James Bulger's mother 'disgusted' after film about toddler's murder nominated for Oscar

James Bulger's mother is "disgusted and upset" after a film about her son's death was nominated for an Oscar.

Denise Fergus said she is appalled that Detainment has been nominated for best live action short film "even though over 90,000 people have signed a petition" calling for it to be taken off the Oscars list.

Vincent Lambe, the film's director, confirmed Mrs Fergus was never contacted about the making of the documentary about her two-year-old son James, who was abducted, tortured and killed by 10-year-olds Robert Thompson and Jon Venables in 1993 in Liverpool.

The short film is based on police records and interviews with the children after James' mutilated body was found on a railway line two days after his murder.

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Mrs Fergus said: "I cannot express how disgusted and upset I am at this so-called film that has been made and now nominated for an Oscar.

"It's one thing making a film like this without contacting or getting permission from James' family, but another to have a child re-enact the final hours of James's life before he was brutally murdered and making myself and my family have to relive this all over again!

"After everything I've said about this so called film and asking for it to be removed, it's still been nominated for an Oscar even though over 90,000 people have signed a petition which has now been ignored just like my feelings by the Academy.

"I'm so angry and upset at this present time.

"I personally want to thank everything that has signed the petition up to now and hopefully will carry on supporting me in this.

"I just hope the film doesn't win its category in the Oscars."

Irish filmmaker Mr Lambe, who is the director, producer and writer, apologised for not consulting the family before and said he did not make it for "financial gain".

"[Detained] was never intended to bring any more anguish to the Bulger family," he told RTE.

"In hindsight, I think we probably should have got in touch or let her [Denise Fergus] know we were going to make it."

People who have signed the petition said James' death "should not be glorified" and called it an "insult to James memory and family".