"What would Luke write?"

Hollywood | Behind the scenes, The Nativity Story filmmakers strive to be “consistent with the tone and tenor” of the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ birth | Steve Beard

MATERA, Italy— During the filming of The Nativity Story, director Catherine Hardwicke's silent prayers included an appeal for one more hour of sunlight so that she could film another scene before dark. "I didn't want to pray for things," she told WORLD, "but sometimes you just have to." She was baking in the late afternoon heat of the Sahara Desert in Morocco when the donkey accompanying Mary and Joseph refused to walk on the scorching sand. "I don't blame him—who would?" said Hardwicke. After all, when the Humane Society representative put a digital thermometer in the sand, it read 135 degrees.

To make matters worse, her cinematographer said she had 30 minutes before the sun would be gone. The donkey, meanwhile, wasn't budging. "I've got to have this shot," she told her crew. She sent out a directive, translated into the seven languages spoken on the set: Everyone has to pray and believe that the donkey is going to move.