Mia and the white lion: did the production use real lions during filming?

Released in cinemas in 2018, the film entitled Mia and the white lion, worn by Daniah De Villiers and Melanie Laurentwill be broadcast on Sunday, October 23, 2022, from 9:05 p.m. on W9. Realized by Gilles Maistrethis feature film features the character of Mia, played on screen by Daniah De Villiers. She is 11 years old when she forms an unusual relationship with Charlie, a white lion cub born on his parents’ feline farm, in South Africa. For three years, they grow together, like brother and sister, and live a close relationship.

When Mia turns 14 and Charlie has grown into a magnificent adult lion, she discovers that his father decided to sell him to trophy hunters. Desperate, Mia has no choice but to flee with Charlie to save him. Braving all the dangers, she undertakes to cross South Africa, to reach the Timbavati wild reserve where the lion will be protected. However, a trophy hunter named Dirk, who does business with John, has his heart set on making Charlie his next trophy, and sets off across the country to retrieve it. Mia’s family is also suing them, with the intention of preventing Dirk from catching up with her and bringing her back safe and sound. For the needs of this film, the director Gilles de Maistre called on the zoologist Kevin Richardson, in order to be able to film a teenager in the company of a feline for three years, from birth to adulthood.

Mia and the white lion: Daniah De Villiers had a real relationship with a lion for three years

“The process took three years: a lion was used from birth to adulthood. In his relationship with this young girl who is the actress of the film, the security and the strength of the image is that the relationship is real in real life. This Young Girl Spent Three Years Every Day Interacting With This Lion to create a real relationship of love or friendship. This lion sees her as part of his family. That made it possible to shoot this film without special effects, which obviously gives the adventure a little extraordinary side. What the film denounces, which is the use of animals, the hunting of wild animals for money, the destruction of nature, many documentaries do, but it is reserved for a more restricted audience. I wanted to reach a much wider audience with a thought-provoking story“, explained the filmmaker.

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