Source: Daily_Mail
Heysel to be made into film
Share[LNB]Original story: The new film will be based on French author Laurent Mauvignier's 2006 novel In The Crowd[LNB]A book based on the 1985 Heysel Stadium disaster - when 39 football fans died - is set to be turned into a film.[LNB]Hundredsof people were injured when a stadium wall collapsed as rival Liverpooland Juventus fans clashed before the European Cup final.[LNB]The aftermath of that evening in Brussels, Belgium, saw English clubs bannedfrom European competition for five years. Liverpool were handed an extra year's suspension.[LNB]The dead included 32 Italians, four Belgians, two French fans and a man from Northern Ireland. More than 600 other fans were also injured.[LNB]Fourteen Liverpool fans were each sentenced to three years in prison for involuntary manslaughter.[LNB]Thefilm, which does not yet have a working title, will be based on French author Laurent Mauvignier's 2006 novel 'In The Crowd'.[LNB][LNB]It follows fans from England, Belgium, France and Italy on the eve and day of the match on May 29,1985.[LNB]JeanBaptiste Babin, who as founding partner of Backup Films is funding the project, said the story was 'very strong in terms of European identity'.[LNB]Speaking from Cannes Film Festival, where plans for the filmwere announced, he told the Liverpool Daily Post: 'It is a very ambitious story. [LNB]'It is an historical event which is still vivid in most European countries. It will be handled sensitively. [LNB]'We wanted to announce the film at Cannes, but we are still working on the development of the film.' [LNB]French film-maker Jean Stephane Sauvaire, whose 2008 film Johnny Mad Dog was about child soldiers in Africa, will be the director.[LNB]The book tells the story of four groups of different nationalities who cross paths. [LNB]Different points of view are expressed through a series of internal monologues.[LNB]And as the excitement of the build-up to the match ends in tragedy, readers see how their lives and relationships are changed forever.[LNB]Mr Babin added: 'We want people to focus on the characters and the story. The characters are as important as the background and the event.'[LNB]Despite the disaster the referee felt abandoning the game would have incited further trouble and so Juventus went on to win 1-0 with a penalty scored by Michel Platini.[LNB]On May 29 last year, Liverpool and Juventus fans marked the 25th anniversary of the Heysel tragedy with a friendly match at the north-west club's Kirkby academy.[LNB]Earlier this month Liverpool fans branded a Manchester United fans' website 'shameful' for selling souvenirs which referenced the disaster.[LNB]Mancunia Merchandise were selling T-shirts and badges emblazoned with three stars and bearing the slogan 'Without Killing Anyone'. [LNB]It was a reference to United's three European Cup wins and to the riot before the 1985 final in Brussels.[LNB]Following the complaints, the T-shirts were quickly removed from the shop area of the website.[LNB] [LNB] Explore more:Places: Brussels, Liverpool, Cannes, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Belgium, Africa
