War; as well as multiple short film credits.
Kightlinger became a DGA member in 2022.