Sundance Film Festival lawsuit

Sundance Film Festival lawsuit

Sundance Film Festival lawsuit - 'Queen Of Versailles' Documentary Subject Of Sundance Film Festival Lawsuit. Riches-to-rags movie prompts lawsuit, Time-share mogul David Siegel let filmmaker Lauren Greenfield document his plans to build the nation’s largest single-family home. But with the mansion largely unfinished, Greenfield’s “The Queen of Versailles” , premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, has turned into a “riches-to-rags” tale, and Siegel is suing.

A Florida timeshare mogul who commissioned the construction of one of the largest homes in America is suing filmmakers and the Sundance Film Festival over materials used to promote a documentary about his family's struggle to build the 90,000-square-foot mansion.

David Siegel says in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Orlando federal court that press releases used to promote the documentary, "The Queen of Versailles," are defamatory.

Siegel says the press releases claim his timeshare empire collapsed, his mansion is in foreclosure and that he and his wife, Jackie, have experienced a "rags-to-riches-to-rags story." He says none of that is true.

The documentary's filmmakers had no comment. A Sundance spokeswoman said the organization maintains its commitment to freedom of expression and looks forward to showing the film at its 2012 festival.