It’s that time of year where we dust off our ol’ Oscar-rumour generator, and there is plenty of content to fuel it. Perhaps the earliest contender to consider is Dev Patel’s standout lead performance in the new film Lion.
The debut film from Australian director Garth Davis, tells the true story of Saroo, a five-year-old Indian boy who is seperated from his family and is forced to live on the streets of Calcutta, before being adopted by an Australian couple (David Wenham and Nicole Kidman).
Years on, an older Saroo (Patel), now as Australian as budgie smugglers, begins to feel the pangs of homesickness and takes it upon himself to reunite with his mother and brother by embarking on a journey with the sole guide of Google Earth.
Following on from last year’s comendable turn as the mathematical genius Ramanujan in the art-house film The Man Who Knew Infinity, Patel is back channelling his Slumdog Millionaire roots in this awe-inspiring role that is making the industry whisper his name in the early build-up to awards season.
As for Davis, Lion marks his debut in the feature film arena, but make no mistake about it, he is no amateur. With several awards as commercial director and BAFTA and Emmy nominations for TV series Top of the Lake, experience is the last thing the Aussie director is lacking.
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“Lion” will released in the UAE on December 1.
