September 22, 2004 was the day when the ABC Network aired the pilot episode of LOST. Two decades since the groundbreaking series first captivated audiences with its blend of mystery, sci-fi, and human drama, LOST redefined television storytelling with its nonlinear narrative, deeply developed characters, and intricate plot twists. Set on a mysterious island after a plane crash, the show explored themes of fate, survival, and redemption while weaving in supernatural elements that kept viewers theorizing until the very end. Its ambitious storytelling, iconic moments, and thought-provoking mysteries left an indelible mark on pop culture, inspiring a new generation of serialized TV dramas. Two decades later, LOST continues to be celebrated for its daring creativity, emotional depth, and its ability to keep audiences hooked, even as they rewatch and reconsider the show’s many unanswered questions.
Like other genre-defying series that captured a rabid, cult-like audience (from progenitors TWIN PEAKS, THE X-FILES and BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, to recent fare ranging from GAME OF THRONES to STRANGER THINGS), and built an online community through message boards and the early days of social media. Local fan Ryan Ozawa, a technology innovator himself, started the earliest podcast (with his wife Jen) called The Transmission, which attracted tens of thousands of listeners on a weekly basis.
Filmed entirely on Oahu, the show was significant to Hawaii’s burgeoning film and TV industry, and brought many visitors to the island to sightsee and see locations ranging from Ku‘uloa Ranch to downtown Honolulu and beyond. It was a trip to see destinations faked for London, Sydney, New York, Iraq, and many far-flung locations right here at home.
Leading up to the final season, HIFF presented a special LOST Spotlight during the fall festival 2009, where we hosted several masterclasses lead by cast and crew, including an “on-stage conversation with key cast members and showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse.
The show sparked a fandom industry that predicted the way we consume content today–from cultural pundits like Doc Jensen at Entertainment Weekly (he returned to the venerable entertainment website to post one trip to The Hatch on the 20th anniversary), to PhD dissertations, compendiums, and Youtube reaction videos. This past summer, LOST was brought back on Netflix, where it has sparked major interest again, being introduced to a new generation of fans (to some ire, as many “new fans” are getting the gist of LOST via TikTok videos and not actually watching the show).
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HIFF is honored to present the Hawai‘i premiere of GETTING LOST, a crowdfunded documentary featuring interviews with the cast and crew, as well as members of the loyal fan base who still celebrate the show twenty years after it originally aired. The filmmakers just hosted the world premiere tonight in Los Angeles. For all you locally-based LOSTies, the HIFF screening is scheduled for October 11. Get your tickets now.
