NINA
She was one of the century’s most extraordinary talents, a 15-time Grammy nominee and Grammy Hall of Fame Recipient; her mesmerizing songs and passionate politics combined to make her the unforgettable Nina Simone (Zoe Saldana). But fame and fortune came with a price, and her later years were riddled with depression, alcohol abuse and isolation. Rediscovering the meaning of her life and work took courage, strength and one true friend: Clifton Henderson (David Oyelowo), the man who started out as her assistant and eventually became her loyal manager. With Clifton’s encouragement, the “high priestess of soul” began a courageous journey back to her music … and, eventually, herself.
North Carolina, 1946: A young Nina Simone sits at the piano ready to perform at a local recital, but refuses to start playing until her parents are moved to seats at the front of the auditorium. Some of the white audience members get up and leave.
Some years later, Nina Simone (Zoe Saldana) sits in her record company office, being told for the final time that she signed her royalties away many years ago and she has no rights to them or any of what she regards as her money. Though her manager Henry Edwards (Ron Guttman) tries to tell her it’s only what they have known for years, she is incensed and pulls a gun on the executive. She is arrested and taken to a psychiatric hospital.
Diagnosed as manic-depressive, alcoholic and suffering from mild paranoia, Nina is put in restraints and sedated. A young male nurse, Clifton Henderson, is assigned to look after her. He recognizes her because his mother was a fan, but isn’t star struck. Clifton seems to gain her trust and when Nina recovers and is discharged from hospital, she asks him to come with her to her home in France to act as her personal assistant. Initially hesitant, he agrees.
Once home, Nina wastes little time in reminding Clifton that he is now her assistant and she is no longer his patient. She’s irascible and aggressive, demanding champagne and ignoring the medication and food he prepares for her.
While she retreats to her bedroom and sleeps the days away, Clifton explores the house and discovers a trove of press cuttings and recordings. He starts to learn more about the remarkable woman he is now working for.
Henry calls to tell Clifton that he has booked a gig for Nina in Paris. Despite Clifton telling Henry that she is in no fit state to perform, he insists and Clifton reluctantly gets her there. In Paris, Clifton argues again with Henry, telling him that the set list is too long for Nina, but Henry dismisses his concerns, demanding she perform as he has agreed with the owner.
Nina takes to the stage in front of the club audience who seem unaware of her, talking through her performance. She snaps and, grabbing a knife, slashes at a diner, ranting and raving. Clifton’s worst fears have been realized.
Back home, for the first time Clifton asks Nina what happened to her. Why does she sleep all day, why does she keep her money under her mattress and, most importantly, why is she playing gigs for 100 people, not 20,000? Nina asks him not to be afraid of her.
He continues to listen to and watch the archive footage he has found in the house, discovering more about Nina.
Recovering from the debacle in Paris, Nina decides to take Clifton on holiday to Nice where she is still treated as a star. Drinking and flirting with a guest at the hotel, Nina tries to provoke Clifton. It’s the last straw for Clifton who decides to quit and return to Chicago. She tries to persuade him to stay but she has pushed him too far.
With Clifton gone, Nina’s drinking worsens. Meanwhile she receives a call from her doctor, advising her that the results of a recent biopsy are serious and she requires urgent treatment for cancer. She has kept this from Clifton and everyone else around her.
Nina travels to Chicago, arriving unannounced at Clifton’s family home. His mother can’t believe the Nina Simone is in her house. Nina wasn’t just important to her as a performer, but as a black woman during the civil rights era. We flashback to the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. and see what a powerful effect his assassination had on Nina – despairing and angry, she wanted to retaliate with violence, but is persuaded that she can make a difference through her songs and her performances.
Back in the present day, Nina performs at a club for Clifton and his family and announces that Clifton is now her manager. His family is impressed but Clifton resists, knowing how unpredictable she is. His mother urges him to support Nina and he returns to France with her.
Clifton arranges to meet Henry to tell him he’s now Nina’s manager and to ask for his advice. Henry ‘congratulates’ Clifton and tells him that despite Nina’s lifestyle, she is in terrible debt and terrible shape. Clifton knows all of this, but is determined to try to get Nina healthy and performing again.
He finds a venue willing to take a chance on an unpredictable legend, and Nina, despite her best efforts, is back on stage. She performs ‘Wild is the Wind’. Clifton is truly moved, and tries to tell her so.
After talking to her old friend Richard Pryor (Mike Epps), Nina decides to start recording again and we see her with renewed energy back in the studio. Just as things start going well, Clifton finds out from Nina’s doctor how sick she is and although at first upset that she didn’t tell him, he supports her as always and encourages her to see the doctor and agree to surgery.
Clifton is with her throughout her chemotherapy and recovery and is determined that she will perform again in America, but does not have the contacts to get the bookings. Nina asks Henry for help and reluctantly he agrees, arranging for Clifton to meet a contact.
Eventually, Nina is booked for a prestigious concert in New York’s Central Park. She and Clifton travel home to the United States. The gig is a huge success and Nina’s reputation is re-established.
DAVID OYELOWO (Clifton Henderson)
David Oyelowo (pronounced – “oh-yellow-oh”), a classically trained stage actor who has quickly become one of Hollywood’s most sought-after talents. He graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), and received the “Scholarship for Excellence” from Nicholas Hytner in 1998.
