The Bang-Bang Club

Authors: D.W. Dillon
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

"The Bang-Bang Club"

Directed by Julian Schnabel
Written by John Irving
Music by Sean Moore and James Dean Bradfield
Produced by James Nachtwey

Principal Cast:

Kiefer Sutherland - Kevin Carter (photojournalist)
Rebecca Miller - Nancy Buirski (Time Magazine editor)
Johnny Depp - Ken Oosterbroek (photojournalist)
Charlize Theron - Monica Oosterbroek (wife)
Jeffrey Wright - Joao Silva (photojournalist)
Tim Robbins - Greg Marinovich (photojournalist)
Jeremy Piven - Gary Bernard (photojournalist)
And
Daniel Day-Lewis as James Nachtwey (photojournalist)

Tagline: "Their pictures opened our eyes, but it took their souls"

Synopsis: During the Apartheid period of the late 80's and early 90's, six photo journalists entered the battle zones of South Africa to capture pictures of war, poverty and death. Headed by famed photographers Kevin Carter (Kiefer Sutherland), his best friend Ken Oosterbroek (Johnny Depp) and the veteran James Nachtwey (Daniel Day-Lewis), they hoped to take images that would change the way people see the rest of the world and finally take notice. Their noble intentions would lead them all down a road of guilt and pain. Known as the "Bang-Bang Club" because of their all too realistic shots of gunfire and war, they would soon find themselves in the line of fire. Each taking bullets, each trying to save one another on several occasions, and not without facing fatalities amongst themselves. But the real horror was yet to come after Kevin Carter takes a photo of a vulture circling a passed out Sudanese toddler who had succumbed to hunger and exhaustion. Within months he was awarded with the Pulitizer Prize, but the guilt of not helping the toddler and the death of his friends and the South African people would drive him to an early grave.

What the press would say:

From the director that brought you the intimate films such as Basquiat and Before Night Falls comes The Bang-Bang Club. Director Julian Schnabel brings to life a portrait of self-doubt, self-worth and self-loathing in this film that tells the story of six photo journalists who risk their lives to capture images of war and poverty in South Africa. Kiefer Sutherland stars as Kevin Carter, the most enthusiastic photographer of the group who ends up feeling more pain than he could ever capture on film. A truly tragic character who cannot find redemption. Kiefer Sutherland, brilliantly showcases a list of emotions that would most likely drain any other actor. Johnny Depp and Daniel-Day Lewis round out the supporting roles as Kevin Carters' trusted friends and colleagues, but they too cannot avoid the horrors they see. Charlize Theron, a native to South Africa takes on her role of the widowed wife of Carter's best friend with complete sympathy and anguish. Writer John Irving (Cider House Rules) does more with less, by letting the actors expressions and the pictures speak for themselves compiling a script of a few words making those words mean more when they're spoken. A well put together film could not be accomplished without the immediate and and in-your-face score put together by the Welsh musicians James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore of the Manic Street Preachers fame. Their 1995 U.K. hit song "Kevin Carter" is reworked to a haunting acoustical ballad. An important film on so many levels that dive into the selfish behavior our society has fallen under. Hi Time Magazine, hi Pulitizer Prize, hi Academy Awards.

Best Picture
Best Director - Julian Schnabel
Best Actor - Kiefer Sutherland
Best Supporting Actor - Daniel Day-Lewis
Best Supporting Actor - Johnny Depp
Best Supporting Actress - Charlize Theron
Best Original Screenplay - John Irving (Cider House Rules)
Best Cinematography - Caleb Deschanel (Apocolypse Now, The Passion Of The Christ)
Best Editing - Claire Simpsons (Constant Gardener, Salvador)
Best Art Direction - Andy Nicholson (Live From Bagdad, Band Of Brothers)
Best Score - Sean Moore & James Dean Bradfield (Manic Street Preachers)
Best Original Song - "Kevin Carter" by The Manic Street Preachers