InsideBayArea.com – Eleni Economides, Staff Writer
NEWARK ? The story of slain Newark transgender teen Gwen Araujo has been told in court, on TV and in the newspapers. Now, it will appear in movie form.
The Lifetime channel, in conjunction with Sony Pictures Television, began production of the film April 2 in Vancouver. It is expected to air in June. Currently titled “The Gwen Araujo Story,” the film’s creators hope to educate people about the struggle of gender identity.
Executive producer Philip Krupp believes the film will break new ground for audiences previously unaware of the notorious murder.
“I think this is an important film because it’s a tragic tale of fear and ignorance (followed) by a tragic result. It’s worth telling that society cannot be intolerant about people who look or act differently,” Krupp said.
Araujo, who was born male but lived as a woman, was beaten, strangled and buried in a shallow grave in the early hours of Oct. 4, 2002, after her attackers learned that she was biologically male. Within weeks, Jason Michael Cazares, 26; Michael Magidson, 25; Jose Merel, 26, and Jaron Nabors, 23, were arrested for their involvement in the crime, after Nabors led investigators to Araujo’s grave in the Sierra foothills.