Oscar biopic to be screened on November 18 in SA

A biographical film which tells the story of the rise and fall of Paralympian Oscar Pistorius‚ titled Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer‚ will air on Lifetime (DStv channel 131) on Saturday 18 November at 8pm.

The made-for-television movie‚ written by Amber Benson and co-produced by ThinkFactory Media‚ is based on a true story and public records‚ Lifetime said in a statement.

It said the movie told the story of the Pistorius ‚ played by Andreas Damm‚ who was dubbed the blade runner‚ and his rise to fame as a gold medalist Paralympic champion and as the first double-leg amputee to participate in the Olympics.

The movie also looked at Pistorius’ resilience to overcome his disability‚ combined with his apparent fairy tale relationship with model Reeva Steenkamp‚ played by Toni Garrn.

Lifetime said the families of Pistorius and Steenkamp did not participate in the making of this movie.

Last month‚ Pistorius’ family said it would take legal action against Lifetime.

“The film was made with blatant disregard of both the Steenkamp and Pistorius families‚ as well as complete disregard for Reeva and Oscar.

“Neither Oscar‚ nor the defence or the family were involved in the production of this film in any way‚” Pistorius’ family said.

The family of Steenkamp also issued a public statement expressing its anger after a teaser for the biopic was released.

In a statement released to the media‚ the Steenkamp family slammed reports that it had given its stamp of approval.

“Any impression that is created that this is June’s (Reeva’s mother) view‚ or that the movie is endorsed by the Steenkamp family‚ is untrue and incorrect‚” it said in a statement.

Pistorius is currently serving a six-year jail term for the murder of Steenkamp in his house in Pretoria on February 14 2013.