Tornatore wants Kidman for Leningrad

Oscar-winning Italian director to make World War II movie about Nazi attack of Russia

Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore is talking to Nicole Kidman about joining the cast of the Oscar-winning director's upcoming English language movie, Leningrad.
Leningrad will focus on the 900-day Nazi attack on the city during World War II. "The battle was memorable because Hitler thought it would be over quickly but he was then forced to retreat. It's a key episode in the war which has never before been seen in cinemas in the west," Letta said.
While Kidman recently pulled out of Von Trier's upcoming picture Manderlay due to scheduling conflicts, she should have more time to fit the Tornatore movie into her busy timetable.
Tornatore is currently writing the film, which will be shot in Russia at the end of 2004. The film is expected to be released in 2005 or 2006. Tornatore's brother, Francesco, is producing through his Rome-based outfit, Sciarlo, with Medusa's Letta.
Tornatore's last film was 2000's Italian-language Malena, which starred Monica Bellucci. In 1998, he directed the English-language movie The Legend Of The Pianist On The Ocean, with Tim Roth.

Publication Date: 2003-10-05
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=3204