Blackrock (film) - Controversies

Controversies

Blackrock had attracted considerable controversies when it was screened in 1997, partly because of its fictionalisation of a real-life rape and murder without the consent of the victim's family. Leigh's family were vehemently opposed to the film, saying the filmmakers were "feasting on an unfortunate situation". They also objected to naming Leigh's character Tracy, as 'Tracey' was the name of Leigh's cousin and best friend. The community of Stockton opposed filming in the area, citing that the memories of the events were still fresh and the details of the script were too close for comfort. Complaints about the film were exacerbated by the film makers denial that the film was specifically about Leigh, despite the choice of Stockton for filming.

I've never researched the Leigh Leigh story. I picked up the general outline of it and used its mythological shape as the starting point for the piece. —Nick Enright

Many locals from the town where the actual murder occurred were also hostile to the film, believing it to have portrayed the community in a slanderous way.