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Montreal festival snuffs killer film

Posted on: Thursday, 4 August 2005, 04:05 CDT

By Norma Reveler and Etan Vlessing

MONTREAL (Hollywood Reporter) - Bowing to pressure from anxious sponsors, the Montreal World Film Festival on Wednesday pulled a controversial Hollywood movie about an infamous Canadian schoolgirl killer from its upcoming lineup.

"Karla," starring Laura Prepon ("That '70s Show") as Karla Homolka, Canada's most notorious serial killer, was scheduled to receive a special screening during the Aug. 26-Sept. 5 event.

"In light of the reaction to its proposed showing of the film 'Karla,' and the discomfort expressed by clients of its sponsors, MWFF organizers have decided against presenting the film," the festival said in a statement.

According to the Montreal festival Web site, private-sector sponsors include Air Canada, Visa, Universal Studios, Warner Bros., Kodak and Montreal's tourism office.

Tim Danson, a lawyer for the families of Homolka's murder victims, had threatened to seek a legal injunction against the screening.

The producers of "Karla," which also stars Misha Collins ("24") as her husband, Paul Bernardo, had looked to Montreal as a launchpad for a fall theatrical release here.

Earlier plans to release "Karla" in Ontario were postponed after a public outcry in the province where Homolka and Bernardo committed their crimes.

During the early 1990s, Homolka and Bernardo tortured and murdered two Ontario schoolgirls in a case that gathered international attention because the rapes of the young women were captured on video.

Montreal festival founder and head Serge Losique defended his programing of "Karla" by arguing that "notorious criminals" from Hitler to the Boston Strangler had been portrayed in film.

Homolka recently was released from prison in Quebec after serving 12 years as part of a controversial plea-bargain agreement.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Source: REUTERS

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