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Rushdie's Brutal Attack Inspires New Documentary
26 Jan
Summary
- Rushdie was blinded in his right eye and lost use of his right hand due to the attack.
- The memoir and film portray the attack and healing process visually.
- Rushdie was previously targeted after his novel 'The Satanic Verses'.
The 2022 on-stage stabbing of Booker Prize-winner Salman Rushdie, which resulted in blindness in his right eye and significant impairment to his right hand, is now the subject of a new documentary. Titled 'Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie,' the film, directed by Alex Gibney, visually depicts the attack and the subsequent healing journey.
Rushdie, 78, and his wife, poet Rachel Eliza Griffiths, attended the documentary's premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, on January 25, 2026. Griffiths, who also worked as a cinematographer, captured footage in Rushdie's hospital room. She explained that making the film involved a process of "letting go of the material," moving from privacy to public sharing.
Rushdie stated that some experiences, like terrorist attacks, necessitate visual depiction to truly affect audiences. He shared this sentiment with PEOPLE magazine, emphasizing the visual impact the film aims to achieve. This event follows a history of controversy for Rushdie, including the 1988 publication of 'The Satanic Verses,' which led to a decade in hiding due to a fatwa.
