The They Are Us film is once again facing controversy after a draft script was leaked to Newshub.
According to Newshub, the draft script, written by New Zealand-born Andrew Niccol, is said to depict the attacks on the mosques in 17 minutes, despite the fact that Niccol told Deadline the film is “not so much about the attack, but the response to the attack.”
Many of the victims’ families have heavily criticised the leaked script. Salwa Mohamad, who lost her husband, Khaled, and son, Hamza, in the Al Noor mosque attack, said the violence depicted in the film was “worse than the live stream.”
“It would encourage others to do the same, or even to make it better, to avoid the mistakes the terrorist made,” she told Newshub.
Mohamad said the depictions of her husband and son dying together in the mosque were downright false.
“They didn’t die together in the mosque, so they are not telling the truth at all in the movie.”
Speaking to The Guardian, Aya Al-Umari, who lost her brother Hussein in the attack, said the reports about the script are deeply troubling.
“It’s just wrong on so many levels. This has affected many people beyond the scope of directly impacted victims. Anyone who has been exposed to the [livestreamed] video is traumatised by it – to see that made into a drama and profited on is wrong on so many levels.”
Niccol has not yet responded to questions about the leaked script.