‘The Queen of Versailles’ Ruled Not Defamatory Against David Siegel

In the final act of arbitration between filmmaker Lauren Greenfield and Westgate Resorts founder David Siegel, one of the subjects of her film The Queen of Versailles, the claim that the doc was defamatory has been officially shot down at the Independent Film and Television Alliance. From the Hollywood Reporter:

“Having viewed the supposedly egregious portions of the Motion Picture numerous times, [the Arbitrator] simply does not find that any of the content of the Motion Picture was false,” rules arbitrator Roy Rifkin.

“There is nothing taken away by the viewer of the Motion Picture that is inconsistent with the fundamental reality that the global recession created a crisis for Westgate causing it to have to reluctantly give up its interest in PH Towers,” writes the arbitrator in his ruling. “To a great extent this is derived from the words of David, Jackie, and Richard Siegel themselves. Perhaps the clearest example of this is David referring to the story being told as a ‘rags-to-riches-to-rags story.’”

Read more at the Hollywood Reporter.

(Editor in Chief)

Christopher Campbell is the founding editor of Nonfics.