Homolka portrayed as 'enigma' in new movie

Canadian Press, The Toronto Star and various other newspapers across Canada, Jan. 16, 2006

Karla Homolka is portrayed as a desperate and pathetic woman knowingly involved in an escalating series of murderous acts in the controversial new film Karla, arriving in Canadian theatres this week.

Still, Hollywood has avoided branding Canadas most notorious female offender as evil.

Instead Homolka is presented as an enigma for her role in the deaths of three Ontario schoolgirls, including her younger sister Tammy, during her ill-fated relationship with Paul Bernardo.

On Monday, the people behind that decision screened their film for the media in Toronto and argued its merits keenly aware of the firestorm ignited here by committing Homolkas sordid tale to celluloid.

Karla is an enigma, and thats partially what the film is about, said Joel Bender, the films director. Why she did these things? Will we ever know? I dont know.

Allowing the Homolka character, played by Laura Prepon of That 70s Show, to narrate the story isnt intended to leave the viewer feeling sympathy for her, said producer Michael Sellers.

As seen through Homolkas eyes, an increasingly violent and sexually sadistic Bernardo forced her into being his accomplice, through both physical and psychological abuse.

That was the real-life Homolkas defence as well, while Bernardo argued his wife committed the murders.

Karla may be an unreliable narrator, said Sellers, who hopes the films audience will be sophisticated enough to realize the character is trying to spin the story to her advantage.

Karlas telling her story, shes going to spin it. ... We dont think shes a victim.

The film has provoked vocal opposition in the province where Homolka and Bernardo committed their grisly crimes.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, among others, has asked people to boycott the film.

We immediately understood it was a very sensitive topic in Canada, said Sellers, who added he became intrigued by the story after reading media reports saying Canada lost its innocence as a result of the crimes.

On Friday, the film will debut on some 90 screens across the country 60 in Quebec and 30 in the rest of Canada. It will not be shown in St. Catharines, Ont., where the rape and torture deaths of Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy (their names in the film have been changed) took place.

While the psychology driving the Homolka character is left open to interpretation, the character of Bernardo is far less ambiguous.

A horrible man. ... I think thats a fair characterization, actor Misha Collins said of his onscreen alter ego.

The scenes in which Bernardo rapes, tortures and murders the French and Mahaffy characters carefully edited to ensure the victims families wouldnt block the release were especially difficult for the 31-year-old American actor.

Collins, who can also be seen on three upcoming episodes of ER, said he didnt take the role lightly.

Thats a lot of responsibility, to play the most hated person in a country, said Collins, who defended his choice to play Bernardo. I dont feel that I have done anything to be ashamed of.

Prepon was unavailable Monday to field media questions concerning her role as Homolka.