Of all the sleeper awards contenders this year, and there are many, perhaps the one to keep the closest watch on Lion, the new film from Top of the Lake director, Garth Davis. One look at the heartwarming tale set in Kolkata, along with star Dev Patel, and the most obvious comparison will be 2008's Slumdog Millionaire, which earned ten Oscar nominations and won a whopping eight. But if there's any doubt this is a film to watch you can check out the first trailer and decide.
Patel stars alongside Rooney Mara and Nicole Kidman in the heart-plucking true story of Saroo Munshi Khan, who was separated from his family as a child and ended up thousands of miles away in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). After surviving on the streets he was eventually taken in by an Australian couple, but continued searching for his family through Google searches and other Internet technology.
Get ready to shed a tear or two. Lion hits theaters on November 25th.
