The family of Oscar Pistorius are to sue the makers of a new film on the life of the South African sprinter, who is serving a prison sentence for murdering his girlfriend four years ago.
In a statement on Tuesday, they said the film, to be released next month, was “a gross misrepresentation of the truth”.
“The ‘film’ is rather a representation of what the prosecution tried to portray. We will be taking legal action,” they said.
Pistorius, a double amputee who found global fame when he reached the semi-finals of the 200m sprint at the 2012 Olympics in London, was sentenced last year to six years in prison for killing Reeva Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, in 2013 after firing four bullets from a handgun through a closed toilet door in his home in Pretoria.
The 30-year-old has always maintained that he believed he was shooting an intruder, not his girlfriend, and rejected descriptions of a tumultuous relationship with Steenkamp marked by jealousy and arguments.
Steenkamp’s parents said on Monday they had been “horrified and upset” to read a report in US media that the film would be told from the perspective of Steenkamp and her mother.
“Any impression that is created that … the movie is endorsed by the Steenkamp family is untrue and incorrect,” they said.
The film, Blade Runner Killer, has been made by a US cable and satellite TV company. It stars Andreas Damm, a South African actor based in New York, and Toni Garrn, a German model.
– Excerpt from The Guardian by Jason Burke. Full article found here.
—————————————————————————————————————————–
Disclaimer: Please note that the information contained within this news post and site is offered simply as a consideration to visitors who are in the entertainment industry and are seeking to learn more about various areas of entertainment, be it in film, movies, television, music, digital, new media, film financing, merchandising and/or branding. As such, the information so provided should never be construed as legal advice. If you need further assistance or legal advice for your specific matter, please do not hesitate in contacting an entertainment attorney (film, music, digital, licensing, financing) here in Los Angeles, California at The Hollywood Lawyer by(1) emailing us at info@hollywoodlawyer.com; (2) calling us at (323) 300-4184; or (3) filling out our online form.
