Channel 4 and HBO have co-produced award-winning director Dan Reed’s LEAVING NEVERLAND, a two-part documentary about two men who recount their experiences of being sexually abused by Michael Jackson.
When allegations of abuse by Jackson involving young boys surfaced in 1993, many found it hard to believe that he could be guilty of such unspeakable acts. LEAVING NEVERLAND explores the experiences of two young boys, James Safechuck, at age ten, and Wade Robson, at age seven, who were both befriended by Jackson. They and their families were entranced by the singer’s fairy-tale existence as his career reached its peak.
Director Dan Reed states, “If there’s anything we’ve learned during this time in our history, it’s that sexual abuse is complicated, and survivors’ voices need to be listened to. It took great courage for these two men to tell their stories and I have no question about their validity. I believe anyone who watches this film will see and feel the emotional toll on the men and their families and will appreciate the strength it takes to confront long-held secrets.”
Through gut-wrenching interviews with Safechuck and Robson, now in their 30s, 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 each had a young son of his own. Playing out against the backdrop of our collective experience, the film documents the value of breaking silence, even when it implicates a powerful and revered figure.
LEAVING NEVERLAND was commissioned by Channel 4 Commissioning Editor Tom Porter. The two-part series is made by AMOS Pictures and directed by Dan Reed.
LEAVING NEVERLAND will premiere on HBO and Channel 4 this spring.
