| Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky |
| Starring | Jessie Misskelley, Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin (the West Memphis 3) |
| Music by | Metallica |
| Distributed by | Home Box Office (HBO) |
| Release date(s) | September 11, 2011 (Toronto) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory is a 2011 documentary film and sequel to the films Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills and Paradise Lost 2: Revelations. The three films chronicle the arrest, 18 year imprisonment, and eventual release of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley, otherwise known as the West Memphis 3. The films, directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, are considered to play a substantial role in generating publicity, awareness, and support for the innocence of the West Memphis 3.[1]
Originally intended to be another installment in which the three men remained in prison, the film was to premiere on the HBO network in November 2011.[2] The world premiere of the film was announced to occur at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2011.[3]
Due to the sudden August 19th release of the West Memphis Three,[4] the filmmakers decided to postpone the film for another two months, to give the series a definitive ending, and a theatrical release, potentially allow qualification for Best Documentary Feature at the 84th Academy Awards.[5] Interviews used for the film featuring the newly freed men began shooting the day following their release on August 20th.[6] The film, in its original form, still made its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, while the re-cut version premiered at the New York Film Festival[7]. The re-cut version premiered on October 10, 2011. The three men, accompanied with their families, attorneys, and supporters, attended the event.