Tonya Harding’s story is coming back to the big screen. Neon snagged three Oscar nods for “I, Tonya” this year, and is looking to capitalize on the success of the Margot Robbie-starrer. Deadline reports that the distribution company has acquired the rights to “Sharp Edges,” a 1986 documentary following Harding during her first U.S. Figure Skating Championship run at the age of 15.
The project was Sandra Luckow’s senior thesis at Yale. She followed up the award-winning pic with docs such as “Belly Talkers” and “Hellbent for Heaven.”
“Sharp Edges” was used as a resource for the “I, Tonya” team. The doc includes interview footage with Harding and her mother, LaVona Golden, who really was filmed with a parrot on her shoulder as “I, Tonya” depicts her. Allison Janney won an Oscar for her portrayal of Golden.
While “I, Tonya” depicts Harding’s childhood and teen years, the film also focuses on one of the most controversial moments in sports history — the infamous attack on Harding’s fellow U.S. skater and competitor Nancy Kerrigan.
You can catch “Sharp Edges” during a one-week theatrical release beginning July 6 at Los Angeles’ Music Hall and New York’s Village East Cinema. Luckow will attend several screenings and participate in Q&As. For those who can’t make it to the theater, the doc will be available on VOD July 17 and Hulu August 3.