The 2019 Sundance Film Festival has added a surprise documentary that will focus on two men who say they were sexually abused by Michael Jackson, as well as a documentary about Steve Bannon’s time out of the White House.
The synopsis for Dan Reed’s “Leaving Neverland” says: “At the height of his stardom Michael Jackson began long-running relationships with two boys, aged 7 and 10, and their families. Now in their 30s, they tell the story of how they were sexually abused by Jackson, and how they came to terms with it years later.”
A rep from Jackson’s estate told TheWrap: “This is yet another lurid production in an outrageous and pathetic attempt to exploit and cash in on Michael Jackson.” The rep added that the two accusers had “both testified under oath that Michael never did anything inappropriate toward them” and said that they “filed lawsuits against Michael’s Estate, asking for millions of dollars. Both lawsuits were dismissed.”
An individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap that “Leaving Neverland” has a total running time of 233 minutes and will be told in two parts.
Jackson was acquitted of sexually molesting two brothers at his criminal trial in 2005. They are not the men in the documentary. He also paid a civil settlement in 1994 over accusations that he molested another boy, who is now in his 30s and is also not one of the men in the doc.
The Jackson rep’s statement added: “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 Jackson film is sure to reignite speculation about the pop star, who died in 2009. His criminal trial was set in motion by another documentary, the 2003 British television special “Living With Michael Jackson,” which raised questions about his relationships with boys.
The #MeToo movement has led to a re-evaluation of many celebrities’ behavior. Lifetime’s new “Surviving R Kelly,” which details accusations that the singer has a history of abusing women, has become a social media phenomenon. Kelly has denied any wrongdoing.
Also added to the Sundance lineup is “The Brink,” by director Alison Klayman. The film follows Steve Bannon since he left his post at the White House.
The 2018 festival will showcase 241 projects. Sundance said that of these, 47 percent were directed by one or more women, 41 percent were directed by one of more filmmaker of color and 17 percent were directed by one or more people who identify as LGBTQIA.
The 2018 Sundance Film Festival will take place from January 24 to February 3 in Park City, Utah.
See below for the latest additions.
DOCUMENTARY PREMIERES CATEGORY The Brink / U.S.A. (Director: Alison Klayman, Producer: Marie Therese Guirgis) — Now unconstrained by an official White House post, Steve Bannon is free to peddle influence as a perceived kingmaker with a direct line to the President. After anointing himself leader of the “populist movement,” he travels around the U.S. and the world spreading his hard-line anti-immigration message. World Premiere
SPECIAL EVENTS CATEGORY Leaving Neverland / U.S.A, United Kingdom (Producer and Director: Dan Reed) — At the height of his stardom Michael Jackson began long-running relationships with two boys, aged 7 and 10, and their families. Now in their 30s, they tell the story of how they were sexually abused by Jackson, and how they came to terms with it year later. World Premiere
97 Sundance Portraits From TheWrap at Acura Studios With Keira Knightley, Robert Pattinson and More (Photos)
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Actress Chloë Sevigny, "Lizzie"
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"Lizzie" writer Bryce Kass, actor Denis O'Hare, director Craig William Macneill and actress Chloë Sevigny
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"Believer" director Don Argott with subjects Tyler Glenn and Dan Reynolds
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"What They Had" stars Taissa Farmiga, Michael Shannon, writer-director Elizabeth Chomko, Blythe Danner and Hilary Swank
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Actor Michael Shannon, "What They Had"
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Meg McGarry, Flynn McGarry, Cameron Yates and Laura Coxson, "Chef Flynn"
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Flynn McGarry, "Chef Flynn"
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Director Jesse Peretz, "Juliet, Naked"
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Actor Chris-O'Dowd, "Juliet, Naked"
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Director Eugene Jarecki, "The King"
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"An Evening With Beverly Luff Lin" director Jim Hosking with stars Aubrey Plaza, Matt Berry, Craig Robinson, and Jemaine Clement
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"Private Life" stars Kayli Carter and Kathryn Hahn with writer-director Tamara Jenkins
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Actress Kayli Carter, "Private Life"
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"Private Life" producer, Ali Abouomar
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"Eighth Grade" writer-director Bo Burnham and star Elsie Fisher
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Actress Kiersey Clemons, "Hearts Beat Loud"
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"Arizona" director Jonathan Watson with stars Luke Wilson, Elizabeth Gillies, Danny McBride, Lolli Sorenson, Kaitlin Olsen and Rosemarie Dewitt
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Actress Elizabeth Gillies, "Arizona"
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"Dead Pigs" director Cathy Yan with stars Li Meng, Zazie Beetz and David Rhysdahl
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Director Cathy Yan, "Dead Pigs"
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Actress Zazie Beetz, "Dead Pigs"
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Writer-actor Rafael Casal, director Carlos López Estrada, writer-actor Daveed Diggs, actors Janina Gavankar, Justin Chu Cory and Jasmine Cephas Jones, "Blindspotting"
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Jason Ritter, "The Tale"
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Actor Common, "The Tale"
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Isabella Amara, "The Tale"
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Writer-director-star Carlson Young, "The Blazing World"
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Robert Pattinson and Mia Wasikowska, "Damsel"
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Actor Robert Pattinson, "Damsel"
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Actress Mia Wasikowska, "Damsel"
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Director Silas Howard, "A Kid Like Jake"
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Jim Parsons, "A Kid Like Jake"
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Actress Priyanka Chopra, "A Kid Like Jake"
