American Violet (2008)

Director:

Tim Disney

Writer (WGA):

Bill Haney (written by)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

When law is without order.....and justice is far from just.....one woman must take a stand

Plot:

A single African-American mother struggles to clear her name after being wrongly accused and arrested for dealing drugs in an impoverished town in Texas. |

Plot Keywords:

African American | Texas | Judge | Racist | Children

Awards:

8 nominations

Cast

Nicole Beharie	...	Dee Roberts
Tim Blake Nelson	...	David Cohen
Will Patton	...	Sam Conroy
Michael O'Keefe	...	Calvin Beckett
Xzibit	...	Darrell Hughes
Malcolm Barrett	...	Byron Hill
Charles S. Dutton	...	Reverend Sanders (as Charles Dutton)
Alfre Woodard	...	Alma Roberts
Tim Ware	...	Mark Shelby
Paul David Story	...	David Higgins
David Warshofsky	...	Robert Foster
Lucinda Jenney	...	Leona Conroy
Karimah Westbrook	...	Claudia Johnson
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Judge Belmont
Pamela Tyson	...	Gladys Williams (as Pamala Tyson)
Scott A. Martin	...	Jerry Arnold (as Scott Martin)
Michael Scialabba	...	Willis
John Will Clay	...	Franklin
Myra Nakia Christophe	...	Sherice Roberts
Za'mari Breedlove	...	Shardonda Roberts
Mya Cherie Christophe	...	Laquisha Roberts
Mariah Marisa Christophe	...	Tanya Roberts
Barry Barton	...	Helicopter Pilot
Janet Shea	...	Helen
Jerry Leggio	...	Norman
Cary Alden	...	Doreen
Christian McReary	...	Gus
Kesha Bullard	...	Angry Woman
Louis Herthum	...	Officer Smith
Jackson Beals	...	Officer Carter
Roslyn D. Evans	...	Magnolia
Portia Cue	...	Laquathia
Deneen Tyler	...	Suzzannha (as Deneen D. Tyler)
Tody Bernard	...	Judge Pryor
Jeanne Bourgeois	...	Reporter #1
Chris Rose	...	Reporter #2
Rosalie Washington	...	Grace
Lanece Webb	...	Chantrelle
Tarra Riggs	...	Lavosha
Zardis Nichols	...	Gayzeen
Christopher McCann	...	Joe Fisher
Carol Sutton	...	Charlise Leray
Ron Flagge	...	Herman Green
Richard Zeringue	...	Furniture Store Manager
J. Omar Castro	...	Cisco
Michael Beasley	...	Tony Flair
Lance E. Nichols	...	Mr. Moss (as Lance Nichols)
Samantha Beaulieu	...	Mrs. Lloyd
Sue Rock	...	Elizabeth Beckett
Lindsay Soileau	...	Julie Beckett
Dane Rhodes	...	Nick
Jon Eyez	...	Barman
Logan Olivares	...	Helicopter Pilot #2
Jessie Blake Lough	...	Reporter #3
Glaspar Irons	...	Waitress
Kimberly Hardy	...	Choir
Clarence Andrews	...	Choir
Jarell Bankston	...	Choir
Thasha Pierre	...	Choir
Ariane R. Gullage	...	Choir
Gail Watkins	...	Choir
Kiran Gullage	...	Choir
Sheryl Rogers	...	Choir
Daria Blunt	...	Choir
Reginald Nicholas Jr.	...	Choir
Ishmael Cotton	...	Choir
Tanya Patterson	...	Choir
Jerry Henderson	...	Choir
Demond Southall	...	Choir
Vanessa Pierre	...	Choir
Fayetta Hill	...	Choir
Terry Gullage Jr.	...	Choir
Linda Williams	...	Choir
Cherlyn Bell	...	Choir
Maranda Pierre	...	Choir
Theodore Johnson Jr.	...	Choir
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Allen Boudreaux	...	Lawyer (uncredited)
Andrew Buchler	...	Deposition Videographer (uncredited)
Daurice Cummings	...	Pedestrian (uncredited)
Samuel Davenport	...	Mr. Lloyd (uncredited)
Renell Gibbs	...	James LeRay (uncredited)
Russell M. Haeuser	...	Courthouse Patron (uncredited)
Rodney Hebert	...	Cisco's Diner Patron (uncredited)
Elton LeBlanc	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Anthony Mackie	...	Eddie Porter (uncredited)
Hunter McGregor	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Henry Pelitire	...	Texas State Trooper (uncredited)
Lyssa Prine	...	Deposition Stenographer (uncredited)
Ryan Reinike	...	Audio Dude (uncredited)
Glenn Robin	...	Court Bailiff (uncredited)
C. Stuart Rome	...	Bailiff (uncredited)
Chaz Smith	...	Still Photographer (uncredited)
Terry Lee Smith	...	SWAT (uncredited)
Antoine Spillers	...	Mr. Roberts (uncredited)
Defecio Stoglin	...	Brian Green (uncredited)
M. Jearl Vinot	...	County Sheriff (uncredited)
Michael Wozniak	...	Bailiff (uncredited)

