Gibney is the most prolific serious documentarian working, and this is his subject at its purest: a man nearly killed for a book, telling you what it did to him. Rushdie's memoir is unsentimental to the point of being funny, and the film has that same refusal to be a martyrdom story. The trial concluded in 2026, so it arrives with the legal chapter closed - which changes what the film is able to be. IFC Center is where it opens in New York.
What to expect
A 107-minute documentary in a small West Village auditorium, structured around Rushdie's own account and Gibney's usual dense archival and interview construction. Expect an older, book-literate audience, and the possibility of an opening-weekend Q&A that IFC Center announces separately on its Special Guests page.
Good to know
- IFC Center is at 323 Sixth Avenue at West 3rd Street - the A/C/E/B/D/F/M to West 4th Street is directly outside
- Showtimes for the opening week are posted on the IFC Center site a few days ahead, so check before committing to a slot
- IFC Center regularly hosts filmmaker Q&As on opening weekends - check its Special Guests listings
- The auditoriums are small and documentary openings sell out on the first weekend; book online
- The film runs 107 minutes with no intermission
- The subject matter includes a detailed account of a violent attack and its physical aftermath
Planning Sep 18–20, 2026 in NYC?
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Common questions
When does it open?
Friday, September 18, 2026 at IFC Center in Greenwich Village.
Who made it?
Alex Gibney, the Oscar-winning documentarian. It premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival and is distributed by Abramorama.
How long is it?
107 minutes.
More film that weekend
More on Friday
