Posted on 03/03/2006 5:30:43 PM PST by Panerai
A German court has banned the screening of a film based on the case of self-confessed cannibal Armin Meiwes.
The state court in Kassel upheld a complaint from Meiwes, 44, against the film Rohtenburg, which was due for release in Germany on 9 March.
The court ruled that Meiwes' rights as an individual outweighed artistic freedom and that he should not become the object of a horror film.
Meiwes, jailed for eight-and-a-half years in 2004, is facing a retrial.
He admitted that in March 2001 he killed a 43-year-old man and partially ate him. He was jailed for manslaughter.
Meiwes says he simply carried out a willing victim's instructions.
But last year, an appeal court ordered a retrial after state prosecutors argued Meiwes was guilty of murder.
If found guilty, Meiwes could face a life sentence.
Meiwes, a computer technician, killed and ate Bernd Juergen Brandes after posting an advert on the internet asking for a willing victim in 2001.
The film Rohtenburg, directed by Martin Weisz, stars Thomas Kretschmann in the leading role.
So the killer has the right to stop a movie that purports to depict his acts?
Does he dispute the film's veracity or does he conceed that it is a factual account of his shameful acts?
Probably had poor sales at the popcorn concession anyways...
I hate to say it...but there are already hints that it will be one of the top 3 German nominees for foreign movie next season. Based on the reviews...its as good as Brokeback...which doesn't mean much...except it might find a yuppie audience in the US who enjoy sub-titled movies. You have to remember...this was a gay cannibal who had a brief but passionate evening with his lover.
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