Imagine living in a town where the ground beneath you burns endlessly. Now imagine growing up there, surrounded by emptiness—not just of place, but of heart. I Want to Live on Mars doesn't just ask the question, ‘What if?'—it dares you to feel it.
The trailer for I Want to Live on Mars, directed by Ukrainian filmmaker Mariya Somova, is an evocative glimpse into the lives of two teenage girls navigating the desolation of Centralia, Pennsylvania—a real-life ghost town devastated by a coal mine fire that has burned since 1962. The film is not just about escaping physical ruins; it's about the emotional wreckage of loneliness and the search for meaning amidst despair.
The trailer juxtaposes stark visuals of abandoned streets with intimate moments between Pickles (Bethany Stolar) and Breezy (Claire Haller), two unlikely friends from vastly different worlds. Their journey feels like a poetic rebellion against the inertia of their surroundings. The dialogue—“Are you real?” “I think so…”—is hauntingly simple yet profound, capturing the existential weight of growing up in a place where life has literally been extinguished.
Centralia itself is a character in this film. Once a thriving coal mining town, it now stands as a chilling reminder of human error and environmental catastrophe. The fire beneath its surface has reduced its population from over 1,000 residents in 1980 to just five by 2023. The barren streets and eerie silence mirror the emotional isolation experienced by the protagonists.
Somova's direction draws inspiration from her own experiences as a refugee and her fascination with themes of abandonment and resilience. Her statement about exploring “loneliness and emptiness in the human heart” resonates deeply with viewers who find themselves drawn to stories of alienation akin to classics like Manchester by the Sea or The Banshees of Inisherin.
But this isn't just another indie drama about small-town woes. The film's title hints at something greater—the universal longing for escape, for reinvention, for finding life on metaphorical “Mars.” It's an homage to teenage angst and creativity born out of limitation—a theme that feels both timely and timeless.
Would you dare to confront your own ghosts—both literal and figurative? I Want to Live on Mars invites us to venture into forgotten places and forgotten feelings. Watch it now on Amazon, IndieChannel, or EoFlix, and let us know: What would your “Life on Mars” look like? Comment below.
