Louis Theroux has unveiled a Sky feature documentary exploring the controversial affair between a married female professor and a non-verbal black man with cerebral palsy, which led to one of the most divisive criminal trials of the 21st century.
As he prepares to deliver tomorrow’s Edinburgh TV Festival MacTaggart address, Tell Them You Love Me looks set to be one of the most high profile shows so far to come from the celebrated documentarian’s Mindhouse Productions.
Co-produced with U.S. streamer Topic and distributed by Kino Lorber, the 100-minute feature follows the astounding events that led to a divisive criminal trial, which is described as a “misunderstood love affair or a tale of sexual assault and predatory behaviour.”
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When the pair first meet, Anna Stubblefield is a respected academic and a disability rights advocate; passionate in her belief that the most essential part of the human experience is the ability to communicate. Meanwhile, 30-year-old Derrick Johnson has never spoken a word in his life, and requires 24/7 care and support by his mother and brother.
During his early childhood, Derrick’s family were told by medical professionals that, in addition to his physical disabilities, he was severely cognitively impaired. But Anna disagreed with this diagnosis, and when she first tells Derrick’s family that she can help him communicate with the outside world, they are thrilled. They had always sensed there was “something more going on” with Derrick and were eager to know what he thought about all day long, when he might be in pain, what his hopes and dreams were. Eventually, Derrick’s family begin to question his miraculous transformation, and Anna’s intentions. It soon leads to one of the most divisive criminal trials in recent times, challenging perceptions of disability and the nature of consent.
The Sky Original film is directed by Nick August-Perna and produced by Tamara Rosenberg and Andrea Debrito.
Tell Them You Love Me is produced by Mindhouse in association with Sky Studios and was commissioned for Sky Documentaries by Zai Bennett, Managing Director of Content, Poppy Dixon, Director of Documentaries and Factual and Hayley Reynolds, Commissioning Editor, whilst Rachel Duncan serves as production manager and Suzy Burnet as production executive. Theroux and Arron Fellows are the executive producers and Leroy F Moore Jr. is consultant producer.
Theroux’s Mindhouse has made a wealth of shows since launch and is also making a Sky/Peacock series about the Lockerbie disaster.
Theroux is due to deliver the MacTaggart tomorrow, where he will talk about the “challenges facing broadcasters in the multi-platform universe, how he has maintained longevity and relevance, and the reasons for both fear and optimism in a world beset by populism, social media, AI and virality.”
Previous MacTaggart lecturers include Jack Thorne, Michaela Coel and David Olusoga.
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