Jay Craven’s newest film, “Lost Nation,” is now on tour as part of its Vermont 50 town
tour. Summer and fall dates include Brattleboro, Burlington, Montpelier, Middlebury, St.
Johnsbury, and more.
“Lost Nation” is a Revolutionary War-era action drama set in the early upstart Republic
of Vermont. “Lost Nation” stars Irish actor Kevin Ryan (“Copper,” Harry Wild”) as
Vermont founding father and rebel schemer, Ethan Allen, who leads resistance to New
Yorker land claims, launches an ill-fated attack on British forces in Montreal, and leads
invasions by his Green Mountain Boys into Yorker strongholds of Guilford and
Brattleboro.
“Lost Nation’s” parallel and intersecting story features Kenyan actress Eva Ndachi
(“Beautifully Broken”) as Lucy Terry Prince, whose poem, “Bars Fight,” about the 1746
Deerfield Massacre, is the first known work of African American literature. Enslaved in
Western Massachusetts at the age of 3 – for 30 years – Terry then settled with her family
on a Guilford homestead carved out of the forest by her husband, formerly enslaved
frontier transport operator, Abijah Prince.
“Lost Nation” is Craven’s 10 th feature film. “Lost Nation” was produced through Kingdom                                                         County Productions’ Semester Cinema program where 30 professionals mentor and collaborate                                                    with 45 students from 10 colleges, to make an ambitious feature film for national release. The film was co-
produced by Upper Valley Vermont resident Elena Greenlee.
The film runs an hour and 47 minutes, and we consider it PG-13 for some language and the rough                                                and tumble of the Revolutionary War. Every screening includes a lively Q&A with Jay, to discuss                                                 the making of the film and additional history and themes that were uncovered during the research process.