Pretoria - The parents of Reeva Steenkamp know nothing about the movie, Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer, set to be released in the US on November 11.
Tania Koen, the lawyer for Barry and June Steenkamp, told the Pretoria News: “They are still mourning the loss of their daughter and had no knowledge of the making of the film.
“They were never consulted. Nobody asked their input. In fact, they never even knew until now that a movie had been made.
"They had a big fright when it came to their attention yesterday. They are horrified and upset to read that the movie is perceived to be told from Reeva and her mother’s perspective.”
The movie is, according to its makers, told from the “point of view” of Reeva’s mother, but Koen said June was never approached by Lifetime, which made the movie nor did she give the producers any assistance.
The parents did not participate or endorse the movie nor were they asked for their comment.
Koen said June did not watch the trailer, which was this week released by Entertainment Weekly. Reeva’s ailing father Barry did watch it, but the clip was too short for him to really comment.
“We do not know exactly what is contained in the movie, but the family asked me to look into the matter from a legal point of view. I will have to see the entire screening before I can make any decision on whether to take legal action or not,” Koen said.
The lawyer said she could not comment at this stage what form any legal action would take, if the family decided on that route.
“It is difficult for the family to have old wounds opened again. Barry’s health is not good and it had in fact deteriorated.
"June is still actively involved in her Reeva Steenkamp Foundation and the family is simply trying to find closure.”
The Pretoria News could not get hold of the Pistorius family for comment, but had it on good authority that they too were seeking a legal opinion regarding the movie.
When the movie hits the big screen in the US, the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein will have heard arguments as to whether Pistorius should receive a heavier sentence than the six-year term for murder he is serving at the Atteridgeville Correctional Centre, west of Pretoria.
The matter is has been set for November 3.
Pistorius will still be alone in his prison cell when the movie depicting his apparent fairytale love affair with the blonde beauty hits the US screens.
Keeping it in true South African fashion, the leading role of Pistorius is played by Andreas Damm. The dashing 32-year-old actor, now living in Los Angeles, matriculated at the prestigious Michaelhouse private school in the Natal Midlands.
He now lives in the US, where he graduated cum laude from a top university and is carving out a career as a film star.
Damm uncannily resembles the handsome Pistorius in the movie.
The film promises to be more steamy than what was depicted during the trial, if the trailer is anything to go by.
But it appears to have all the dramatics - the former golden couple’s relationship, their problems and then, of course, the fatal shots fired into the bathroom door on Valentine’s Day 2013.
All the courtroom drama will also feature judging by the trailer, which ends with the teary face of Pistorius, saying “I truly loved her.”
The trailer starts off showing Pistorius on the track, on his blades, putting on a pair of sunglasses.
There are also scenes of fighting between Pistorius and Reeva, played by Toni Garrn, and the beauty getting ready to leave in a haste, telling her lover “I am done.”
This may be a stretch of what was revealed during the murder trial, but it certainly portrays the State’s side of what happened that fateful night.
Whether it’s based on fact, or mostly fiction based on facts, is impossible to say.
South Africans must make up their own minds when it reaches the local silver screen. No date has yet been for the film's SA release.