Screening at the following cinemas
7 November
British Academy of Film & Television Arts: Preview & Press Screening with director Q&A
14 November
British Academy of Film & Television Arts: Special Screening
6-12 November
Watermans Cinema
8 November
Shortwave Cinema: screening + direcor Q&A
6 November
Ultimate Picture Palace, Oxford: screening + direcor Q&A
8, 11, 21, 22, 25 November
Ultimate Picture Palace, Oxford
12 November
Glasgow Film Theatre: screening + director Q&A
12 & 14 December
National Media Museum, Bradford
26 January
Warrick Arts Centre, Warrick
4 February
Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle
16 February
University of Westminster, London
Additional Dates TBC
SON OF A LION
UK Release Date: November 6, 2009
Genre: Drama
Director: Benjamin Gilmour
Producer: Carolyn Johnson Productions
In Pakistan’s tribal weapon-manufacturing village, a young Pashtun boy defies his father’s expectation that he will carry on the family’s gun-making business by demanding an education.
Eleven year old Niaz Afridi and his father Sher Alam live in the wild passes of the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, in the Hindu Kush mountains bordering Afghanistan. Like many men in the village of Darra Adam Khel, Sher Alam has a workshop making weapons, ranging from small arms to the famous AK47 machine gun, and expects Niaz will naturally carry on this tradition.
Niaz has never been sent to school by his father. He is itching to step out from beneath his father’s shadow to be a gun-maker and begin to explore the world. He has dreams of his own, and his restlessness crystallises into the goal of going to school after he sees other boys his age talking about exotic subjects like poetry.
His modern uncle Bakhtiyar knows something of the life Niaz is missing out on. But his father’s fear and ignorance has made him vehemently opposed to the idea. The film follows the young Pashtun boy’s journey to make a crucial life-changing decision to abandon his dreams or follow his father’s expectations.
Reviews
“Finely tuned screenplay…illuminating insights.” Variety
“This gritty drama, with its strong documentary spin, affords rich insight into little documented aspects of life in the wake of the Afghanistan conflict. Newsworthy qualities and narrative approachability will make it a must…” Screen,
“The film's credibility is in its simple and solid moral sentiments, echoed constantly throughout the bulletproof script….breaks down the steel beard and turban stereotype.” Time Out
Articles
The Independent "Shooting with the Enemy"
The Guardian "On the Pashtun Wild West"
The Guardian "Son of Lion: Film Review"
Newsline Magazine Arts & Culture "Interview with Benjamin Gilmour"
CHUP-Changing Up Pakistan "Son of a Lion: Q&A with Benjamin Gilmour"