James McBride on the challenges creating Miracle at St. Anna

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• Description : MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA A deeply in...(more)spiring story that transcends national boundaries, race and class to touch the goodness within us all Miracle At St. Anna is a gripping World War II epic that chronicles the story of four African American soldiers who are members of the US Army as part of the all-black 92nd Buffalo Soldier Division stationed in Tuscany, Italy, during World War II. They experience the tragedy and triumph of the war as they find themselves trapped behind enemy lines and separated from their unit after one of them risks his life to save an Italian boy. Directed by Spike Lee from a screenplay written by James McBride, the author of the acclaimed novel of the same name, the film is produced by Lee, Roberto Cicutto and Luigi Musini. Executive producers are Jon Kilik and Marco Valerio Pugini. The director of photography is Matthew Libatique and the production designer was Tonino Zera. Barry Alexander Brown is editor and Carlo Poggioli served as costume designer. Internationally renowned jazz trumpeter, bandleader and composer Terence Blanchard created the score. Miracle At St. Anna is presented by Touchstone Pictures in association with On My Own and RAI Cinema. Its a World War II film brutal and gruesome -- a mystery that deals with historic events and the stark reality of war, says Director/Producer Spike Lee. But its also a story of compassion and love. Theres a very lyrical, magical, mystical element to it. Lee says he was a fan of the story from the moment he read McBrides novel. I called him up and told him I would like to make this into a film, says the director. I became a student of World War II, a student of the Buffalo soldiers, in particular the 92nd Infantry Division. James introduced me to several of the surviving Buffalo soldiers whom he met and interviewed for the novel, Lee continues. They saw things that you would not want anybody to see -- the horrors of war: moments that they still think about, still dream about, still wake up in a sweat about. Lee assembled a culturally diverse cast for the film. This is an ensemble piece, he says. There are the four core Buffalo soldiers, of course, but the whole cast consists of American actors, great Italian actors, great German actors everyones speaking their native tongue, too, which I really think makes it feel authentic. CAST DEREK LUKE - (Aubrey Stamps) MICHAEL EALY - (Bishop Cummings) LAZ ALONSO (Hector Negron) OMAR BENSON MILLER - (Sam Train) PIERFRANCESCO FAVINO - (Peppi The Great Butterfly) VALENTINA CERVI - (Renata) JOHN TURTURRO - (Detective Antonio Tony Ricci) JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT - (Tim Boyle) ALEXANDRA MARIA LARA (Axis Sally) LUIGI LO CASCIO (Old Angelo) Director: Spike Lee Screenplay: James McBride (based on novel of the same name) Producers: Spike Lee, Robert Cicutto, Luigi Musini Executive Producers: Jon Kilik, Marco Valerio Pugini Touchstone Pictures presents in association with ON MY OWN PRODUZIONI CINEMATOGRAFICHE and RAI CINEMA a 40 ACRES AND A MULE FILMWORKS production http://www.blacktree.tv (less)