I Am David (2003)

Director:

Paul Feig

Writers (WGA):

Anne Holm (novel)
Paul Feig (screenplay)

Release Date:

5 November 2004 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Believe in the power to change your destiny

Plot:

I Am David is adapted from Anne Holm's internationally acclaimed novel of the same name (re-titled North to Freedom in the USA)...

Plot Keywords:

Bread | Compass | Denmark | Escape | Envelope

Awards:

8 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Ben Tibber	...	David
James Caviezel	...	Johannes (as Jim Caviezel)
Joan Plowright	...	Sophie
Hristo Shopov	...	The Man
Silvia De Santis	...	Elsa
Paco Reconti	...	Giovanni
Roberto Attias	...	Baker
Francesco De Vito	...	Roberto
Paul Feig	...	American Man
Lucy Russell	...	American Woman
Maria Bonnevie	...	David's Mother
Viola Carinci	...	Maria
Marin Jivkov	...	Cecha
Robert Syulev	...	Angelo
Alessandro Sperduti	...	Carlo
Shaila Rubin	...	Vineyard Owner
Krasimir Kutzoparov	...	Camp Officer (as Krassimir Kutzuparov)
Elisabetta Bartolomei	...	Woman at Party
Krassimir Radkov	...	Party Guest
Diyan Machev	...	Party Guest (as Deyan Machev)
Nikola Rudarov	...	Store Owner
Enrico Vecchi	...	Grocer
Dobrin Dosev	...	Border Guard (as Dobrin Dossev)
Malin Krastev	...	Policeman
Matt Patresi	...	Swiss Border Guard
Maxim Gentchev	...	Policeman (as Maxim Genchev)
Ivan Nestorov	...	Swiss Policeman
Stefan Shterev	...	Bulgarian Officer (as Stefan Shteref)
Valeri Yordanov	...	Bulgarian Soldier (as Valery Yordanov)
Clem Tibber	...	Young David
Adrian McCourt	...	David's Father
Panayot Tzanev	...	Quarry Guar
Nikolay Kipchev	...	Truck Driver (as Nikolai Kipchev)
Stephen Antonie Shteref	...	Communist Protestor
Paraskeva Djukelova	...	Young Mother

Directed by
Paul Feig

Writing credits (WGA)
Anne Holm		(novel "I Am David")
Paul Feig		(screenplay)

Produced by
Davina Belling	....	producer
Andrea Borella	....	line producer
Lauren Levine	....	producer
Clive Parsons	....	producer
Plamen Voynovsky	....	co-producer
Vladimir Voynovsky	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Stewart Copeland

Cinematography by
Roman Osin

Film Editing by
Steven Weisberg

Casting by
Pippa Hall

Production Design by
Giovanni Natalucci

Art Direction by
Nasko Ianakiev

Set Decoration by
Antonello Rubino

Costume Design by
Uliva Pizzetti

Makeup Department
Laura Borselli	....	key makeup artist
Stefan Izvorov	....	assistant makeup artist
Rasko Russev	....	hair stylist
Gergana Stanoeva	....	assistant hair stylist
Mauro Tamagnini	....	key hair stylist
Valentin Valov	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Franco Coduti	....	production manager
Valentin Dimitrov	....	assistant unit manager
Perry Moore	....	executive in charge of production
Susan E. Novick	....	post-production supervisor: USA
Michael Sammaciccia	....	executive in charge of production
Marco Zanon	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Victor Bojinov	....	second assistant director
Giles Butler	....	second assistant director
Hristo Dimitrov	....	third assistant director
Orlin Grozdanov	....	second second assistant director
Alexander Kossev	....	second second assistant director
Mary Soan	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Daniel Bacciu	....	property master
Bogdan Bogdanov	....	carpenter
Ivan Ranghelov	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Mark Binder	....	supervising sound editor
Simon Brown	....	boom operator
Patrick Giraudi	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dan Green	....	adr recordist
Mark Lanza	....	sound conforming editor
Mark A. Mangini	....	sound effects editor
Bryan Pennington	....	consultant: Dolby film sound
Reuben Simon	....	sound editor
David E. Stone	....	sound editor
Michele Woods	....	adr recordist
Shawn Ian Kerkhoff	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Tim Baxter	....	film recording
Vasko Dikov	....	special effects coordinator
Mark Holt	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Mitch Paulson	....	digital preview colorist

