Just a few weeks after its controversial premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in the United States of America, Leaving Neverland will this weekend screen on M-Net City, DStv channel 115.
Part one will air on M-Net City on Saturday, March 30 at 8:40pm WAT, while part 2 will come up the following day, Sunday March 31 at 8:40pm WAT.
To accommodate these screenings, M-Net City will reschedule The Blacklist S5 for Saturday and Stan Lee’s Lucky Man S3 for Sunday. Fans of these shows can catch the next episodes on Saturday April 6 for The Blacklist S5, and Stan Lee’s Lucky Man S3 episodes 7 & 8 on Sunday April 7.
Directed and produced by five-time BAFTA winner, Dan Reed, the four-hour long Leaving Neverland unpacks the story of two individuals: James Safechuck and Wade Robson, now adults in their 30s, who befriended (Michael) Jackson at the ages of 10 and seven respectively.
Through gut-wrenching interviews with Safechuck and Robson, as well as their mothers, wives and siblings, Leaving Neverland crafts a portrait of sustained abuse and explores the complicated feelings that led both men to confront their experiences after both had a young son of their own. Playing out against the backdrop of a collective experience, the film documents the value of breaking silence, even when it implicates a powerful and revered figure.
“Bringing Leaving Neverland to African screens is testament to the fact that DStv brings the most compelling content to the continent as quickly as possible,” Multichoice Nigeria’s Chief Customer Officer, Martin Mabutho, says. “Please note, however, that the documentary is not suitable for younger viewers as it contains strong language, discussions of self-harm and graphic descriptions of child sexual abuse.”