This year, David will be seen in several highly anticipated films. In the fall, he co-stars in QUEEN OF KATWE opposite Lupita Nyong’o. Directed by Mira Nair, the film is based on the true story of Phiona Mutesi, a Ugandan chess prodigy who overcomes insurmountable odds to become a Woman Candidate Master. He also stars in the upcoming drama A UNITED KINGDOM, alongside Rosamund Pike. David plays Prince Seretse Khama of Botswana, who causes international controversy when he marries a white woman from London in the late 1940’s. Additionally, he will be seen in NINA, a biographical drama focused on late musician, Nina Simone (played by Zoe Saldana) and her relationship with her manager, Clifton Henderson (Oyelowo) and in the independent drama, FIVE NIGHTS IN MAINE, which premiered at the 2015 Toronto Film Festival. In addition to his leading roles, Oyelowo serves as a producer on A UNITED KINGDOM, NINA and FIVE NIGHTS IN MAINE.
Last year, David was awarded an Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie” for HBO’s NIGHTINGALE, a psychological drama in which he played the solitary character, Peter Snowden, an Iraq war veteran who suffers a mental breakdown. Additionally, the film was nominated for “Outstanding Television Movie” earning him a second nomination as producer. He also starred in and produced CAPTIVE, a true-life crime thriller about a drug-addicted single mother (Kate Mara) who finds herself taken hostage in her apartment by an escaped convict (Oyelowo) after he murders the judge overseeing his trial.
In 2014, David starred as Martin Luther King Jr. in Paramount’s drama SELMA. Directed by Ava DuVernay and produced by Oprah Winfrey and Brad Pitt’s Plan B, the film follows Dr. King’s struggle to secure voting rights black people culminating in the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama and President Lyndon Johnson’s signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Oyelowo received Golden Globe Award and Film Independent Spirit Award nominations and won the NAACP Image Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Dr. King and the film received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.
Additional film credits include Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi adventure INTERSTELLAR, J.C. Chandor’s crime drama A MOST VIOLENT YEAR, Simon Brand’s thriller DEFAULT, Lee Daniel’s THE BUTLER, Steven Spielberg’s Academy Award nominated drama LINCOLN, with Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones, the critically acclaimed independent drama, THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, which earned David individual NAACP Image Awards and Independent Spirit Awards nominations, JACK REACHER, opposite Tom Cruise, Lee Daniels’ THE PAPERBOY, opposite Nicole Kidman, Matthew McConaughey and Zac Efron, the British made for television movie, COMPLICIT, George Lucas’ produced bio-pic, RED TAILS, which won “Best Motion Picture” at the 2013 NAACP Image Awards, RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, alongside James Franco and Frieda Pinto, the Academy Award nominated drama THE HELP, 96 MINUTES, which premiered at the 2011 SXSW Film Festival, Kevin MacDonald’s THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND opposite Forrest Whittaker and James MacAvoy, WHO DO YOU LOVE, in which he played the iconic Muddy Waters, A SOUND OF THUNDER for Warner Bros, DERAILED for Miramax, and SHOOT THE MESSENGER for BBC2.
David will return to his theatrical roots this fall and will star as the title role in the New York Theatre Workshop production of OTHELLO. Helmed by Tony-winning director, Sam Gold, the production will run from November to January. Daniel Craig will play the famous villain Iago.
Oyelowo first impressed audiences on the stage when he starred in THE SUPPLIANTS at the Gate Theatre playing King Palasgus, for which he received the Ian Charleson award commendation. Following this he played the title role of HENRY VI, becoming the first black actor to play an English king for the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company). The role won him The Ian Charleson Award and an Evening Standard award nomination. Other theatre credits include an acclaimed performance in Richard Bean’s THE GOD BOTHERERS at the Bush Theatre and the title role in Aeschylus’ PROMETHEUS BOUND, which was off-Broadway for which David received rave reviews.
Beyond theatre, David starred in the BAFTA award winning series SPOOKS/MI:5 playing Danny Hunter. MI:5 also aired in the US on BBC America. Additionally, he won the Royal Television Society Award for Best Actor and was also nominated for a BAFTA for the same role for his work on SMALL ISLAND. David also starred in the BBC1 original television movie BORN EQUAL, opposite Colin Firth as well as ABC’s 2008 production of A RAISIN IN THE SUN, alongside Sanaa Lathan and Sean Combs.
David made his US debut in two HBO productions. First starring in the Kenneth Branagh directed AS YOU LIKE IT, in which he played Orlando opposite Bryce Dallas Howard, which aired in August 2006. In October of the same year he was again seen on HBO as the lead in the mini-series FIVE DAYS, for which he won the Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television for his performance. In 2008, David starred in the acclaimed adaptation of the Alexander McCall Smith novel, THE NO.1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY, directed by the late Anthony Minghella.
David currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.
