| Director | Gilles de Maistre |
|---|---|
| Budget | €8.7 million |
| Box office | $36.4 million |
Ten-year-old Mia Owen has her life turned upside down when her family decides to leave London to manage a lion farm in Africa. When a white lion, Charlie, is born, Mia finds happiness once again and develops a special bond with the growing cub.
When Charlie grows too old to be kept in the house, Mia's father, John, decides to place the growing lion into an enclosure away from all human contact. When Mia's brother, Mick, is injured by Charlie, Mia's parents forbid her from interacting with Charlie, warning her that, if she does, they will sell him for money. Mia defies her father's instructions, and, in retaliation, her father opts to sell Charlie, and Mia is shocked to discover that the farm she lives on is selling lions to be shot by trophy hunters to make money. Determined to save Charlie from this cruel practice, she drives across South Africa with him, intending to release him into the Timbavati Game Reserve, a refuge for the iconic white lions.
However, a trophy hunter named Dirk who does business with John is set on making Charlie his next trophy and sets out across the country to get him. Mia's family also pursue her with the intention of stopping the government from having Mia imprisoned for harboring a dangerous predator.
Mia and Charlie arrive at the Timbavati Game Reserve, where Dirk and his companion ambush them. Charlie manages to attack Dirk and escape with Mia. When Mia's family and the police spot Charlie and Mia entering the game reserve, the police attempt to shoot Charlie but may no longer do so once he is safely inside. Sometime later, Mia and her family revisit the Timbavati Game Reserve and are delighted to see that Charlie has mated with a lioness and has a litter of cubs.