The Big Picture

The Story of a Mother’s Relentless Quest

• Netflix’s Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter tells the emotional story of a mother’s relentless quest to find her missing daughter.
• Filmmaker Ryan White, known for compelling true stories, directs this two-part documentary alongside producer Charlize Theron.
• With a debut trailer showcasing one mother’s unwavering determination, the documentary premieres on Netflix on September 12.

Cathy Terkanian’s Devotion

When forced into extreme circumstances, there’s no telling how far we will go for a loved one. In Netflix’s latest documentary, Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter, one mother’s devotion to her child sees her walk directly into the eye of the storm. But there’s something different about this story than others we’ve heard in the past, as Cathy Terkanian hadn’t heard from — let alone seen — her daughter in the more than three decades since she made the difficult choice to give her up for adoption.

From the jump, it’s clear that Terkanian is a no-nonsense woman and the type of person who won’t let something go until she’s gotten to the bottom of it. She reveals that it had been 21 years since her daughter went missing before she caught wind of the disappearance from a social worker. Looking back at the time in her life when she last said goodbye to her firstborn child, Terkanian says she was just 17 years old when she was forced to make the difficult decision. She had always presumed that this was the right choice until she received the devastating news decades later.

Who’s Behind ‘Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter’?

The two-part documentary special is the latest to come from filmmaker Ryan White, who has previously helmed other similar projects including Pamela, a Love Story, Good Night Oppy, The Case Against 8, Ask Dr. Ruth, and the docuseries, The Keepers. During his time bringing intriguing true stories to light, White has nabbed five Critics Choice Awards and a handful of Emmy nominations.

Adding her name to the creative team as a producer is Academy Award winner Charlize Theron (Monster). This marks the actress’s latest behind-the-scenes credit, having previously produced titles including The Old Guard, Bombshell, Atomic Blonde, and more. White also produces alongside Jessica Hargrave and Matt Maher.

Check out the trailer for Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter above and watch the two-part documentary when it arrives on Netflix on September 12. In the meantime, check out White’s previous work with Pamela, a Love Story available now on the streamer.

Pamela: A Love Story

Conclusion

Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter is a powerful and emotional true story that explores the lengths to which a mother will go to find her missing daughter. With a debut trailer showcasing the heartwarming determination of Cathy Terkanian, this two-part documentary premieres on Netflix on September 12.