RONALD GUTTMAN (Henri Edwards)
Ronald Guttman will appear in Welcome to New York this October (dir. Abel Ferrara; Cannes International Film Festival), as well as in the PBS three-hour series ‘Mystery of Matter’. Recent film credits include Girl Most Likely, Pawn and 13, as well as Green Card, The Hunt for Red October, Avalon and Danton. Recent television credits include ‘Elementary’, ‘The Good Wife’, ‘Mad Men’ and the HBO miniseries ‘Mildred Pierce’ with Kate Winslet. Recent stage credits include the title role in ‘Bauer’ at the San Francisco Playhouse, Woland (the Devil) in ‘The Master and Margarita’ at Bard SummerScape 2013 and the narrator Brother Dominic in Arthur Honegger’s oratorio ‘Jeanne d’Arc au Bûcher’ at Carnegie Hall. Past New York theatre appearances have included Second Stage, Circle in the Square, Long Wharf, and The Mint. Guttman began his acting career in Brussels, Belgium, where he performed at The National Theatre in plays by Beckett, Schnitzler, Racine, Turgenev and Camus, among others.
MIKE EPPS (Richard Pryor)
Mike Epps is generating an extraordinary amount of buzz among his peers for being not only one of the funniest comic actors in town, but also for his burgeoning dramatic talent.
Epps was most recently seen in the global box office juggernaut, The Hangover Part III, in which he reprised his role as Black Doug.
In 2011, he was awarded an NAACP Image Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the Sony Pictures film, Jumping the Broom. He continued to receive critical praise for his dramatic turn in 2012 with SPARKLE, opposite Whitney Houston and Jordan Sparks. He further pursues his dramatic side with two important roles this year when he stars with Forest Whitaker and Anthony Mackie in the Lionsgate thriller, Repentance.
In addition, Mike is starring in and producing the comedy The House Next Door, through Lionsgate/Codeblack Entertainment. The House Next Door is in the spirit of the Friday franchise with a horror twist.
In 2009, Mike headlined his hugely successful stand-up special, ‘Mike Epps: Underrated and Never Faded’, and in 2011 introduced the world to new comedic talent with, ‘Mike Epps Presents…’, both of which aired on Showtime. He also released his first comedy rap album called ‘Funny Bidness: Da Album’. The album featured Snoop Dogg, Kid Rock and Slim Thug to name a few. 2011 also marked the release of his comedy DVD ‘Funny Bidness’. With his undying love for hip-hop, Mike hosted the BET Hip-Hop Awards. He will continue comedic hosting duties this autumn with Shaq’s Comedy All-Stars set to air on Showtime. He is also prepping for his next comedy special on Netflix in 2014.
Since 2000, Epps has steadily climbed his way up the stand-up comedy ranks after being recognized by a national audience in 1995 for appearing on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam (which, years later, he would go on to host). During a performance at LA’s Comedy Store, Epps caught the attention of Ice Cube. This led to the first of three feature films they would do together: the cult hits ‘Next Friday’, ‘Friday after Next’ and ‘All About the Benjamins’.
Other features include the Hangover franchise, Faster, Hancock, Lottery Ticket, NEXT Day Air, ROLL Bounce, The Fighting Temptations, the Resident Evil franchise, Bait, How High, Dr.Dolittle 2, Talk to Me and Guess Who?
Epps can be seen in over 40 cities and three continents this year on his worldwide ‘Mike Epps After Dark’ Live Nation Tour.
CREW BIOGRAPHIES
CYNTHIA MORT (Writer & Director)
A native of Detroit, Cynthia Mort began her career as writer and producer on the iconic American sitcom ‘Roseanne’. Her other writing credits include the TV series ‘Will & Grace’ and ‘Tell Me You Love Me’, the TV films ‘Even the Losers’ and ‘Tilda’ which was directed by Bill Condon, and the 2007 Neil Jordan film ‘The Brave One’.
Mort also served as executive producer on ‘Tell Me You Love Me’ and ‘Tilda’ and consulting producer on ‘Will & Grace’.
NINA is Mort’s directorial debut.
BARNABY THOMPSON (Producer)
Barnaby Thompson is a producer and director. He is a partner in Ealing Studios, which he also ran from 2002-2013. He has made five of the top 20 highest grossing British Independent movies in the UK. His current projects include ‘D TRAIN’ (2014), a comedy starring Jack Black and James Marsden and KIDS IN LOVE (2014) starring Will Poulter, Alma Jodorowsky, Jamie Blackley and Cara Delevingne. Other recent work includes ‘Burke and Hare’ (2010) directed by John Landis (Animal House, Blues Brothers). He co-directed and co-produced the box-office success St. Trinian’s (2007) and its 2009 sequel, St. Trinian’s 2: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold with Oliver Parker, which starred Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Celia Imrie, and Gemma Arterton. His other titles include Dorian Gray, From Time To Time, I Want Candy, Fade To Black, Valiant and Hope Springs.
Thompson set up Fragile Films in London in 1996 with Uri Fruchtman. Prior to that, he spent six years working with Lorne Michaels at Broadway Video in New York and Los Angeles, during which time he co-produced ‘Wayne’s World’ and ‘Wayne’s World 2’ with Mike Myers and Dana Carvey; ‘Coneheads’ starring Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin; ‘Lassie’, directed by Dan Petrie; ‘Tommy Boy’, starring Chris Farley, David Spade and Dan Aykroyd and ‘Kids In The Hall: Brain Candy’, which was nominated for four Canadian Genies. In 1990 Barnaby was nominated for an Academy Award® for the short film ‘Dear Rosie’, directed by Peter Cattaneo and written by Peter Morgan. He has also produced and directed a number of award-winning documentaries, including ‘The Forgotten Holocaust’ for the BBC and ‘JIMI HENDRIX – Kiss the Sky’ for ITV.
