Elizabeth Smart is set to participate in a cross-network television event featuring an authorized film and a documentary special that recount her June 2002 abduction from her Salt Lake City home. The projects, including the Lifetime movie "I Am Elizabeth Smart" and the A&E special "Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography," aim to present the details of her nine-month captivity through her own perspective as both a narrator and producer.
Authorized Film Details Captivity Truths
The Lifetime original movie, titled "I Am Elizabeth Smart," is designed to serve as the definitive account of the kidnapping. According to information from Lifetime, the film seeks to address truths and misconceptions regarding her time in captivity that previous media coverage may have missed. A film about the abduction was released shortly after the 2002 incident, but Lifetime noted that such earlier reporting shied away from the full reality of what Smart endured.
In the upcoming production, Alana Boden will portray a 14-year-old Elizabeth Ann Smart. Skeet Ulrich has been cast to play Brian David Mitchell, the religious fanatic who abducted Smart from her home in June 2002. Deirdre Lovejoy will portray Wanda Barzee, Mitchell's accomplice. The film will feature Smart herself serving as an on-screen narrator to explore her survival and the events of her ordeal.
Documentary Special Features Untold Details
The production details the harrowing nine months during which Smart was held in a hilly encampment. According to A&E Global Media, Mitchell and Barsee subjected Smart to starvation, drugging, and sexual assault, along with bizarre religious rituals. The period of captivity ended when Smart was able to enable her own rescue.
Beyond the scripted film, A&E will air a two-part nonfiction documentary special titled "Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography." This special is scheduled to debut on November 12 and 13. The program is intended to provide previously untold details regarding the abduction and the months spent in the grasp of her captors.
Marking the 15-Year Anniversary
The television events are timed to mark the 15-year anniversary of the abduction. A&E Global Media reported in May 2017 that production was underway for these projects to highlight the perspective gained by Smart, who was 29 years old at the time of the announcement, regarding the ordeal she faced as a child.
In addition to Smart's personal account, the A&E special will feature contributions from her close family, law enforcement officials, and eyewitnesses. These participants will reveal new information about the case that gained national attention, while also covering Smart's subsequent life, including her recovery, marriage, motherhood, and her work as an advocate for victims.
Production and Distribution Credits
The production of both projects involves several entertainment entities. "I Am Elizabeth Smart" is executive produced by Steve Michaels, Jonathan Koch, and Joan Harrison of Asylum Entertainment, as well as Allison Berkley and Joseph Freed of Marwar Junction Productions. Barbara Lieberman and Tom Patricia also serve as executive producers for the film, with Sarah Walker directing from a teleplay written by Tory Walker.
The A&E special, "Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography," is produced by Asylum Entertainment in association with Marju Junction Productions. Executive producers for the A&E portion include Elaine Frontain Bryant, Amy Savitsky, and Brad Abramson. A&E Networks holds the worldwide distribution rights for both the Lifetime movie and the A&E documentary special.
A Coordinated Network Event
The release of these programs represents a coordinated effort between Lifetime and A&E to present a singular, authorized narrative of one of Utah's most high-profile criminal cases. By involving Smart as both producer and narrator, the network event seeks to replace previous media portrayals with a version of events centered on her personal experience and survival.
