Film accusing Michael Jackson of child abuse opens at Sundance with therapists on hand
Police at the Sundance Film Festival on Friday were prepared for angry protesters at the premiere of HBO’s controversial Michael Jackson documentary, “Leaving Neverland.” But they didn’t show up.
“Police outnumbered protesters,” Variety reported. “As press and attendees flooded into the Egyptian Theatre, they walked past two women holding placards that read ‘Seek Truth.’”
Before the four-hour film began, Slate editor Sam Adams tweeted: “#Sundance head John Cooper announces there are mental health counselors on hand for people upset by Leaving Neverland’s ‘explicit depictions of sexual abuse involving minors.’”
The film “details the (alleged) abuse James Safechuck and Wade Robson say they suffered from Jackson, who was their childhood friend and idol,” Time says.
“While Jackson was alive, at least two young boys claimed the King of Pop molested them. For at least one of the cases, Safechuck and Robson testified in Jackson’s defense, swearing under oath that the singer had never touched them inappropriately.
“But years after Jackson’s death, the two claimed the pop star did in fact sexually abuse them, filing lawsuits against Jackson’s estate that were eventually dismissed in court.”
The Jackson family and estate “have denounced the film,” Page Six reports.
“This so-called ‘documentary’ is just another rehash of dated and discredited allegations. It’s baffling why any credible filmmaker would involve himself with this project,” the family said, according to Page Six.
As the men appeal the dismissal of their cases, their lawyer told Time they want to talk about how widespread abuse is in the entertainment world.
“Them telling their stories is not about getting attention for themselves,” Vince Finaldi told Time. “When someone is sexually abused as a child, especially by such a prominent figure, it changes the course of their lives.”
According to Time, the film “details how Jackson befriended and captivated Safechuck and Robson when they were 10 and 7, respectively, before he allegedly started fondling them on a near daily basis.”
In an HBO press release about the film that describes “gut-wrenching interviews” with the men and their family members, director Dan Reed said he had no question about the validity of the men’s accusations against Jackson.
“If there’s anything we’ve learned during this time in our history, it’s that sexual abuse is complicated, and survivors’ voices need to be listened to,” he said. “I believe anyone who watches this film will see and feel the emotional toll on the men and their families and will appreciate the strength it takes to confront long-held secrets.”
Jackson fan Catherine Van Tighem, who traveled to Sundance from Alberta, Canada, to protest, told Variety, “this film is not about giving a voice to a victim.
“The people that are featured in this film have already had their day in court and they have been legally denied. They were seeking financial gain and the case was dismissed … if Michael were alive today, this film would be considered defamation.”
Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges in a high-profile trial in 2005 - “10 counts involving child molestation, conspiracy and providing alcohol to minors”, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
But the documentary, “named for the sprawling California ranch where the singer once lived, could nonetheless put fresh scrutiny on his complicated life and artistic legacy,” wrote Daniel Arkin for NBC News.
The movie will air on HBO in the spring, according to NBC.
According to Buzzfeed and other social media reports on Friday, the film received a standing ovation from the Sundance audience.
“This is a thorough, devastating, deeply credible piece of filmmaking,” tweeted Buzzfeed senior film reporter Adam B. Vary.