A story centered on a transitional point in the life of Ave Maria Mulligan, the heart of her community in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia.
Acting
Whoopi Goldberg's deadpan Fleeta steals every scene she's in.
Production
Genuine Virginia locations make the town feel lived-in.
Costume
Ave's sweater collection deserves its own billing.
Director
Adriana Trigiani
Patrick Wilson
Jack MacChesney
Jane Krakowski
Sweet Sue Tinsley
Ashley Judd
Ave Maria Mulligan
Whoopi Goldberg
Fleeta Mullins
Jenna Elfman
Iva Lou Wade
Dagmara Dominczyk
Elizabeth Taylor
Jasmine Guy
Leah Grimes
Chris Sarandon
Mario Barbari
Anthony LaPaglia
Spec Broadwater
John Benjamin Hickey
Theodore Tipton
Judith Ivey
Nan MacChesney
James Hampton
Reverend Manning
Mary Pat Gleason
Alice Lambert
Bridget Gabbe
Tayloe Slagle
Joe Inscoe
Wayne Lambert
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Adriana Trigiani grew up in Big Stone Gap and based the screenplay on her own bestselling novel.
The film features actual Melungeons, a real tri-racial isolate group in Appalachia, referenced through Elizabeth Taylor's hidden heritage.
US
