The four-part documentary series will chronicle the rise and fall of former sprinter and convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius.
Oscar Pistorius arriving at the High Court in Pretoria on the fourth day of his murder trial, 6 March 2014. Picture: Christa Van der Walt/EWN.
JOHANNESBURG – “He [Oscar Pistorius] is where he is through his own actions, and whilst he may have been a remarkable human being, later on in life I think it all caught up with him.”
These are the words of one of the many interviewees in the upcoming _The Life and Trials of Oscar Pistorius _ESPN documentary.
ESPN is set to release the four-part documentary series that will chronicle the rise and fall of the former sprinter.
Featuring interviews with more than a dozen of the figures closest to the story, the film recounts Pistorius’s fall from grace after killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
He fired four shots through the door of his toilet – an act he maintained resulted from mistaking her for a burglar.
The documentary flashes back to the very beginning of the future Paralympic star’s life, chronicling his improbable ascent from a young boy who had both his undeveloped legs amputated as a toddler, to 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.
His struggle against international track and field officials continued for years before Pistorius finally prevailed and competed at the London Olympics in 2012. Less than a year later, he was in a South African courtroom, accused of murdering his girlfriend.
The documentary is directed by BAFTA award-winner Daniel Gordon and produced by Academy Award-winner John Battsek.
Gordon said he hopes that the film gives the audience additional context and layers “to a story they think they know”.
“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 (GBV) to disability rights, racial inequality, and media frenzy.”
The documentary will be screened weekly from 19 November to 10 December.
(Edited by Refilwe Pitjeng)
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