Durban - American multinational basic cable sports channel ESPN is set to premiere a documentary showcasing the rise and downfall of SA Paralympian Oscar Pistorius.
The documentary, The Life and Trials of Oscar Pistorius, is set to air weekly from Thursday 19 November at 8pm (CAT on ESPN (DStv 218), with repeats every Sunday at 8pm from November 22.
The series will also be available on DStv Catch Up, as well as the ESPN Player App. The documentary has been in production for several years.
Directed by Bafta award-winner Daniel Gordon, and produced by Academy award-winner John Battsek, the documentary tells the story of the South African Paralympic sprinter and international hero who inspired millions with his determination and dedication, but who became the centre of a murder investigation.
The circus that surrounded the death of Pistorius’s girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp became just as much a story of the time as his initial rise to glory.
Evert van der Veer, vice-president, Media Networks, The Walt Disney Company Africa, said: The Life and Trials of Oscar Pistorius is the culmination of an exceptional year of work from ESPN Films.
“This latest entry in the iconic 30 for 30 library is another example of how ESPN continues to build on its legacy as the home of the best storytelling in sports, joining films such as Lance, Be Water, Long Gone Summer and more, which we are thrilled to be bringing to audiences across the continent.”
Featuring interviews with more than a dozen of the figures closest to the story, the film recounts Pistorius’s fall from grace on February 14, 2013.
As the saga unfolds, the story flashes back to the beginning of Pistorius’s life, chronicling his ascent from a young boy who had both his undeveloped legs amputated as a toddler to an overnight teenage phenomenon at the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games. Shattering records and convention, “The Blade Runner,” as he became known, then went on a quest to compete against able-bodied athletes at the Olympics.
Pistorius’s struggle against international track and field officials continued for years before he competed at the London Olympics in 2012.
Director Daniel Gordon said: “The story of Oscar Pistorius is remarkable in its complexity. It’s at once inspirational and harrowing, and provides a lens of insight into a breadth of issues – from gender-based violence to disability rights to racial inequality to media frenzy.
“My hope is that the film gives audiences additional context and layers to a story they think they know.”
Part 1: Thursday, November 19 at 8pm. Repeat on Sunday, November 22 at 8pm.
Part 2: Thursday, November 26 at 8pm. Repeat on Sunday, November 29 at 8pm.
Part 3: Thursday, December 3 at 8pm. Repeat on Sunday, December 6 at 8pm.
Part 4: Thursday 10 December at 8pm. Repeat on Sunday, December 13 at 8pm.
IOL