First look at horrific moment Meredith Kercher is murdered in Italy recreated for controversial TV movie

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 2:39 PM on 3rd February 2011

The horrific moment Meredith Kercher was killed has been recreated for a controversial TV movie.
The graphic scenes in U.S. movie Amanda Knox: Murder On Trial In Italy feature actress Amanda Fernando Stevens as Meredith pinned to her bedroom floor by the three people convicted of her murder.
The film sees Heroes actress Hayden Panettiere play American exchange student Amanda Knox, who was convicted of Kercher's murder three years ago, play an active part in the terrible events.
Scroll down to watch the trailer

Graphic: The moment Meredith (Amanda Fernando Stevens) is pinned down by Amanda Knox (Hayden Panettiere), Raffaele Sollecito (Paolo Romio) and Rudy Guede (Djirbi Kebe) in Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy

Terror: Stevens as a distressed Meredith lies helplessly on the floor as she is attacked by Guede and Sollecito

The film, which broadcasts on the Lifetime channel in the U.S. on February 21, comes as Knox, 23, appeared in court last month to start her appeal.
It was delayed to give an independent forensic team time to re-analyse disputed DNA traces found on a knife and on the clasp of Miss Kercher's bra.
In scenes that will no doubt prove distressing for the family and friends of Miss Kercher, she screams of terror as she is set upon by Knox, her then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and Rudy Hermann Guede.
Actor Djirbi Kebe, who plays Ivory Coast citizen Guede - the first of the three to be convicted of the 21-year-old's murder - is seen stroking Meredith's face as Computer Engineering student Raffaele (Paolo Romio) kisses her neck.

On trial: Marcia Gay Harden (right) plays Amanda's mother Edda Mellas, who continues to fight for her daughter's release

Despite Knox's conviction and 26 year prison sentence, she has always protested her innocence, and this new film appears to raise the question of whether or not she did it.
The film features a recreation of Knox's trial and her family and friends continuing appeal to prove what they believe is her innocence.
Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden joins Hayden as her mother Edda Mellas, who has appeared on many TV shows insisting her daughter is innocent.
In a scene from the trailer, Edda tells police: 'You have no evidence!'
The Kerchers' family's lawyer said they were unhappy a film had been made about their daughters' murder.

'My conscience is clear': Panettiere as Knox during her trial

Francesco Maresca said: 'It is inopportune as the trial is still on going with two further appeals.'
Her mother Arline said four months ago: 'I don’t see how they can make a film called The Amanda Knox Story when the story is really all about my daughter. It’s all very odd.'
Meredith, an exchange student from Coulsdon, South London, was found dead in her bedroom at the house she shared with Amanda in Perugia, Italy, on November 2, 2007.
Police found she had died of a stab wound the night before, but had also been sexually assaulted.
Miss Panettiere had wanted to meet the killer but her request was rejected by Italian authorities.

Under suspicion: Knox and Sollecito joined other mourners on the steps of Perugia Cathedral before their arrest

Passionate: The film depicts the brief romance between Knox and Italian student Sollecito

Knox’s lawyers fear the film, to be shown on U.S. channel Lifetime, could prejudice her appeal against her 26-year sentence.
Images of Knox and Sollecito embracing and kissing just hours after Kercher's body was found were beamed around the world in November 2007.
It emerged during their trial that the couple had only known each other six days before Kercher's death after meeting at a music concert.
Reports claim computer science student Sollecito was 'mesmerised' by the American exchange student during their week-long relationship leading up to the fateful night in 2007.

It started so innocently: Amanda and Meredith lived in the shared house with two other students for several weeks leading up to the 21-year-old's murder

The couple were openly affectionate in front of news crews as they were brought in for questioning after Kercher's grizzly murder before being arrested as suspects.
They were both convicted of the brutal murder in December 2009. Knox received 26 years in prison and Sollecito was handed 25 years.
Guede was convicted in a separate, earlier trial and sentenced to 30 years in prison - which was cut to 16 years on appeal. All three have maintained their innocence.
In an interview with BBC Newsbeat, Panettiere said she had not met Knox: 'I wish. I know the Italian government is being pretty protective of her, her lawyers are being protective of her, which is pretty understandable.

The day after: Hayden and Romio wore strikingly similar clothing to Knox and Sollecito, who were filmed kissing outside the house the day Meredith's body was found

'It's something I would like to do (meet her) but I'd be more surprised if it happened than if it didn't.'
Explaining her portrayal of Knox, Panettiere said: 'My character, the way its written, is the way she went through it with this innocence and why she can't believe people would think of her like this.

Victim: English student Meredith Kercher, Knox's housemate, was found murdered in 2007

'The script is pretty fact driven. It's difficult to play a character when you don't know what the truth is, but my job is to play innocent.
'I think, I hope, the family aren't upset about the way it was put together.'
Director Robert Dornhelm said: 'Meredith's story is tragic for all those involved, for the youngsters but also for their parents.
'What counts above all is that two mothers have lost their daughters, one in death and the other in jail.
'What interests me more is the psychology and personality of the protagonists rather than the blood of the crime and the search for those responsible. The world is not black and white. anyone can find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.
'It's not surprising that in this day and age someone's dark side can emerge and they are capable of doing something terrible.'

Filmmakers decided against shooting in the city of Perugia where the murder took place and instead filmed in a Rome suburb.
Knox's lawyer Carlo Della Vedova expressed reservations about the film when it was first announced last September.
'We find it very inopportune that a film is being made when proceedings in the case are still active and there is an appeal taking place.
'As a lawyer I feel that the silence of the court should be respected and we are against any exploitation of the situation whether it is in film or by book.
'There is no way that this actress can meet with Amanda while she is in jail. Amanda knows about the film because she read about it in the newspaper but she is not in agreement with it and she is surprised.'