BEN LATHAM-JONES (Producer)
Ben Latham-Jones is a film producer and the new co-owner of Ealing Studios. He has previously worked extensively as a Creative Director for 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight and MGM on projects including Little Miss Sunshine, Walk the Line, and SIDEWAYS. He set up the production company Londinium in 2012 and has produced three additional feature films in post-production in 2014: THE D TRAIN (starring Jack Black and James Marsden), KIDS IN LOVE (starring Will Poulter, Alma Jodorowsky and Cara Delevingne), and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (directed by Julie Taymor). His upcoming projects include THE GRACE THAT KEEPS THIS WORLD (starring Bryan Cranston and Glenn Close, directed by Azazel Jacobs), LEE MILLER (directed by John Maybury, producing with Norma Heyman), and ‘Maigret’ (a major new returning series for ITV).
STUART PARR (Producer)
A renaissance man with many influences and achievements in the world of art, film, music, architecture and furniture design, Stuart Parr adds to his already impressive accomplishments as the producer of the upcoming film, NINA, which stars Zoe Saldana (AVATAR) and David Oyelowo (SELMA).
Parr’s previous film credits includes producer of 8 MILE, which starred Eminem (whose career he also co-manages), executive producer of 50 Cent’s GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN’ and the acclaimed SOUTHPAW, which starred Jake Gyllenhaal and Rachel McAdams. He served as Executive Producer on Eminem’s animation series ‘The Slim Shady Show’, and as Associate Producer on Showtime’s acclaimed series ‘The Next Episode’.
Parr is also active running a design and architecture business of his own, Stuart Parr Design. Most recently, Stuart Parr Design’s design of the new Classic Car Club at Pier 76 in New York City was awarded the RFP in March 2016. His architectural designs Clearhouse in Shelter Island, NY and Marble House in New York City’s TriBeCa neighborhood have been featured in major international publications. He is the trademark owner and expert on 1930’s design icons Jean-Michel Frank and Warren MacArthur, whose works he curated in major furniture exhibitions in both Europe and the United States. In addition, Parr manages industrial designer Marc Newson, the world’s most successful living furniture designer, for his limited edition works shown at the Gagosian Gallery.
Parr was also recently voted onto the board of the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD).
MIHAI MALAIMARE (Director of Photography)
Mihai Malaimare Jr., a native of Romania, began his film career after attending the prestigious National University of Theatre and Film in Bucharest. He shot a handful of award-winning shorts and feature films in Romania before auditioning with Francis Ford Coppola to shoot his film ‘Youth Without Youth’. Malaimare won the coveted role of Cinematographer for that film (at the age of 29) and went on to receive a Best Cinematography Nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards for his work. That film put him on the map in the United States and shortly thereafter he was named to Variety’s prestigious “Ten Cinematographers to Watch” in 2007. Since then, Malaimare has shot two more films for Coppola, TETRO and TWIXT. Malaimare’s work on the most recent Paul Thomas Anderson film THE MASTER garnered him five Best Cinematography wins, including the National Society of Film Critics Award and was widely regarded as one of the most beautiful and unique looking films of 2012.
Malaimare’s next feature film release will be A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES, starring Liam Neeson and written and directed by Academy Award nominee Scott Frank. He also has the genre thriller HOME in post-production, directed by Dennis Illiadis and produced by Appian Way (Leonardo DiCaprio), Graham King, and Wes Craven.
Malaimare also shoots award-winning commercial campaigns including the Nike ‘Unleash Speed’ series starring Sean Combs and Detroit Lions Wide Receiver Calvin Johnson. His other commercial clients include Sony, AllState, Microsoft X-Box, and Toyota. Malaimare has also filmed numerous campaign segments for MTV’s Video Music Awards, starring current music artists like Taylor Swift, Usher, Adam Levine, Eminem, Drake, Kesha and Nikki Minaj. He is an avid stills photographer.
MISSY STEWART (Production Designer)
A graduate of Bennington College, with a degree in Fine Arts and Literature, where she also pursued courses in architecture and painting, Stewart continued to paint and follow an arts career until the late eighties when her interests began to shift from the world of fine art to cinema. Stewart found the collaborative and narrative aspects of film very appealing; the visual side stimulating and not so dissimilar to painting. She moved to Portland, Oregon where she began to work in earnest with a group of independent filmmakers, one of whom was Gus Van Sant. She collaborated on a number of projects with him, from the early films ‘Drugstore Cowboy’ and ‘My Own Private Idaho’ to ‘To Die For’ and ‘Good Will Hunting’ in which her title was production designer.
