The movie ‘The Lost City of Z’ is more than just an adventure film starring Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson and Tom Holland. It’s based on the true story of Percy Fawcett, a British explorer and cartographer whose disappearance in the Amazonian jungle became one of the 20th century’s most intriguing mysteries.
James Gray’s film is based on American journalist David Grann’s 2009 book of the same name. The story follows Percy Fawcett, a talented and ambitious British army officer seeking recognition. He accepts a mission to map the borders between Bolivia and Brazil in the Amazon, a chance for him to achieve fame.
During his expedition in the wild and dangerous jungle, Fawcett finds evidence that an advanced civilization once inhabited these lands. Contrary to the common belief that indigenous peoples were “savages,” Fawcett becomes convinced of the existence of an ancient, lost city, which he names “City Z.”
This discovery becomes an obsession for him. He returns to England, where his stories are met with skepticism. Despite the scientific community’s distrust and his wife’s growing anxiety, Fawcett undertakes several expeditions to prove his theory. The film culminates in his fatal 1925 expedition, in which all three participants vanished without a trace.
The Story of the Real Percy Fawcett
Percy Fawcett was a British explorer and cartographer who lived from the late 19th to the early 20th century. In 1906, the Royal Geographical Society commissioned him to map the Amazon, specifically to define the border between Bolivia and Brazil. Inspired by several sources, Percy Fawcett was convinced that an ancient civilization existed in Mato Grosso, a region in west-central Brazil, which he called “City Z.”
In 1925, Fawcett embarked on a new expedition to prove his hypothesis. He was joined by his eldest son, Jack, and a friend, Raleigh Rimell. The last communication received from them was a letter Fawcett sent to his wife. After that, they disappeared without a trace.
The Mysterious City
For a long time, the legend of the Lost City was considered nothing more than a myth. However, archaeological research in northeastern Mato Grosso (now located in Parque Indigena do Xingu) has uncovered evidence suggesting the existence of an ancient settlement including bridges, street layouts and squares. These findings indicate that Fawcett’s hunches may not have been so far from the truth.
The figure of the vanished cartographer is still surrounded by a mystery. His search for “City Z” has become not only a part of scientific history but also a source of inspiration for literature and cinema.
