A new Lifetime movie will tell kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart's story — from her perspective.
Smart, who was kidnapped in 2002 at age 14 from her Salt Lake City home and spent nine months being held hostage, raped, and abused by married couple Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee, has produced the Lifetime film I Am Elizabeth Smart. The movie will detail Smart's time with her abductors.
In a new clip released by People, Mitchell's character is shown taking Smart, now an advocate for other victims of abuse, from her childhood bedroom at knifepoint.
"Get up and come with me or I will kill you and I will kill your family," Mitchell, portrayed by Riverdale actor Skeet Ulrich, says in the clip. "Get up or I will kill your little sister."
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From there, Smart, who is played by actress Alana Boden, is taken outside, where Mitchell continues to threaten her.
"If you do anything I don't tell you to do, [your family's] blood is on your hands," says Smart's captor in the clip.
This isn't the first time Smart's story has been told on the small screen. The Elizabeth Smart Story was released in 2003. However, according to executive producer Joseph Freed at a panel at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour, that film did not share the same details that I Am Elizabeth Smart will.
"If you look at [The Elizabeth Smart Story], it really doesn’t portray what Elizabeth endured," explained Freed of the previous TV movie. "It doesn’t even mention the word rape when that was a pivotal part of what Elizabeth overcame...Now we can tell the complete story and do it with Elizabeth herself."
Smart, also on the panel, insisted the film will be realistic to her experience.
"It is the best worst movie I’ve ever seen. It was so well done and accurate. I’m very proud of it."
Watch the clip below:
If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please call the RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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