With a background in studio art, Stewart approaches each film with a painter’s eye for creating a three dimensional background in which actors and camera can work. This begins with location choices and set design that enhances the mood and story line, and colour choices that compliment or contrast the architectural elements with the actor’s wardrobe. Other key elements to consider are lighting and natural light sources, which are thoroughly discussed with the director and director of photography. This combination of lighting, both natural and staged, along with window treatments helps focus on the surfaces, textures and sculptural elements of the screen set. This attention to how light falls on a subject or the objects in the surroundings creates a strong sense of place and flavours the story. Other ingredients, which expand the viewer’s filmic experience, are stylistic considerations regarding architectural and interior design elements. These seemingly mise-en-scène components actually define and clarify the character’s world and help to expand upon the director’s visual vocabulary. By expanding the director’s intent through art direction, a more fully conceived vision can be attained. In addition, the simple objects of everyday life can be transformed into an iconography, which enhances plot and action.
The challenge of bringing these elements to bear in the creation of a total environment that breathes life into the characters, and also reaching the director’s imagined potential for the script, is the passion of the production designer. Her work reflects her interest in structuring illusionary space with allegorical elements, which can trigger the imagination through combinations.
SUSAN LITTENBERG, A.C.E (Editor)
Susan Littenberg has been the lead picture editor for over 15 feature films and documentaries. One of her great collaborations was working with director Gary Winick on ‘Charlotte’s Web’, ‘Tadpole’, ‘Bride Wars’, and ‘13 Going on 30’. Littenberg was nominated for Best Edited Feature Film – Comedy or Musical for ‘Easy A’ at the 2010 American Cinema Editors Awards. Released on Criterion DVD in 2012 was the highly acclaimed documentary ‘And Everything is Going Fine’, a film she created from entirely archival footage about Spalding Gray, directed by Steven Soderbergh. Her latest film is ‘The Love Punch’ starring Emma Thompson and Pierce Brosnan.
She has taught at The Edit Center in New York, the Maine International Film Workshops and at the City College of New York.
JOSH RIFKIN (Editor)
Rifkin, who grew up in Philadelphia and now calls Los Angeles home, brings his own unique sensibility to two distinct and successful careers in film and music.
As a film editor, Rifkin’s work includes ‘Down in the Valley’ starring Edward Norton and Evan Rachel Wood and ‘Ira & Abby’ starring Jennifer Westfeldt and Chris Messina.
As a musician, Rifkin has contributed songs for such high-profile soundtracks as ‘Four Brothers’ and ‘Friday Night Lights’. His band Mumblin’ Jim was signed to Island Records by label founder Chris Blackwell.
MAGALI GUIDASCI (Costume Designer)
Magali Guidasci grew up in France at a time when a new wave of French flmmakers were breaking out. She attended the Sorbonne, not as a film maker but as a dancer. Unfortunately, due to a hip injury she had to give up her dream. At this time, she met director Gerard Lauzier and she quickly joined his film in the costume department. Shortly thereafter Guidasci was introduced to a young Luc Besson who was just starting to direct his second film, ‘Subway’. Besson challenged Guidasci to costume design that film and to join the Besson team thereafter. Guidasci did just that. She learned on the job, and it was during these early Besson movies that she found out that she loved what she did. Her last film with Luc Besson was the much celebrated cult classic ‘Leon’, a film that not only broke out the burgeoning new star Natalie Portman, but is also the kind of film that is still referenced today. Guidasci then went on to collaborate with many other directors including on Paul W. S. Anderson’s ‘AVP: Alien vs Predator’, Doug Liman’s ‘Jumper’ and Reuben Fleischer’s ‘Zombieland’ on which she worked with Abigail Breslin.
Guidasci is also known for her love of dance, especially salsa dancing. She is very active with the LA Salsa Fest and the World Latin Dance Cup and she is currently producing a documentary about the subject titled ‘Heart of Salsa’.
Guidasci very much enjoyed working on ‘The Call’ with Brad Anderson, Halle Berry, and once again with Abigail Breslin. Guidasci is known for talent, and her speed, but most of all her spirit and sense of camaraderie.
ROUBI L’ROUBI (Nina Simone Performance Dresses and Additional Costumes)
The internationally acclaimed couturier Roubi L’Roubi has dressed some of the world’s most influential men and women and created collections for many great names, including Holland & Holland and Henry Poole. He launched his eponymous label on New Bond Street in 2004, and became owner and Creative Director of Huntsman in January 2013.
Before entering the trade, L’Roubi gained a degree in mechanical engineering at London’s Imperial College. This engineering background helped him develop an appreciation and understanding of form, fit and structure, which he then put into practice working as a cutter and fashion designer. His academic training can be seen throughout his designs; every Roubi L’Roubi creation is exacting and structured, with comfort and wearability at its heart and crafted to strengthen or flatter the physical form.
His understanding of movement and fluidity has been acquired through a genuine love of nature. L’Roubi, a skilled equestrian, is a respected owner of champion dressage horses, with his Holstein stallion, H-Ekwador competing in the 2012 London Olympics and in training for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. L’Roubi does not believe in seasonal trends, but in dressing appropriately for every occasion. His elegant style and classically simple lines have earned him recognition from his peers, demonstrated when he was invited to judge the industry’s prestigious Golden Shears awards for young tailoring talent.
A lover of history and heritage, L’Roubi collects antique books, paintings and archives and is currently developing a new series of ready-to-wear collections based on a detailed examination of photography and patterns from the Huntsman archives from the past 160 years. This includes suits, shirts and dinner jackets created by his predecessors at Huntsman for Hollywood legend Gregory Peck. Through shaping new collections, which have evolved from the silver screen era, L’Roubi remains ever loyal to the distinctive Huntsman silhouette – and by increasing the womenswear collections and introducing new bespoke pieces, from blouses and coats to striking silk gowns, he is committed to widening the brand’s appeal.
Most recently, his skill at designing for the feminine form has seen L’Roubi’s profile soar in LA. He was recently accepted into the Hollywood Guild of Costume Designers. With his huge respect for Huntsman’s traditions and the precision and skill of tailoring on The Row, L’Roubi is passionate about preserving and developing the learnings of his trade. By combining his rare expertise as a designer maker who is also able to cut his own patterns, with a keen interest in technology, L’Roubi has introduced modern innovations to Huntsman. Working with tablets synched with the brand’s new website, L’Roubi has brought technology and CAD to Huntsman, to drive the business forward for the 21st century.
MARIUS DE VRIES (Original Score and Music Production)
Marius de Vries has been involved in some of the most culture-defining recordings and soundtracks of the past two decades, and has won two BAFTAs and an Ivor Novello award for his film composition work, as well as four Grammy nominations for soundtrack and record production. Beginning his music career playing keyboards for the English eighties pop-soul band The Blow Monkeys, he has since written, arranged and produced across a wide range of styles and genres for artists such as Madonna, Bjork, David Bowie, Rufus Wainwright, Neil Finn, Annie Lennox, Bebel Gilberto, David Gray, PJ Harvey, U2, Massive Attack, Elbow, Perry Farrell and Josh Groban, amongst many others.
De Vries’ work with The Sugarcubes led to a key role on Björk’s ‘Debut’, which marked the beginning of a long collaborative relationship with Nellee Hooper, the team responsible for landmark recordings with Massive Attack, Björk, Madonna, The Sneaker Pimps, Tina Turner and U2, and ultimately the soundtrack and score for Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, for which de Vries received the first of his two BAFTAs.
Later, de Vries music-directed the groundbreaking ‘Moulin Rouge’, resulting in another Grammy nomination, a second BAFTA, and numerous other awards. De Vries composed the score for Stephan Elliot’s ‘Priscilla Queen of The Desert’, surreal thriller ‘The Eye of the Beholder’, and the jazz-age period comedy ‘Easy Virtue’. In musical theatre, Marius has collaborated with Andrew Lloyd Webber on several projects, worked on the co-production of the cast album for A.R Rahman’s ‘Bombay Dreams’, completed production and orchestration work on ‘Love Never Dies’ and produced the cast album for Richard Thomas’s hugely successful (and equally controversial) West End comedy hit ‘Jerry Springer: The Opera’.
In early 2008, de Vries created an hour-long contemporary dance piece, ‘Squaremap of Q4’, for the award-winning Spanish choreographer Rafael Bonachela which premiered at the South Bank in London. The following year, he recorded and produced the eclectic Chinese singer Sa Ding Ding’s second album for Universal Records, ‘Harmony’, in Beijing. Marius contributed score and song productions to Matthew Vaughn’s irreverent superhero film ‘Kick-Ass’ and Zack Snyder’s music-driven action fantasy ‘Sucker Punch’, as well as co-producing an LP with Robbie Robertson, featuring guests Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Tom Morello and others.
June 2013 saw the world premiere of de Vries’ score for ‘King Kong Live on Stage’, directed by Daniel Kramer, including a book by Craig Lucas and animatronics by Creature Technologies’ Sonny Tilders. A Broadway mounting is set for early 2015. De Vries is currently music-directing an animated musical for LucasFilm, to be released by Disney in 2015.
NINA Credits
EALING STUDIOS
PRESENTS
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
METRO INTERNATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT
A FRAGILE FILMS
LONDINIUM FILMS
PRODUCTION
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
66 PRODUCTIONS
PARR PICTURES
HUNTSMAN PRODUCTIONS
A FILM BY
CYNTHIA MORT
ZOE SALDANA
DAVID OYELOWO
NINA
RONALD GUTTMAN
KEVIN MAMBO
KEITH DAVID
ELLA JOYCE
KEN DAVITIAN
CHUMA GAULT
ELLA THOMAS
and
MIKE EPPS
Casting by
HEIDI LEVITT
Line Producer
CHRIS STINSON
Original Score by
RUY FOLGUERA
Music Director
MARIUS de VRIES
Costume Designer
MAGALI GUIDASCI
Nina Simone Performance Dresses and Additional Costumes by
ROUBI L’ROUBI
Edited by
MARK HELFRICH, ACE
SUSAN LITTENBERG, ACE
JOSH RIFKIN
Production Designer
MISSY STEWART
Director of Photography
MIHAI MALAIMARE, Jr.
