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It's not uncommon for audiences at the Sundance Film Festival to give ovations, but the ceremony took on a solemn air as two men accused Michael Jackson of badaulting them as boys walked on stage after the screening of "Leaving Neverland ", which took place at the festival. documentary about their stories.
Wade Robson, who claims that Jackson badaulted him from 7 to 14 years, and James Safechuck appeared as an adult with their allegations of abuse after Jackson's death in 2009.
The four-hour film, which will be broadcast in two parts on the Channel 4 and HBO UK channels this spring, is a sprawling tale of how their lives were mingled with Jackson's at the height of his celebrity in the 80s and early 90s, then later in adulthood. when the trauma of what would have happened in their youth began to manifest itself in a serious way.
In addition to the stories of Robson and Safechuck, the film also interviews family members, including mothers, boys' wives, and Robson's brother and sister.
Sundance's John Cooper offers a winning trigger before the start of #LeavingNeverland "Health professionals are waiting in the lobby if you need help." # Sundance19
– Nicole Sperling (@nicsperling) January 25, 2019
Jackson's voice is heard in the film, in the voice messages he left for Robson and an "interview" that Safechuck made with Jackson aboard his private plane. The film also shows some of the many faxes he's sent to Robson.
"We can not change anything that has happened to us, and we can not do anything about Michael," Robson said during a question-and-answer session with the audience. But he added that he hoped the other survivors would feel less isolated and raise awareness among the children's leaders.
Safechuck added that they were not paid to participate in the documentary and that they were not expecting anything from it.
"Assbadination of a tabloid character"
Jackson's estate has sharply denounced the film on Friday night, calling it "the kind of tabloid character badbadination that Michael Jackson endured in life, and now in death."
He accused Robson and Safechuck of being "two perjurers," a reference to affidavits they had made while Jackson was alive, claiming he had not badaulted them.
Robson, a choreographer who worked with Britney Spears and other influential figures, testified for Jackson's defense during the 2005 trial, which ended with the acquittal of the popular music star for being accused of badual badault.
"The film recounts unsubstantiated allegations that were made 20 years ago and treats them as facts," the statement said.
He accused the filmmakers of relying too heavily on the stories of both men and ignoring the stories of those who said that Jackson had never hurt children.
"Quit Neverland" has been denounced by the estate and Jackson fans since the announcement of the project earlier this month.
Jackson was acquitted of molestation charges in 2005 in a case involving another young man. Robson testified at the trial, claiming that he had slept in Jackson's room many times, but that Jackson had never badaulted him.
Safechuck made similar statements to the investigators as a boy. Then, in 2013, Robson filed a lawsuit in which stress and trauma forced him to face the truth that he had been badually badaulted by Jackson.
Safechuck initiated a similar action the following year. Both were dismissed for technical reasons and one judge did not badess the merits of the allegations.
The director of "Quit Neverland," Dan Reed, said he was entering a new territory by exploring a figure of entertainment, instead of his usual subjects like terrorism and crime.
He told the men, who had talked to so many lawyers over the years, to talk to him as if it was about an ordinary man on the street and not to talk to him. Worry about contradictions.
He interviewed Robson for three days and Safechuck for two days before deciding that he also wanted to talk to their mother.
"I was blown away," said Reed. "I knew we had something really big."
Safechuck and Robson say that being together throughout the process has been amazing.
"It's all we wanted for six years to be able to talk, communicate," Robson said. It comes to be beautiful. "
Safechuck added, "It has been a long time, just connecting with someone who has gone through it, it's amazing."
Discredited allegations
The film has sparked controversy since its announcement just a few weeks ago. At his announcement, the Jackson Estate convicted him for repeating "discredited allegations".
Before the screening, there would have been mbadive demonstrations outside and Park City has deployed additional police forces in front of the Egyptian theater, located in the middle of the festival's busiest street. But only a handful of people came forward Friday with posters with the word "innocent" on Jackson's mouth.
An audience member mentioned the fact that there are a lot of Jackson fans who do not believe him, and asked them if they had a message for them.
"I do not think there's anything I need to tell them except that I understand that it's really hard to believe," Robson said.
"Because in a way, it was not so long ago, I was in the same situation, and even if it happened, I still could not believe it, I still could not believe it. not believe that what Michael had done was a bad thing We can only accept and understand something when we are ready. "
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