Pistorius movie comes as unpleasant surprise for Reeva’s grieving family
JUNE and Barry Steenkamp knew nothing about an upcoming biopic – Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer – and were horrified to read in a report that “the movie is told from [Reeva] Steenkamp and her mother's perspective”.
The Steenkamps’ daughter, Port Elizabeth model Reeva, was shot dead by Paralympian Pistorius in his Pretoria home on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
An upset June said yesterday she and husband Barry had only found out about the film after a friend posted a link to the trailer on Barry’s Facebook page on Sunday.
“We didn’t know there was a film being made, we knew nothing about it until the trailer was posted on Barry’s Facebook,” she said.
“We don’t know how they are portraying Reeva. How can they know the real story if they didn’t even consult with us?”
June said they were still struggling to come to terms with Reeva’s violent death.
“We are still grieving. It is hard enough to live without her. It is all very upsetting,” she said.
Dismissing claims that she and Barry were behind the film and were being paid for it, June said the statements were “hurtful and not the truth”.
“We have had a very bad journey so far,” she said.
“We knew nothing about the film and had absolutely nothing to do with it.”
The Steenkamps’ lawyer, Tania Koen, said: “The bottom line is that they [June and Barry] were not consulted or approached [by the producers].” “It came as a big shock to them. “They are horrified and upset to read reports that the movie is told from the perspective of June and Reeva, this statement is totally wrong.
“It is misleading. [Barry and June] do not endorse the movie at all.” Set to be released in cinemas in the US on November 11, Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer, produced by American production company Lifetime, has been punted as a movie that tells the full story of Pistorius leading up to the day of the fatal shooting.
US actor Andreas Damn plays Pistorius while Toni Garrn takes on the role of Reeva.
The trailer, available online, shows scenes of “Oscar” on the track‚ a loving exchange between himself and “Reeva” – albeit with awful versions of South African accents – as well as scenes from the night she was killed.
It also features scenes from the trial when “Oscar” sobs uncontrollably in the dock.
Pistorius is serving six years in jail for the murder.
It has not yet been confirmed when the biopic will be released in South Africa.