WithLionnow playing in limited release, I recently sat down with directorGarth Davisfor an extended video interview. During our wide-ranging conversation he talked about making his feature debut (he previously helmed the miniseriesTop of the Lake), the challenge of casting a child actor, balancing fact and fiction, how he collaborates with his cinematographer, what he learned from test screenings, filming in India, and more. In addition, he also talked about his next movie,Mary Magdalene, and gettingJoaquin Phoenixto playJesus.
If you aren’t familiar withLion, it’s based on the true story of a young man namedSaroowho became separated from his family in India at the age of five and was subsequently adopted by an Australian family. As a five-year-old, Saroo could not correctly explain where, exactly, he was from, and thus all hopes of finding his family were lost. As an adult, however, the advent of Google Earth provides Saroo with a unique opportunity, as he sets about finding his long lost family once and for all. The film starsDev Patel,Rooney Mara,Nicole Kidman,David Wenham, andSunny Pawar.
Finally, while I knew the story ofLionbefore sitting down to watch it, the way Garth Davis told the story floored me and it’s a hell of a debut. I’m extremely confident Davis will be making a lot more movies in the coming years and I can’t wait to see them.
Here’s what we talked about during the interview. Look for some moreLioninterviews soon.
Garth Davis:
