Synopsis: Based on the true story of the 1933 Scottsboro retrial of nine black teenagers accused of sexually assaulting two white women on a train. The story of two women who accuse nine black youths of rape made for one of the most volatile trials to take place in the segregated South. The second accuser recants and sparks a second trial that might clear the defendants, most of whom received the death penalty.

Cast:
Timothy Hutton .... Samuel S. Leibowitz
David Strathairn .... Judge James E. Horton
Leelee Sobieski .... Victoria Price
Anthony Mackie .... William Lee
Bill Sage .... Thomas Knight, Jr.
Azura Skye .... Ruby Bates
Bill Smitrovich .... George Chamlee
James Tolkan .... Thomas Knight, Sr.
Joseph Lyle Taylor .... Joseph Brodsky
Maury Chaykin .... Lyle Harris
Darryl Reeves .... Charlie
B.J. Britt .... Haywood Patterson

Notes:
• Heavens Fall, an independent film shot in Alabama, had its world premiere screening at the Southwest Film Festival on March 13, 2006. It made its East Coast premiere as the opening night film at the Stonybrook Film Festival in NY on July 20, 2006. The special screening included a post-Q&A with the cast and crew, including David. It was originally scheduled to premiere at the Stonybrook Film Festival the year before (July 29, 2005) but was pulled out at the last minute.
• The courtroom scenes, which were filmed in Monroeville, AL, are the home of novelist Harper Lee. The Monroeville Courthouse served as the model for the film adaptation of Lee's classic, To Kill a Mockingbird.
• In September, 2004--when Hurrican Ivan swept through Alabama--David and the film crew helped with relief efforts and boarded up Monroeville's treasured courthouse, saving it from near disaster.
• David and co-star Timothy Hutton previously worked together in Iceman before reuniting for this picture.
• Heavens Fall won the Audience Choice Award at the Birmingham Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival and Best Feature at the Hollywood Film Festival.

Exclusive:
Onset experience and photo with William Brotherton

Production:
Read the official Press Release, curtesy of Allumination FilmWorks.

Critical Praise & Commentary:
• "The best supporting performances come from Leelee Sobieski, as the victim Hutton's character discredits, and David Strathairn, as the presiding judge." -Ed Hulse, Video Business

(Terry Green On David:)
• "David brings layers of humanity to his characters, and in this case, it was sort of that quiet strength that I'm sure Judge Horton had. It's a very quiet role; it's not a showy role. But he's very solid." -Terry Green, director/writer

• [on David helping board up the courthouse] "He was out there at 7 o'clock in the morning in his shorts and tool belt. Nobody asked him. He just showed up. So as good of an actor as he is, he's even a finer human being." -Terry Green, director/writer

(Anna Maria Crovetti On David:)
• "He played an amazing Judge Horton--as solid and as sure as can be. David brought Judge Horton to life. He's a winner in our minds." -Anna Maria Crovetti, producer

Related Links:
http:// Official USA Site
http:// Strata Productions
http:// Bio - Judge James E. Horton
http:// The Scottsboro Trial