Hampstead: The story that won't go away.
Creating an urban myth. But is it the truth?
It is quite clear where this one is coming from.
Channel 4 commissions Accused: The Hampstead Paedophile Hoax from Story Films 
Channel 4 has commissioned a 1x90’ film that tells the shocking story of how a number of parents and teachers at a Hampstead school were accused of being part of a Satanic paedophile ring. The allegations were found to be baseless but the conspiracy theory caught fire online leading to death threats, harassment and abuse - much of which continues today.
The mothers at the heart of this chilling story speak for the first time in this ambitious feature-length documentary, which blends real archive footage and interviews, with lip-sync drama.
The story begins when videos were released online of two children, accusing parents of their friends, and teachers, of leading a paedophilic satanic cult, supposedly headquartered in secret rooms on the school premises.
The story was entirely made up, concocted by their mother’s new boyfriend Abraham Christie. But once the fire was lit, it was impossible to put out. The allegations plagued the lives of the accused, footage shows screaming demonstrators chasing a vicar through Hampstead, a US conspiracy theorist flying to London to investigate and even ‘rescue’ the children, and online threats of kidnap and far worse. Most of this harassment was instigated by a small group of conspiracy theorists and trolls.
With the authorities unable to help, it fell on four of the accused mums, and a band of online activists, to gather evidence and build a legal case against their harassers. After 4 years of fighting to protect their children and get justice, they finally got their day in court.
With exclusive audio testimony of the accused mothers at the centre of this story, lip-synced by actors, and interviews from the conspiracy theorists, Emily Turner’s film explores the real-world impact of an outrageous online conspiracy theory, exploring the importance of truth and the cost of lies.
The film will be distributed by All3 International.
Executive Producer, Peter Beard said “Emily’s film is a remarkable, terrifying and timely tale. The women at the heart of this story have been so brave in letting us tell their incredible fight for justice. Their story shows that any of us could wake up one morning and find ourselves in the middle of an internet conspiracy. The question is whether we’d have the strength to fight back in the way they did.”
Shaminder Nahal, Head of Specialist Factual who commissioned the film added: “Emily Turner and Story Films have made a remarkable film that is so shocking and yet so relatable - asking huge questions about truth, trauma and justice. The courage of the women at the centre of the story is extraordinary, and the impact of their testimony so profound.”
Credits
Director: Emily Turner
Editor: Simon McMahon
Executive Producers : Adam Hopkins and Peter Beard
Composer: Ed Harcourt
Commissioning Editor: Shaminder Nahal
Simon McMahon
Experience
Peter Beard. Adam Hopkins.
Nath, who has straddled both genres as director of documentary series The Murder Detectives and writer/director of fact-based dramas The Interrogation of Tony Martin, The Watchmen and The People Next Door, will run the scripted arm, with development producer Jake Lancaster promoted to hed of scripted development.
Beard, whose facual credits include My Son The Jihadi and Kids on the Edge, heads up factual, with executive producer Bruce Fletcher becoming head of documentaries. Fletcher’s previous role is filled by Adam Hopkins.
Story recently made BBC2 factual series Fever Pitch: the Rise of the Premier League and its current slate includes its first Channel 5 drama, Witness No 5.The restructure comes as the All3Media-owned indie signs Josh Wilkins as chief operating officer. Wilkins joins from October Films, where he was studio head, and has previously worked for Discovery and Nutopia.
Indie Story Films has separated its factual and scripted operations into two distinct units to be run by its co-founders David Nath and Peter Beard.
Adam Hopkins(I)
- Director
- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Adam Hopkins: 5 Top Tips for Storytelling
British documentary filmmaker Adam Hopkins offers his 5 top tips for storytelling to #phonar students.
Hopkins has produced films for the BBC, Channel 4 and is currently working with National Geographic, his films include:'Wild Things'
'Neighborhood Watched'
'Alice and her Six Dads'
'Trawlermen'shaminder nahal
Channel 4 Promotes Shaminder Nahal, Alisa Pomeroy to Head Factual, Documentary Roles
- Jan 11, 2022
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.