Is Captain Fantastic based on a true story? Details about the 2016 comedy-drama film

Captain Fantastic is a 2016 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Matt Ross and stars Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, Kathryn Hahn, and Steve Zahn in pivotal roles. Captain Fantastic plot revolves around Ben Cash, his wife Leslie, and their six children, who live deep in the wilderness of Washington state. Isolated from society, Ben and Leslie devote their existence to raising their kids, educating them to think critically, training them to be physically fit and athletic, guiding them in the wild without technology, and demonstrating the beauty of co-existing with nature. When Leslie dies suddenly, Ben must take his sheltered offspring into the outside world for the first time. 

Is Captain Fantastic based on a true story?

According to a report by Variety, the writer-director of the 2016 movie, Matt Ross revealed that he was somewhat inspired by his own experiences growing up with a hippie mom but the main inspiration for the film came not from a real person, but from his desires as a father. He stated that the movie is about his personal grapplings with being a dad and his desire to be a good one. Matt also added that the character of Ben, a man so entrenched in his children's lives, is a kind of wish-fulfillment and that he fantasizes about being able to devote his entire existence to his kids.

Ross continued talking about the inspiration behind the Oscar-nominated film and revealed that the movie is really about the choices we make as people, specifically as parents. He further said that his mother used to take him and his brother to various alternative living situations, in order for them to be connected to certain things that they would not be connected to if they lived in an urban environment. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2016.  It was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the top ten independent films of 2016 and Viggo Mortensen was nominated for the Golden Globe, the BAFTA Award, and the Academy Award for Best Actor. The idea of the movie started for Matt Ross as he began questioning the choices he and his wife were making as parents and that's how the film came into existence.

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