Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie

A film about one of the world’s greatest writers and his struggle to survive and hold on to hope.

While on stage at a literary event in New York State, celebrated author Salman Rushdie was brutally attacked with a knife. The attack marked the culmination of more than 30 years of living under threat, after Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against Rushdie following accusations that his novel The Satanic Verses had insulted Islam. Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney traces Rushdie’s journey from his hospital bed, bearing deep physical and psychological wounds, back to life and writing. The film is a compelling portrait of a great writer’s fight for freedom of expression, exploring the far-reaching consequences of the fatwa for Rushdie and those around him.

Jon Sæter