'Girl in Room 13': Director Elisabeth Rohm on Anne Heche's final film, 'not just a movie, but a movement'
With Lifetime's 'Girl in Room 13' on track to release, director Elisabeth Rohm called the Anne Heche-starrer more than a movie, labeling it as a movement. The thriller sheds light on the grisly world of human trafficking as it follows a woman working relentlessly to find her daughter abducted by her former love interest and intends to sell her off. The movie also stars Larissa Dias, Saskia Wedding, Brahm Taylor, and Matt Hamilton in key roles.
In an exclusive with The List, Rohm shed light on why 'Girl in Room 13' was a lot more important to her and would be for the audiences. "We hope that it's not just a movie, but a movement — and that afterward, people can get information on this topic," she explained. "That's one of the many reasons I love working with Lifetime because they have a real sense of responsibility around these tough topics."
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She also added: "This film, 'Girl in Room 13,' specifically, is launching a campaign around Polaris (working alongside Lifetime) for victims and survivors to continue the conversation, to continue educating and changing the narrative through more research and more information," she said.
"If you look at Polaris online, you'll see that it's also a database. It's a place to get information, it's a place to educate, and it's a place to connect victims with survivors," she added. "This film is not just a tough story ... It's also a story that is deeply rooted in resilience, and both the mother and the daughter have a fight in them to survive. That's the purpose of this film, I hope — to inspire survivors and victims alike to survive and to find their voice. Polaris is really a strong foundation to help support both survivors and victims."
'Girl in Room 13' also served as Heche's final film before her tragic death. The 53-year-old actress succumbed after she drove her vehicle into a residential home in the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles. It was reported that she suffered severe burns after the wreck caught fire. She was declared dead on August 12.
'Girl in Room 13' releases September 17, 8/7c on Lifetime.