Stunts
Kaloian Vodenicharov	....	stunt driver
Yordan Zahariev	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Julian Atanassov	....	camera assistant
Roberto De Nigris	....	camera operator
Klaus Harnisch	....	gaffer
Hristo Idakiev	....	electrician
Doug Lavender	....	assistant camera
Rupert Lloyd-Parry	....	key grip

Casting Department
Victor Bojinov	....	casting: Bulgaria
Alexander Kossev	....	casting: Bulgaria

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Giovanni Viti	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Joseph Bond	....	first assistant editor: USA
Lissette Roldan	....	post-production intern: USA
Eduardo Sotelo	....	post-production intern: USA

Music Department
Mauricio J. Balvanera	....	assistant music editor
Michael Dittrick	....	music editor
Lindsay Fellows	....	music supervisor
Christopher S. Parker	....	music clearances
John Rodd	....	orchestral scoring recordist
Mark Ryan	....	music editor
Jeff Seitz	....	music scoring mixer
Sharyn M. Tylk	....	music editor

Other crew
Elisabetta Bartolomei	....	production coordinator
Bob Beltz	....	special advisor
Irina Cherkelova	....	production coordinator
Holly Amber Church	....	assistant: Mr. Copeland
Denitza Daverova	....	production assistant
AnaMarie C. Gonzaga	....	supervising production accountant
Enzo Juvalé	....	production assistant
John Kirby	....	acting coach: Mr. Caviezel
Zoe Morgan	....	script supervisor
Anya Noakes	....	unit publicist
Mike Phillips	....	vice president: physical production/production finance
Nicola Rosada	....	location manager
Gianluca Venturi	....	production accountant
Viola Vergani	....	assistant coordinator
Viola Vergani	....	production assistant
Nasko Vulev	....	production secretary
Joan Zulfer	....	production accountant
Mark Joseph	....	marketing (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Walden Media

Distributors

• Herald Film Company (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Artisan Entertainment (USA)
• David Productions Ltd.
• Walden Media (USA)

Special Effects

• Capital FX (opticals and digital effects)

Other Companies

• Cutting Edge  negative cutting
• Micdi Productions  music editorial

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements and violent content.

Runtime:

90 min | Turkey:84 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Canada:G (Ontario) | Iceland:LH | Malaysia:U | USA:PG (certificate #39701) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-3 | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Bulgaria

Company:

Walden Media

Trivia:

"Young David" is played by Clem Tibber, the real-life younger brother of Ben Tibber who played David through the rest of the film.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the window of the Italian bookstore, there is a book on display "L'uomo che guarda" of the Italian writer Alberto Moravia. This book was written in 1985, long after the events in the movie.

Quotes:

David: [holding Sopie's cat] She's so soft. And she's vibrating.
Sophie: She's purring, David.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Benchwarmers (2006)

Soundtrack:

Ave Verum

A young boy escapes from a concentration camp and goes on a journey.

I loved this movie. The soundtrack was awesome, and the boy who played David is a very engaging actor. He is so convincing as a child who has never known anything but brutality, suddenly finding himself in the free world, and learning to relate to people who are normal.

Joan Plowright is one of my favorite actresses, and as always, she was a joy to watch in this story.

It really is too bad that more movies of this caliber are not made more often. I am not really a person who can sit still for most movies. It took my daughter five days to rope me into watching this one, but in the end, I was really glad she did. Since we were watching the DVD, we were able to see the deleted scenes - they were as good as the movie itself and I couldn't understand why they were taken out. I wouldn't mind owning it this flick.

I also would love to own the soundtrack.