Lion
2016 – 1hr 55 min – Cert PG: scenes of emotional intensity, mild threat
Genre: Drama
Directed by: Garth Davies
Stars: Dev Patel, Rodney Mara, David Wenham, Nicole Kidman
Bookings: email filmnight@rockbournevillagehall.org.uk
or phone Lucy Matthews 01725 518695
Collecting a whole handful of film awards, Lion is simply a gorgeous life-affirming movie which everybody should see.
Saroo aged five and his slightly older brother are on a train which fails to stop at the poor rural village where they live. His brother manages to jump off but Saroo does not, and is transported a thousand miles across India to Calcutta – a huge city where they even speak a different language. Little Saroo cannot remember the name of his village and is soon swept up in the life of a street kid, getting by and surviving with the help of other children. He is eventually rescued in a philanthropic move to ‘save’ street kids and is sent off to Tasmania, where he is lucky enough to be found by the prosperous Brierley family who adopt him, with Nicole Kidman as his foster mum. He grows up as a typical Aussie youth, but never quite forgets where he comes from. So, 25 years later, he goes in search of his family in India.
Sunny Pawar, a 7-year-old who was reportedly one of around 2,000 auditioned for the part, came from the slums of Mumbai, and gives an astonishing central performance as the young Saroo. Saroo’s persona in his twenties is taken over by Dev Patel, who won a BAFTA for his sympathetic performance.
The film is based on the written account by Saroo Brierley of his search. Although I defy you not to shed a tear at the conclusion of the film, it is surprisingly unsentimental and satisfying. John Crome
Doors open 7:00pm, Film 7:30 £6, Supper 9:45 £6, wine £11/bottle
Pay at the door, last bookings 1200 Sunday 18th June
Please note: if fully booked, no-shows may be charged for the film and supper
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Next film: 20th September, tbd – La La Land, Jackie or ?