The Staircase at Sundance
in partnership with the Sundance Channel present
A Critically Acclaimed Documentary Series
(SUNDANCE, UT) March, 2005….Sundance Resort and the Sundance Channel partner to present The Staircase, an eight part true crime dramatic documentary series directed by Oscar winning director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade beginning April 6, 2005. The Staircase follows the thrilling twists and turns of the investigation into the cause of death of Nortel executive, Kathleen Peterson of Durham, North Carolina.
The series will be offered at Sundance Resort on four consecutive Wednesday nights in April. Beginning on April 6th and continuing through April 27th, the screenings begin at 7 pm in the intimate setting of the Sundance Screening Room. Each week, two installments of the series will be presented together at Sundance.
The series premieres on the Sundance Channel on Monday, April 4thth, 2005, as part of Sundance Channel’s weekly documentary destination DOCday.
“The Staircase is a lurid and true story that must be seen to be believed. It leaves the viewer absolutely on edge and is the kind of compelling television that Sundance Channel is eager to offer its audience,” commented Laura Michalchyshyn, Executive Vice President, Sundance Channel. “We are very pleased that Sundance Channel programming will be featured at Sundance.”
“The artistry of this series reflects the independent voice that we are committed to here at Sundance," said Raymond T. Grant, executive director of Sundance. "This partnership with the Sundance Channel merges storytelling with place. Sundance Channel releases now have a home here at Sundance.”
Each of the four evenings stands alone, much like other serial programs. However, they also build upon one another. The Staircase, a Maha Films production, is the latest film by de Lestrade, who won the 2002 Academy Award® for Best Documentary Feature for Murder on a Sunday Morning.
In eight tautly structured chapters over four evenings, The Staircase delves into the mystery surrounding the death of Kathleen Peterson, who was married to novelist, Michael Peterson. On the night of December 9, 2001, an agitated Michael Peterson called 911 and told the operator that he had found his wife, unconscious, but still breathing at the bottom of the stairs. When the police arrived, they found Kathleen lying dead in a pool of blood and began treating the home as a crime scene. One week later, Michael Peterson was charged with first degree murder.
The Staircase takes viewers inside an unpredictable real-life drama as Peterson’s sons and adopted daughters rally to his defense and his legal team prepares to battle the prosecution. Meanwhile, Durham’s district attorney and his assistant build a case that will put the Peterson marriage – and Michael Peterson’s private life – at the center of the trial. Reviewing the series, which ran in Canada as Death on the Staircase, Henrietta Walmark of The Globe and Mail wrote, “Death on the Staircase is a rare thing: an eight-hour documentary with twists and turns as compelling as any found in classic whodunits…. It's a masterful work from Jean-Xavier de Lestrade … that will leave you unsettled.”
For those wishing to combine the art of film with a special culinary experience, the Sundance award-winning Foundry Grill will feature a three-course tasting menu for $32, which includes the Staircase screening. For those who are not purchasing dinner, each screening is $5 per person. For reservations and/or tickets please call the Sundance Activities Desk at 801-223-4567.
The Screening Schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, April 6 @ 7 pm, Chapter 1, Crime or Accident
Chapter 2, Secrets and Lies
Wednesday, April 13 @ 7 pm, Chapter 3, A Striking Coincidence
Chapter 4, A Prosecution Trickery
Wednesday, April 20 @ 7 pm, Chapter 5, A Weak Cause
Chapter 6, The Prosecution’s Revenge
Wednesday, April 27 @ 7 pm, Chapter 7, The Blowpoke Returns
Chapter 8, The Verdict
Under the creative direction of Robert Redford, Sundance Channel brings television viewers daring and engaging feature films, shorts, documentaries, world cinema and animation, shown uncut and with no commercials. Through its original programs, Sundance Channel connects viewers with filmmakers, the creative process, and the world of independent film. Launched in 1996, Sundance Channel is a venture between NBC Universal, Robert Redford, and Showtime Networks Inc. Sundance Channel operates independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival, but shares the overall Sundance mission of supporting independent artists and providing them with wider opportunities to present their work to audiences. For more information on the Sundance Channel visit www.sundancechannel.com
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