Garth Davis
Garth Davis (born 1974) is an Australian television, advertising, and film director, best known for directing the films Lion (2016), and biblical drama Mary Magdalene (2018). He earlier directed episodes of the series Top of the Lake (2013).
Garth Davis

Andrew Walker · Garth Davis · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Name
- Garth Davis
- Born
- 1974
- Birthplace
- Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Occupation
- Film director
- Nationality
- Australia
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q23651358 · wikipedia · Garth Davis
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Institutions cited
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
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Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Garth Davis • Born — 1974 • Birthplace — Brisbane, Queensland, Australia • Occupation — Film director • Years Active — 2000–present • Partner — Nicola Lester • Children — 3
Documentary record
Garth Davis (born 1974) is described as a film director in the authority records of the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek.
Biography
Biography
Garth Davis was born in 1974. Davis directed several episodes of the series Top of the Lake (2013). In October 2013, Warner Bros. Pictures hired Davis to direct a film adaptation of Shantaram, but that did not come to fruition; instead, it was later made into a television adaptation for Apple TV+. He directed The Weinstein Company film Lion, in his feature film directorial debut, which premiered to rave reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2016. In January 2016, Davis was hired to direct a biopic about Mary Magdalene, titled Mary Magdalene, written by Helen Edmundson. The film had its world premiere at the National Portrait Gallery in London in February 2018. In 2019, Davis teamed up with See-Saw Films joint directors Emile Sherman and Iain Canning in a new production company called I AM THAT, with Samantha Lang as head of development. In August 2020, it was announced that Davis would direct a sequel to Tron: Legacy, titled Tron: Ares, for Walt Disney Pictures. In January 2023, it was announced that Joachim Rønning would instead direct the film. In April 2022, Screen Australia announced funding for Immersion, a science fiction drama TV series to be directed by Davis, written by Matt Vesely (Aftertaste) and executive produced by Emile Sherman (The King's Speech) and director/producer Samantha Lang.
Documentary record
Garth Davis was born in 1974 in Brisbane.
Personal life
Personal life
Davis lives in Australia with his three children and partner Nicola Lester.
Filmography
Filmography
Film • Year — Title — Director — Writer — Producer • 2016 — Lion • 2018 — Mary Magdalene • 2023 — Foe Short film • Year — Title — Notes • 2000 — P.I.N.S. — Documentary short, Also cinematographer • 2003 — Alice Television • Year — Title — Notes • 2006 — Love My Way — 3 episodes • 2013 — Top of the Lake — 8 episodes (Co-directed 4 episodes with Jane Campion) • 2026 — East of Eden — 4 episodes, Also executive producer
Documentary record
Recorded period of activity: 2000.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1974
Garth Davis born at Brisbane.
Awards
• 2008: Gold Lion at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and a D&AD Yellow Pencil, for the Schweppes commercial "Burst" • 2010: Finalist in the Directors Guild of America Award for Best Commercials Director • 2013: Emmy Award nomination for Direction for Top of the Lake (which also won three other Emmys) • 2016: Lion was nominated for six Oscars at the 89th Academy Awards in 2016, including Best Picture • 2016: Directors Guild of America Award for Best Direction, Lion
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Garth Davis, revision 1364160346 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
References
Citations
References
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Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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