Bright Leaves

Name: Bright Leaves
Genre: Documentary, Biography, Comedy
Released: 2004-10-08
Duration: 1 h 47 min
Rating: 7
Cast: Allan Gurganus, Paula Larke, Marilyn Levine, Emily Madison, Adrian McElwee

IMDb ID: tt0372806 · Year: 2004 · Rating: 7.0 (688 votes)

Genres: Documentary · Biography · Comedy

McElwee family legend has it that the Hollywood melodrama "Bright Leaf" starring Gary Cooper as a 19th century tobacco grower, is based on filmmaker Ross McElwee's great-grandfather, who created the Bull Durham brand.

IMDb Details

Content TypeMovieAlternate TitlesAustralia: Bright Leaves
Canada: Bright Leaves (English)
United Kingdom: Bright Leaves
Ireland: Bright Leaves (English)
India: Bright Leaves (English)
New Zealand: Bright Leaves (English)
United States: Bright Leaves
South Africa: Bright Leaves (English)
France: La splendeur des McElwee
Czech Republic: Prozárené listy
Russia: Яркие листья
Яркие листьяContent RatingNot RatedRelease Date2004-10-08Runtime107 minutesMetascore79IMDb Popularity0User Reviews17Critic Reviews38Countries / RegionsUnited States
United KingdomLanguagesEnglishKeywordsautobiographical documentary
family relationships
home movie
north carolina
great grandfatherFilming LocationsDurham, North Carolina, USAProduction CompaniesChannel 4 Television Corporation
Homemade Movies
WGBHOfficial SitesOfficial Site (United States) - http://www.brightleaves.com/
PBS (United States) - http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2005/brightleaves/index.htmlIMDb URLhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0372806/Local Poster/d/file/imdb/03/tt0372806.jpgUpdated At2025-11-09T11:00:26

Directors

Ross McElwee

Writers

Ross McElwee

Full Cast & Crew

[Cast Group]
Actor: Allan Gurganus | Character: Self
Actor: Paula Larke | Character: Self
Actor: Marilyn Levine | Character: Self
Actor: Emily Madison | Character: Self
Actor: Adrian McElwee | Character: Self
Actor: Ross McElwee | Character: Self
Actor: Tom McElwee | Character: Self
Actor: Patricia Neal | Character: Self
Actor: Vlada Petric | Character: Self
Actor: Charleen Swansea | Character: Self

[Directors Group]
Name: Ross McElwee | Role: Director

[Writers Group]
Name: Ross McElwee | Role: Writer

[Producers Group]
Name: Ross McElwee | Role: Producer
Name: Linda Morgenstern | Role: Producer

[Cinematography Group]
Name: Ross McElwee | Role: Cinematographer

[Editing Group]
Name: Ross McElwee | Role: Editor
Name: Mark Meatto | Role: Editor

[Production Management]
Name: Stan Sztaba | Role: Production Manager

[Sound Department]
Name: Rick Beck | Role: Sound Department

[Camera and Electrical Department]
Name: Adrian McElwee | Role: Camera and Electrical Department

[Editorial Department]
Name: Brad Fuller | Role: Editorial Department
Name: Stan Sztaba | Role: Editorial Department

