Director Lenny Abrahamson has announced his next film will be based on the life of bisexual boxer Emile Griffith.
The filmmaker revealed he was moved by the US fighter, who beat an opponent to death in 1962 after he taunted him about his sexuality.
“[Emile’s story] is so rich it’s hard to know where to start,” she said.
Film: Lenny opened up about his new flick | VIPIRELAND.COM
“As a character study, Griffith is incredibly compelling. There was a gentleness and innocence about him, and he never seemed conflicted about his sexuality; indeed he found joy in it.
“He inhabited two worlds — the underground gay scene in New York in the ’60s and the macho world of boxing,” he told Deadline.com.
“The societal stigma at that time was dreadful and created a crushing pressure on him.”
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