Posted on 01/24/2019 2:31:46 PM PST by Red Badger
EXCLUSIVE: The world premiere of a controversial Michael Jackson documentary this week at the Sundance Film Festival has organizers and local police preparing for turmoil from fans of the deceased Thriller singer.
We have increased our staffing out of concerns for the potential for a protest, Captain Phil Kirk of the Park City Police tells Deadline about the January 25 debut of the sexual abuse investigating Leaving Neverland. Thats the official line, but officials in the Utah ski town say their primary concern is about an incident inside the Egyptian Theatre screening of the Dan Reed directed two-parter on Friday.
There have been direct threats against The Paedophile Hunter helmer Reed over the 236-minute Neverland, I hear.
Tensions are higher for this movie than anything Ive ever seen at Sundance before, says a law enforcement source. No one is going to be prevented from exercising their Constitutional rights, but we are not going to allow this to get out of hand, in any way, he added, noting that the checks and other security measures already in place for SFF will be heightened inside the venue also.
A similar situation is expected for the Leaving Neverland screening in Salt Lake City on January 26.
We are aware of the possibility of protests and our job will be to monitor any protests that may occur and give people the ability to let their voices be heard safely, Sergeant Brandon Shearer of the SLC Police says. In fact, law enforcement in the city are planning for a full force turnout with the bomb squad on scene in SLC a possibility.
Set to air on HBO and the UKs Channel 4 in the spring, the documentary focuses on the tales of Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who claim they were sexually abused by Jackson years and years ago when they were ages 7 and 10. Over a decade ago, Robson said under oath that Jackson never acted inappropriately with him but in an unsuccessful 2016 lawsuit he declared that in fact Jackson was a serial sexual predator who assaulted him repeatedly for years.
Right now, Robson and Safechuck plan to take the stage at the Park City screening of Leaving Neverland for a post-screening Q&A with Reed though that could change, sources say.
Since it was announced earlier this month that Leaving Neverland would open at the Robert Redford founded fest, fans of Jackson have taken to social media and other platforms to condemn the yet unseen docu. Representatives for the estate of the best-selling performer, who was acquitted in 2005 of seven counts of child molestation and two counts of giving a drug to a 13-year-old boy, slammed Neverland as just another rehash of dated and discredited allegations.
Sundance themselves have kept pretty quiet publicly about the project but, behind the scenes, the festival is doubling down on keeping the lid on the strife.
It has come to our attention that some of you may have received messages or social media posts from Michael Jackson fans who would like us to pull the screening of Leaving Neverland, the festival wrote to its corporate sponsors like Amazon, Chase, Netflix, AT&T, and Lyft last week. We dont currently plan to comment publicly or engage in the discourse around Leaving Neverland, and would recommend that you do the same, SFF elaborated. We plan to proceed with the screening as announced. If you do plan to participate in the conversation, wed welcome the opportunity to collaborate on your messaging.
Leaving Neverland may also have an extra sting for fans of Michael Jackson as 2019 is the 10th anniversary of the superstars death from a cocktail of prescription drugs.
I don't think they have anything to worry about from middle-aged teenie boppers.............
I’m guessing the boy humping crowd that is Sundance and the entertainment industry is not too crazy about a movie that spotlights their day to day practices.
But I would think they would love a movie that glorifies pedophilia by showcasing one of America’s greatest, most loved boy diddler ever - Michael Jackson.
Sundance and his treehouse blog were queer with Jackson?
If Captain Kirk is in charge, all will be well. But hide the women.
He has been dead for 10 years. Who cares?
Fans of Michael Jackson and Barry Bonds are crazy and violent. No one in MLB will say anything bad about Bonds.
Still seeking a payday from the estate. Follow the money.
Talked to a Santa Barbra sheriff that served one of the warrants on Neverland - said the place screamed “pedophile lives here”.
I wondered if the hallway alarm story was true
Michael Jackson was a pedophile. Let them protest.
How do you know it is bedtime in Neverland? When the big hand is on the little hand
I have never seen people as deluded as Michael Jackson supporters, they need to be deprogrammed like anyone who is in a cult.
What does JC Penny have in common with Michael Jackson? They both have little boys underwear half off
What was Michael Jackson’s favorite singing group?
Boyz II Men.
I hope it is not true. MJ was one of, if not the, greatest entertainers ever.
Have a feeling that it will be glossed over.
Everyone knew Mike had a thing for little boys.
Yet he was given a pass because “person of color” and “famous”.
LOL....that is pure delusion.
Perhaps one of the greatest homosexual pedophiles.
There is living in denial, and then there is the giant hole in the head mentality which Michael Jackson's defenders must (of necessity) embrace.
All the #MeToo villains have been flushed down
the memory hole but Jackson in death cheated justice.
Every time I hear a song of his on radio or even see that
dopey popcorn gif i change the channel
Wrong Kirk.
It's his brother, Captain Phil Kirk.
The women are safe.
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