When asked during our recent webcam chat (watch above) about what inspired him to direct the film “Lion,” Garth Davis explains, “it was a miracle of a story, and it was a true story, which I found was even more of a miracle.” This Weinstein Company release revolves around a five-year-old Indian boy (Sunny Pawar) who gets lost in the streets of Calcutta, thousands of kilometers from home. He is eventually adopted by a couple in Australia, and as an adult (Dev Patel) embarks on a journey to find his birth family.
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The Emmy-nominated helmer of “Top of the Lake” (2013) made his feature film debut with this adaptation of Saroo Brierley‘s memoir. He found that the material, “had such an epic scope. It was such an incredible journey to follow this little boy from India all the way to Australia, and then 25-years-later to see him return home.” As well, “there was a deep emotionality to the story, which I found incredibly moving. So as a filmmaker, it had everything to explore.”
Related: Watch our interview with Dev Patel (Lion)
“Lion” recently scored Golden Globe nominations for Best Picture (Drama), Best Supporting Actor (Patel), Best Supporting Actress (Nicole Kidman), and Best Original Score. Both Patel and Kidman also reaped SAG bids Wednesday. Could Davis be one of the few filmmakers to reap a Best Director Oscar nod for his directorial debut? Check out our full interview above for more about his work.
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