Executive Producers
PAUL ROSENBERG
GENE KIRKWOOD
LAUREN LLOYD
Executive Producers
ZOE SALDANA
DAVID OYELOWO
Executive Producers
PIERRE LAGRANGE
AIGERIM JAKISHEVA
ALLISON SAROFIM
Executive Producers
JAMES SPRING
MARK BURTON
Produced by
STUART PARR
CYNTHIA MORT
Produced by
BARNABY THOMPSON
BEN LATHAM-JONES
Written and Directed by
CYNTHIA MORT
Cast
Nina Simone
ZOE SALDANA
Clifton Henderson
DAVID OYELOWO
Gilles, Lead Guitarist
KEVIN MAMBO
Henri Edwards
RONALD GUTTMAN
Nina’s Husband
CHUMA GAULT
Head Nurse
ALLISON SAROFIM
Richard Pryor
MIKE EPPS
Clifton’s Father
KEITH DAVID
Clifton’s Mother
ELLA JOYCE
Clifton’s Brother
STEVENS GASTON
Customs Agent
FRED CASSIDY
Nurse
JESSICA OYELOWO
Cop #1
ANTHONY MOLINARI
Lorraine Hansbury
ELLA THOMAS
Recital Stage Woman
BONNIE BARTLET
Club Owner
KEN DAVITIAN
Miss Larouche, Vocal Coach
CAMILLE NATTA
Nurse Mary
MARIANNE MUELLERLEILE
Loud Audience Member
ZACK ZUBLENA
Radio Interviewer
MICHAEL VARTAN
Lollipop Homme
MATTHEW HOFFMAN
Young Nina
VYANN ETEME
Doctor Cousier
YASMINE GOLCHAN
Lawyer
KIT LEONARD DENNIS
Orderly
MARY PAT GLEASON
Injection Orderly
ANDREI RUNTSO
Young Girl on Tape
MARSAI MARTIN
Young Girl Singer
NIA IMANI HUNTER
Dinner Guest #1
MARIS de VRIES
Dinner Guest #2
MICHELLE de VRIES
Party Pianist
RANDY KERBER
Matt Temple
MATHIEU SCHREYER
Himself
AL SCHACKMAN
Valet
DARRYLE DUNNING II
Frenchman on Moped with Baguette
BEN LATHAM-JONES
Stunt Coordinators
JIMMY ROMANO
TIM GILBERT
First Assistant Director
NICOLAS D. HARVARD
Second Assistant Director
RICO SAVAGE
Co-Executive Producer
CATLIN ADAMS
Music Producers
MATT ROBERTSON
MARIUS de VRIES
Additional Music Production
ELDAD GUETTA
Music Supervisor
MICHELLE de VRIES
Produced in association with AJARE CAPITAL, AJARE ARGYLE and EOS PICTURES
Special Thanks to
PAUL BRETT and TIM SMITH
Production Supervisor
AMY VINES
Art Director
JIM TRUESDALE
Art Department Coordinator
SUSANNAH CARRADINE
Graphic Designer
MICHAEL MARCUS
Graphic Artist
BLAIR STRONG
Art Department Production Assistant
ALEXANDER B. ELESSER LINDE
Storyboard Artist
TIM BURGARD
Set Decorator
JAN PASCALE
Leadman
RICK LAMBERT
On-Set Dresser
BRENDON CRIGLER
Set Dressers
RUBEN ABARCA
ZACHARY ALEXANDER COITEAU
MICHELLE DANIELS
CHRIS DUMAS
BRYAN GETTMAN
ROBERT LAMPKIN
LAIRD PULVER
DANNY REA
ANTONIO SOLA
Set Decoration Buyers
HEIDI BAUMGARTEN
SUSAN CHOOLJIAN
First Assistant “A” Camera
JUNE ZANDONA
Second Assistant “A” Camera
MELISSA FISHER
“B” Camera Operator
IAN TAKAHASHI
First Assistants “B” Camera
YVONNE CHU
Second Assistant “B” Camera
DEVON TAAFFE
Steadicam Operator
CEDRIC MARTIN
“C” Camera Operator
GEORGE FEUCHT
Additional First Assistants Camera
EVAN WILHELM
JUSTIN JEUNG
ROBERT MUTHAMIA
Additional Second Assistant Camera
MICHAEL NIE
Loaders
CHRIS FRIEBUS
AARON SCHUH
ZOE VAN BRUNT
Loader Camera Trainee
BRIAN BENBENEK
Video Playback
JEFF HADDAD
Video Assistant
JAY HUNTOON
Still Photographers
SUZANNE TENNER
JIM SHELDON
Production Sound Mixer
DAVID PARKER
Boom Operator
DAVID STARK
Sound Utility
JOE McGILL
JESSE STUBBLEFIELD
Script Supervisor
KATHY MCHUGH
Production Office Coordinator
WEDNESDAY STANDLEY
Assistant Production Office Coordinators
ROBYN KUBENA
AUSTIN LAPIERRE
Production Secretary
CAROLINE WATSON
Production Consultants
CALEB BREWSTER
SCOTT KEINER
Production Assistants
ASHIM AHUJA
JUSTIN BAKER
ASE BARDEN
BILLY BARIA
JOSEPH BARIA
GABRIEL CORTEZ
RICHARD LEE DALTON
LISSETTE FELICIANO
AARON GIRON
CHRISTOPHER GRIFFIE
ANTHONY NAWKOCKI
MATTHEW OSBORN
SHAROLYN UTLEY
JOHN VERON
Production Accountant
WADE HAGEN
First Assistant Accountant
E. GLORIA ALVARADO
Payroll Accountant
JED STRAHM
Post Production Accountants
ELIZABETH BERGMAN
MARILYN PENN-LINDLEY
Gaffer
EDDIE CHAN
Best Boy Electric/Rigging Gaffer
SONOKO SHIMOYAMA
Set Lighting Technicians
DIMITRI ANDRADE
CAMERON GORDON
JUSTIN LIPETZ
ERIC MUNK
MIKE SILVA
IGOR TOCHILNIKOV
Rigging Gaffer
DERRICK ESPERANZA
Rigging Electricians
COOPER DONALDSON
THAIRONE HARVEY
AUSTIN KELLER
PEDRO ROJAS
YANIS RUTMANIS
PAUL SARTAIN
JEFF SILJENBERG
JERRY TAYLOR
Key Grip
WILLIAM HALL
Best Boy Grip
ERIC YAHRAUS
Dolly Grip
ANDY BABIN
Grips
JEFF CONRAD
RINGO ENCISO-BETAUCOURT
LEONARDO IBANEZ
ROBERT KEITH
GARY MOLYNEUX
MATTHEW THOMAS
CONRAD WENDLAND
Key Rigging Grip
TERRELL HASKER
Rigging Grips
RICHARD BRUSH
GLEN CONSBRUCK
GEORGE W. HATFIELD, JR.