[Production Department]
Name: Pacho Velez | Role: Production Department

[Thanks]
Name: Renata Jackson | Role: Thanks

Trailers

Bright Leaves | Type: Trailer | IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/video/vi12321049/ | Playback: https://imdb-video.media-imdb.com/vi12321049/1434659607842-pgv4ql-1563951353100.mp4?Expires=1788366510&Signature=SatXST9yCXspvlC0Gut3-RffR~A8r1yEQW-NYA0I7Ge~WfsV~1g8zG8M0eDBdENXMGbDzpFNJ3OKmOIeBd1vfo1pgcXENwMJqI5JwhpstWl-~f85sTL-bEBYK9AFY3izalobSOFOCa3wgM-9fkNx6n127goJRQ5EjhHVfWPK0bbf5cWCE~WvOuiomEhRx536r559aYX-u3dNHBobfxTqqUWw6dra5FI-HKP3CkimvQht1ZH8sddv9Isrl-CTct8-pHArWJa6D-TYRDjoj6ZP0re0MhI41Eu971i036hhvdntlGCjbaGm4SUa26EZ0-B97B0vc5HZAlKXwRUdfHwnkA__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIFLZBVQZ24NQH3KA
Bright Leaves: Tobacco Auction | Type: Clip | IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/video/vi2543567897/ | Playback: https://imdb-video.media-imdb.com/vi2543567897/1434659607842-pgv4ql-1677194125392.mp4?Expires=1788366510&Signature=Z-nJVLIm4jjUIXBleTTDKsi4nCoeoqMU3FTu7Zq18OaF3mauJk9hnsvAPZFpIYw7rbeNeTK2q5NQA5LZFWekN14s7Ss3TmQNXiOortlM-CkMQToTTBqg6wD3j1AC0rALmWU55H4JuNjE7~OQLh88zSVxtqfKSSip9MCdHO87ZXK1TQb2C41butBg147waOKrY7Jer-dKqUCUS5L4tlBCpNpZxo4Iuw7ix18qNK45lpZOzZMGDxoUU~TcPJy2ruIfZa6SaDMEqQvxnxRy4YX1SlZa6-L0DXrvpRHaFMwAX19A~oe7HjIeKL41g6lAEazYDDXV0OT3j727WW4wUuU9XQ__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAIFLZBVQZ24NQH3KA

Release Schedule

France: May 23, 2003 (Cannes Film Festival)
Canada: September 10, 2003 (Toronto International Film Festival)
United States: October 12, 2003 (New York Film Festival)
Denmark: November 7, 2003 (CPH:DOX)
Netherlands: January 22, 2004 (International Film Festival Rotterdam)
Sweden: January 29, 2004 (Göteborg Film Festival)
United States: February 6, 2004 (Miami International Film Festival)
France: April 2, 2004 (Paris Film Festival)
United States: April 9, 2004 (Philadelphia International Film Festival)
France: April 28, 2004
United States: May 1, 2004 (Nashville Film Festival)
United States: June 18, 2004 (Provincetown International Film Festival)
New Zealand: July 14, 2004 (Auckland International Film Festival)
United States: August 20, 2004 (Rochester, New York)
United States: August 25, 2004 (New York City, New York)
United States: September 10, 2004 (Pleasantville, New York)
United States: September 17, 2004 (Seattle, Washington)
United States: September 24, 2004 (Boston, Massachusetts)
United States: September 24, 2004 (Fort Worth, Texas)
United States: October 1, 2004 (Detroit, Michigan)
United Kingdom: October 8, 2004
United States: October 8, 2004 (Washington, D.C.)
Austria: October 16, 2004 (Vienna International Film Festival)
United States: October 18, 2004 (Worcester, Massachusetts)
United States: October 20, 2004 (Santa Barbara, California)
United States: October 22, 2004 (Atlanta, Georgia)
United States: November 5, 2004 (Coral Gables, Florida)
United States: November 5, 2004 (Nashville, Tennessee)
United States: November 6, 2004 (Olympia Film Festival)
United States: November 9, 2004 (Charlotte, North Carolina)
United States: November 18, 2004 (Los Angeles, California)
United States: November 19, 2004 (Durham, North Carolina)
United States: November 19, 2004 (Raleigh, North Carolina)
United States: November 21, 2004 (Hanover, New Hampshire)
United States: December 3, 2004 (Chicago, Illinois)
United States: December 10, 2004 (Bozeman, Montana)
United States: December 10, 2004 (St. Louis, Missouri)
United States: December 12, 2004 (Columbus, Ohio)
United States: April 17, 2005 (Suttons Bay, Michigan)
Czech Republic: March 16, 2009 (One World Film Festival)
Netherlands: November 18, 2015 (IDFA Festival)

Awards

Box Office