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Claire Danes, "A Kid Like Jake"
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Actress Octavia Spencer, "A Kid Like Jake"
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Actors Jeffrey Wright, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and director Anthony Mandler, "Monster"
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Dominic West and Kiera Knightly, "Colette"
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Actress Kiera Knightly, "Colette"
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Actor John Cho, "Search"
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"The Kindergarten Teacher" director, Sara Colangelo and actress, Maggie Gyllenhaal
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"The Kindergarten Teacher" actress, Maggie Gyllenhaal
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"The Kindergarten Teacher" actress, Anna Baryshnikov
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Musician Aloe Blacc, "America's Musical Journey"
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Director Jessica Sanders, "End of the Line"
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Forest Whitaker, "Burden"
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Garrett Hedlund, "Burden"
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Director Talal Derki, "Of Fathers and Sons"
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Director, Boots Riley, "Sorry to Bother You"
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Lakeith Stanfield, "Sorry to Bother You"
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Armie Hammer, "Sorry to Bother You"
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Actor Jason Segel, "Come Sunday"
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Actress Condola Rashad, "Come Sunday"
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Director Stephen Maing, "Crime and Punishment"
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The young women of the "Skate Kitchen" skate collective, with director Crystal Moselle and co-star Jaden Smith, "Skate Kitchen"
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Jaden Smith, "Skate Kitchen"
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Actor Charlie Sexton, director Ethan Hawke, actress Alia Shawkat, actor Josh Hamilton, and acorr Ben Dickey, "Blaze"
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Director Ethan Hawke, “Blaze"
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Actress Alia Shawkat, “Blaze"
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Actor Ben Dickey, “Blaze"
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Charlie Sexton, “Blaze"
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"The Devil You Know" director Stephanie Soechtig and her four subjects
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Director Stephanie Soechtig, "The Devil You Know"
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Actress Hari Nef, writer-director Sam Levinson and actors Colman Domingo and Bill Skårsgard, "Assassination Nation"
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Bill Skårsgard, "Assassination Nation"
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Writer-director Sam Levinson, "Assassination Nation"
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Actor Coleman Damingo, "Assassination Nation"
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Actress Helena Howard, "Madeline's Madeline"
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Chris McGurk, CEO of Cinedigm
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Director David Wain, actors Domhnall Gleeson, Tom Lennon, and Emmy Rossum, "A Futile and Stupid Gesture"
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Emmy Rossum, "A Futile and Stupid Gesture"
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Domhnall Gleeson, "A Futile and Stupid Gesture"
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Director Brad Anderson, "Beirut"
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Raul Castillo, Jeremiah Zagar, Sheila Vand, and Justin Torres, "We the Animals"
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Author Justin Torres, "We the Animals"
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Actress Sheila Vand, "We the Animals"
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Actor Raul Castillo, "We the Animals"
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Actors Maia Mitchell and Cami Marrone with writer-director Augustine Frizzell, “Never Goin’ Back”
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Cami Morrone, “Never Goin’ Back”
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Actress Augustine Frizzell, "Never Goin' Back"
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Actress Maia Mitchell, "Never Goin' Back"
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Director Jack Henry Robbins and producer Tim Robbins, "Painting With Joan"
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Co-writer and star Franchesca Ramsey, "Franchesca"
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Producer Trey Ellis, "King in the Wilderness"
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Actors Valter Skarsgard, Lucian Charles Collier, Sky Ferreira, Jack Kilmer, director Jonas Akerlund, Wilson Gonzalez, and Rory Culkin, "Lords of Chaos"
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Actor Valter Skarsgard, "Lords of Chaos"
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Rory Culkin, "Lords of Chaos"
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"Lords of Chaos" star Wilson Gonzalez
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Director and co-writer Jonas Akerlund, "Lords of Chaos"
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Jack Kilmer, "Lords of Chaos"
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Joan Jett, "Bad Reputation"
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Director and co-writer Daryl Wein, "White Rabbit"
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Actor Graham Verchere, actor Rich Sommer, co-directors Francois Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell, writers Matt Leslie and Stephen J. Smith, actress Tiera Skovbye, and actor Caleb Emery, "Summer of '84"
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Caleb Emery, "Summer of '84"
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Actress Tiera Skovbye, "Summer of '84"
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Actor Luis Gerardo Mendez, "Time Share"
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Actor Matthew Lillard, "Halfway There"
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Sarah Shahi, "Halfway There"
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Sundance 2018: Hilary Swank, Forest Whitaker and Armie Hammer among the stars shot by photographer Irvin Rivera in Park City
Photographed by Irvin Rivera for TheWrap at the Acura Studios