NICK LANCASTER
DAVID MAAHS
IAN S. MOMBERGER
Property Master
WILL BLOUNT
Property Assistants
JEANNE BUECHE
BOBBY GIBSON
BRENDEN SALMON
GAYLENE WEST
Additional Property Assistant
JUSTINE WU
Costume Supervisor
TRACIE LEAPHART
Key Set Costumer
ALISON CARRELLI
Set Costumers
CASSANDRA PARIGIAN
SARAH WACHEL
KAITLIN WEICHSEL
Wardrobe Production Assistant
MAXWELL HARLEE FOREMAN
Department Head Hairstylist
SHANDRA PAGE
Key Hairstylist
SAMANTHA WADE
Hairstylist
ELIZABETH R RABE
Hairdressers
RITA BELLISSIMO
NICOLE KIER
Department Head Makeup Artist
VERA STEIMBERG
Assistant Makeup Artist
JUDY MURDOCK
Prosthetic Makeup Artist
DOUGLAS NOE
Prosthetic Makeup Designed by
MATTHEW MUNGLE
Prosthetic Makeup Designer
CLINTON WAYNE
Makeup Artists
MARTHA CALLENDER
REBECCA COTTON
GABRIEL DE CUNTO
LUIS GARCIA GUTIERREZ
BRIAN SIPE
GIGI WILLIAMS
Location Manager
PATSY FITZGERALD
Key Location Assistant
TARA JEAN O’BRIEN
Location Assistant
KENTON HARRIS
Location Production Assistant
JOHN MARTIN
Construction Coordinator
LARS PETERSON
Paint Foreman
JOHN SNOW
Set Painters
GUY HIETALA
TIM KNOLL
ALEXANDER PANOV
JOSHUA WEBB
Second Second Assistant Director
HOWARD BUTLER
Additional Second Second Assistant Director
PATRICK MILLER
Set Production Assistants
ADAM CRAWFORD
THELONIOUS DICKERSON
CHRIS HUGHES
JUSTEN LANDER
ALEXANDRA MATHER
Assistant to Ms. Mort
ABDULLAH HELWANI
Assistants to Mr. Spring & Mr. Thompson
EMILY PRECIOUS
SIAN ROBINS-GRACE
Assistant to Mr. Latham-Jones
JAMES PATERSON
Assistant to Ms. Saldana
CYNTHIA CRUZ
Production Assistant to Ms. Saldana
MAX HICKMAN
Ms. Saldana’s Driver
GABRIEL CORTEZ-ADAMS
Acting Coach
CATLIN ADAMS
Trainer/Nutritionist
STEVE MOYER
Vocal Coach
ERIC VETRO
Piano Teacher
ANNA VON URBANS
French Teacher
FRANCOIS-XAVIER NOAH
Dialect Coaches
DENISE WOODS
JON SPERRY
Dialect Coach Assistant
SAUNTES
Production Interns
MATT DELLA VACCHIA
RASHANDRA JONES
Sound Department Interns
DEVONA WILLIAMS
IAN BEEUWKES
Casting Associate
LAUREN FERNANDES
Casting Assistant
DAVID LOWE
Extras Casting
CENTRAL CASTING
Extras Casting by
BRANDI HAWKINS
RASHE JOHNSON
Stand-Ins
ARIEL ALFLALO
DAVID KALAMUS
Transportation Coordinator
TONY RUIZ
Transportation Captain
MATT VOYTISH
Transportation Dispatcher
CELINA REISING
Drivers
MINGO BUSTAMANTE
ROCK CHOQUETTE
KRIS FAZZONE
EDGAR GARCIA
FRANKIE GEARHART
CALVIN MCDOWELL
MIGUEL NAVARRETE
ANTHONY PASCARELLA
JAMES BURKE PINTO
ANDREW M. SARVIS
TERRY SMITH
ABEL SOTO
ANDREW TAISACAN
DAN WRIGHT
Fire Safety Advisors
GARY B. DAVIS
<td width="49%