After Much Speculation, Oscar Grant Movie Begins Filming

After months of speculation, Oscar Grant movie is underway in East Bay California. The feature movie has begun filming on BART facilities and will continue to film at other locations.

Grant’s family says filmmakers hope to capture the 48 hours that proceeded the 2009 New Year’s morning shooting in the film called “Fruitvale.”

San Francisco’s KQED reports that Cephus Johnson, Grant’s uncle, said the Grant family has seen a final copy of the script and feels comfortable with the film’s portrayal of his nephew’s last hours. “I think the community as well as the world should know who [Oscar Grant] was and what happened to him,” Johnson told KQED. “It will humanize Oscar as being a young black man that was tragically murdered on a platform for no apparent reason.”

Oscar Grant was fatally shot by BART officer Johannes Mehserle after coming home with friends from a New Years Eve celebration. BART Police officers detained Oscar Grant and several other passengers on the platform at the Fruitvale BART Station.

Mehserle alleged Grant was resiting arrest, and begin to tase him but “accidentally” fired his gun. The incident was captured on video, refuting Mehserle’s claim.

Grant never resisted, he was shot innocently.

Mehserle was convicted of manslaughter in the shooting death of Grant, and is currently serving time in prison.

Ryan Coogler is directing the Oscar Grant movie for Forrest Whitaker’s production company.

The film stars Oscar winner Octavia Spencer and Michael B. Jordan, best known for his role on the television show “Friday Night Lights.