Film Updates: Gospel Hill & Toussaint

Gospel Hill is a political drama starring Danny Glover and Angela Bassett as husband and wife with conflicting desires. This contemporary story follows a former sheriff of a southern town dealing with past sins, and a former civil rights worker withdrawn since the martyrdom of his brother thirty years before. Their final confrontation comes when a corporation descends on the town, echoing a struggle some thirty years old.

Gospel Hill also stars Julia Stiles, Simon Baker, The RZA, and Nia Long. Filming will begin June 11th, 2007 in So. Carolina and will be backed by Fox Studios. The full cast has been revealed thanks to Gospel Hill writer, Jefferey P. Gordon. View more details on this film at DangStoryco.com


The Controversy over 'Toussaint'

Toussaint has barely begun production yet the film is getting heat from two seperate countries:

(Article from Monterary Harold)
Danny Glover is thrilled now that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has promised him $18 million to make a film about 18th-century Haitian freedom fighter Toussaint L'Ouverture. But the move is drawing fire from critics in Venezuela and Haiti.

Haitian President Rene Preval believes Glover should film "Toussaint" in the country where the story took place — not in Venezuela.

"The entire world should be proud of our patrimony," Preval tells us. "We had the first successful revolt against slavery in this hemisphere. It's our contribution to humanity. If Danny Glover can bring it to the screen, we will be happy. But I hope he will shoot it here."

Haitian-born Wyclef Jean agrees that Glover owes it to the struggling nation, a land with nothing like Venezuela's oil wealth, to film there.

"We want it shot in Haiti," the music star tells us. "If a portion of the movie is not shot in Haiti. ... I would definitely feel disappointed."

"You can't film in Haiti," Glover told us when we last spoke to him about his dream project. "It doesn't have the infrastructure, unfortunately."

Glover has spoken with Don Cheadle, Mos Def, Wesley Snipes and Angela Bassett about starring in the film — a marquee of American names that angers some Haitians.

But Glover argues, "It's a $30 million film and you have to bring people in (with stars)." He adds, however, "We haven't started casting yet. I'm sure there will be many Haitian actors in this."

Meanwhile, Venezuelan filmmakers are asking why Chavez is lavishing their country's funds on a Hollywood star.

"Eighteen million could fund five years of local cinema in Venezuela," director Jose Novoa told Variety. "And the film's not even about Venezuela."

Director Jonathan Jakubowicz says, "With so much poverty in our country, I can't deny that it infuriates and hurts me deeply."

Danny Glover is still planning to shoot Toussaint in the Venezuelan city, Caracas, October-December 2007.