Political Snuff Film Touted as "Edgy"

Touted as the "hottest ticket" at the Toronto Film Festival, Death of a President is a two hour documentary-style drama that begins with the realistic-looking assassination of U.S. President George W. Bush in 2007. The movie, helmed by British film-maker Gabriel Range, has drawn sharp criticism from pundits and politicians. Gretchen Essell, a spokeswoman for the Texas Republican Party, said "I cannot support a video that would dramatize the assassination of our president, real or imagined." John Beyer of the TV watchdog group MediaWatch UK said "There's a lot of feeling against President Bush and this may well put ideas into people's heads." Peter Dale, head of More4 (BBC Channel 4's satellite channel) argues that the film is a "thought-provoking critique" of contemporary U.S. society and a "sophisticated piece of work." The White House's only response on the matter has been: "We are not going to comment because it does not dignify a response."

Despite (or possibly because of) the controversy, the film has been picked up for an American theatrical release.

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