At a time when the importance of justice for sexual assault victims is at an all-time high, a new HBO movie is set to be released focusing on the silence of college football coach Joe Paterno in the Penn State child sex abuse scandal of 2011.

Al Pacino seen going out for lunchAl Pacino seen going out for lunch

Al Pacino plays the titular sports coach in the forthcoming TV movie 'Paterno', for which a teaser trailer has now been unveiled. It's all about the conviction of Penn State Nittany Lions coach Jerry Sandusky for child sexual abuse over a period of 15 years, and the subsequent firing of some of the people who were allegedly aware of the crimes.

In November 2011, it all came out that Sandusky had been abusing children through his charitable organisation The Second Mile, and he was eventually indicted on 52 counts of child molestation. Penn State school president Graham Spanier and athletic director Tim Curley promptly lost their jobs and were charged with perjury, obstruction of justice and similar charges for the part they played in covering up the scandal.

Head football coach Joe Paterno was just one of the people who were dismissed, after an FBI investigation unveiled evidence that he too helped cover up the crimes and failed to report Sandusky to the authorities. 

Of course, his situation was made all the more complicated by the fact that he passed away from lung cancer two months later. Most people remembered him as the most successful college football coach in history, but this new movie is all about the serious oversight that saw the end of that career.

Directed by the Academy Award winning Barry Levinson ('Rain Man', 'Wag the Dog') with a screenplay by Debora Cahn ('Grey's Anatomy'), David McKenna ('American History X') and John C. Richards ('Nurse Betty'), the film also stars 'Mad Max: Fury Road' actress Riley Keough.

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'Paterno' will hit HBO later in 2018.