Directed by
Tim Disney

Writing credits (WGA)
Bill Haney		(written by)

Produced by
Tom R. Camp	....	co-executive producer
Mark Donadio	....	line producer
Jennifer Eplett	....	co-executive producer
Bill Haney	....	producer
Debra Longo	....	associate producer
Miriam Marcus	....	associate producer
Peter Newman	....	executive producer
Lyz O'Keefe	....	associate producer (as Elizabeth O'Keefe)
Sean Reilly	....	co-executive producer

Original Music by
Teddy Castellucci

Cinematography by
Steve Yedlin		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Curtiss Clayton
Nancy Richardson
Terilyn A. Shropshire

Casting by
Susan Shopmaker

Production Design by
Monroe Kelly

Set Decoration by
Leonard R. Spears

Costume Design by
Caroline Eselin		(as Caroline Eselin-Schaefer)

Makeup Department
Nikki I Brown	....	third makeup artist
Sherri Hamilton	....	hair stylist
T.A. Henderson	....	key hair stylist
Stacy Kelly	....	makeup department head (as Stacy Stewart Kelly)
Charles Gregory Ross	....	department head hair stylist
Aimee Stuit	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Alex Jablonski	....	post-production supervisor
Tracy Keller	....	production manager (as Tracy Keller Cameron)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Blazina	....	second assistant director
Paul Epstein	....	first assistant director (as Paul Samuel Epstein)
Marcus Scigliano	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
John Blanchard	....	construction foreman
Stanford Gilbert	....	property master
Claire Hassig	....	scenic artist
Juliana Hoffpauir	....	on-set dresser
James C. Lane	....	assistant property master
Vince LeBlanc	....	set dresser
Kristin Lekki	....	graphic designer
Mara LePere-Schloop	....	set designer
Myron Meek	....	props builder
Pat A. O'Connor	....	leadman
Pavel Pesta	....	scenic artist
Chuck Stringer	....	construction coordinator
Stephen G. Walters	....	lead scenic

Sound Department
Steve C. Aaron	....	production sound mixer
Joshua Adeniji	....	foley editor
Levent Erdogan	....	assistant sound editor
Alan Freedman	....	adr mixer
Gary Gegan	....	sound re-recording mixer
Judah Getz	....	foley mixer
Brad Lokey	....	second boom operator
Jared Marshack	....	sound mixing recordist
Zach Michaelis	....	foley mixer
Brian Naguit	....	assistant sound editor
Chris Navarro	....	adr mixer
Jay Nierenberg	....	supervising sound editor
Angelo Palazzo	....	sound editor
Jared Watt	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Stanford Gilbert	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Shira Mandel	....	compositor
Nicole Montemayor	....	compositing supervisor: Stingray VFX
Kevin Moseley	....	compositing supervisor
Andrew Mumford	....	compositor
Erin L. Nelson	....	digital restoration
Ron Simonson	....	visual effects supervisor
Wilson Tang	....	digital restoration

Stunts
Hank Amos	....	utility stunts
Jeff Galpin	....	stunt coordinator
Rob King	....	stunt performer
Rex Reddick	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Tarik Naim Alherimi	....	best boy electric
Robert Foster	....	camera operator
Brad Garris	....	electrician
Greg Harris	....	lighting technician
Penelope Helmer	....	second assistant camera
Richard T. Hoover	....	grip
Robert Morrison	....	dolly grip: "a" camera
Paul Olinde	....	gaffer
Rick Secosky	....	grip
Robb W. Turner	....	lamp operator
Alex Vendler	....	cinematographer: second unit
Wade Whitley	....	first assistant camera
Louis Zlotowicz	....	film loader

