New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday her country’s Muslim community should be the focus of any film about the Christchurch mosque attacks, after some objected to making a film focused on her handling of the attack.
The Hollywood reporter reported last week that a movie called “They Are Us” is being planned about the attacks by a far-right gunman on two mosques on March 15, 2019, in which 51 people were killed.
The actor, Brenton Tarrant, was sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole, a precedent in New Zealand.
The film’s title is based on New Zealand’s prime minister’s words on the day of the attack, and the magazine described the film as an “inspiring story” about Ardern’s response to the violence.
Tragedy
Ardern’s
“I agree that there are stories that should be told at some point on March 15, 2019, but they are stories from our Muslim community, and therefore they should be at the heart of that. I don’t consider my story to be one of the ones to tell.”
She said, however, that it was not up to her to decide if the project should go ahead or not.
The emotional response from the 40-year-old leader united her shocked country and won universal acclaim.
The Hollywood Reporter reported that New Zealander Andrew Nicholl will write and direct the film. It quoted him as saying it’s not so much about the attacks as about Ardern’s handling of them.
Some Muslims, however, have questioned the feasibility of a plan to make a movie and the wounds of the victims’ families, friends and the wider community have yet to heal. They also questioned the plan to focus the film on the prime minister and not the victims.
“No one should seek to market or profit through a tragedy that has befallen our society,” the National Assembly of Muslim Youth said, denouncing that the film “marginalizes victims and survivors and focuses on the reaction of a white woman.”