Casting Department
Alexandra Capps	....	extras casting assistant
Randi Glass	....	casting associate
Kim Petrosky	....	casting associate
Wendy Talazac	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tracey Dundas	....	costumer
Loretta Harper	....	additional costumer
Krystle Lamoreaux	....	set costumer
Ashley Martin	....	key set costumer
Shonta T. McCray	....	costumes
Ann Walters	....	assistant costume designer
Ann Walters	....	costume supervisor
Lesley D. Wickham	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Tony Dustin	....	digital film colorist
Alexander J. Harper	....	post-production assistant
Kenny Marsten	....	assistant editor
Joi McMillon	....	first assistant editor
April McMorris	....	digital intermediate producer
Florent Retz	....	first assistant editor
Aidan Stanford	....	color timer
Everette Webber	....	digital intermediate editor
Lance Spindler	....	color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Tom Mgrdichian	....	musician
Tom Mgrdichian	....	orchestrator
Jennifer Nash	....	music editor
Jennifer Nash	....	music supervisor
Dan Ostermann	....	composer: additional music
Peter Rotter	....	music contractor
Jason Ruder	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Samuel Wayne Beitz	....	driver: honeywagon
Keith N. Collis	....	production driver
Anthony Forester	....	picture car coordinator
Danny Mortenson	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Melanie Aymami	....	assistant craft service (as Melanie Burck)
Deborah Bacquel	....	production accountant
John R.C. Davis	....	assistant production coordinator
Ava DuVernay	....	promotional services
Ashley Foster	....	set production assistant
Stanford Gilbert	....	weapons master
Dana A. Hanby	....	location manager
Rankin Hickman	....	production coordinator
Jeffrey H. Hunter	....	intern
Mickey Lambert	....	assistant location manager
Kristina Lankford	....	dialect coach: Michael O'Keefe
Sarah Larson	....	office production assistant
Stephen LeBlanc	....	assistant location manager
Julie Lopinto	....	first assistant accountant
Kevin Lorio	....	set production assistant
Ryan Lough	....	set production assistant
Elizabeth Mace	....	craft service assistant
Hunter McGregor	....	stand-in
Kevin Meier	....	office production assistant
Christopher J. Quackenbush	....	key set production assistant
Aaron Reichert	....	production assistant
Leah Jennings Richard	....	staff assistant (as Leah Jennings)
Adam Ryan	....	key set medic
M. Jearl Vinot	....	stand-in: Will Patton
Lauren Von Huene	....	production assistant
Katie Weiss	....	production assistant
Christy Zeller	....	accounting clerk
Preston Trahan	....	uncredited

Production Companies

• Uncommon Productions

Distributors

• CCV (2008) (Sweden) (all media)
• Eagle Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (all media)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2009) (Middle East) (all media)
• Ledafilms (2009) (Mexico) (TV)
• Maamund II Productions (2009) (Poland) (all media)
• Samuel Goldwyn Company, The (2009) (USA) (all media)
• Videx International (2009) (Pan Latin America) (all media)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera car
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  remote camera systems
• Event Restroom  restrooms
• EverStudios  poster design
• Hollywood-DI  HD screening services
• Sonic Magic  foley recording
• Sublime Sound  post-production sound services

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic material, violence, drug references and language

Runtime:

USA:103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Uncommon Productions

Trivia:

Although it says on screen that the film takes place in Melody, Texas beginning in November 2000, the events depicted actually took place in Hearne, Robertson County, Texas, which did begin in November 2000, and were based on the the case known as Regina Kelly v. John Paschall. Melody, Texas is a fictional town name, created for this film.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Dee is driving to work she honks her horn at a Pontiac G6 that pulls out in front of her. The G6 was not in production until 2005. The movie makes several references to the 2000 election that was upcoming.

Soundtrack:

Forgot it was Wrong

One thing that was a little hard to get over

It has nothing to do with the actors and the director, because the performances were dead on. I was very extremely disgusted with the racists and racist system that allowed this type of injustice to happen.

However, what I also found myself disgusted and distracted by, was the main character herself. I struggled with rallying behind a single mother who chose (that's right, chose) to have four children on a waitress' salary and 3 different baby daddies (Before anyone feels the need to point out that there are men out there not taking care of their responsibilities, that just means that there are two, or in this case, 4 guilty parties. It doesn't absolve her of any guilt). I also struggled with the fact that the victims in the movie were driven more by concern about the loss of their food stamps and other public support, rather than justice actually being served. I guess my general bottom line issue is that they managed to create a movie where I didn't particularly like or care what happened to a single character. On one hand, you have a pack of the nastiest type of racists, and on the other, you have a bunch of walking stereotypes that supply them with ammunition.