Netflix condemned by premier for ‘distasteful’ drama which appears to mimic Tasmanian jumping castle tragedy that killed six children
A new Netflix drama that appears to be inspired by the inflatable tragedy that killed six Australian children in Tasmania has come under fire.
Set in Santa Cruz, Mexico, The Accident follows a close-knit community after a bouncy castle is blown away by high winds at a children’s party.
The 10-part series was released on the global streaming giant last month and has since earned a rating of 5.7 out of 10 on IMDb.
Tasmania’s Premier Jeremy Rockliff called the similarities to the 2021 tragedy in his state “abhorrent” and said there had been “huge insensitivity”.
On December 16, 2021, primary school students Chace Harrison, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Zane Mellor, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan and Peter Dodt were murdered at Hillcrest Primary School in Tasmania during end-of-year celebrations.
A bouncy castle and zorb balls were blown 10 metres into the air by a gust of wind while the children were inside. Another three children were injured.
“Netflix should apologise to the community (in Hillcrest),” Rockliff told the Tasmanian House of Representatives on Tuesday.
Netflix reported via the website Tadum that The Accident is fictional and not based on a true story. Netflix also referred to data from the American Meteorological Society showing that similar incidents have occurred in the US.
Tasmania’s Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff (pictured right) has demanded that Netflix apologize to the families of the Hillcrest victims for the new bouncy castle drama The Accident
Set in Santa Cruz, Mexico, The Accident (pictured) is a 10-part series that follows a close-knit community after a children’s party takes a tragic turn
Viewer reactions to the series have been mixed, with some calling it “sad but good”, while others say the series is let down by its poor production quality and question whether there is “exploitation” of the victims in Tasmania.
In November 2023, Taz-Zorb, the company that runs the bouncy castle at Hillcrest, was charged with a breach of the Work Health and Safety Act 2012. The company was alleged to have breached its health and safety duty, putting children at risk.
The company’s operator has pleaded not guilty and the case is expected to last two weeks and be heard in November this year.
The students were celebrating their primary school graduation when the bouncy castle was suddenly swept up, with children still jumping on it. They were all between the ages of 11 and 12.
Australians raised $1.4 million for the victims’ families, although the money was not released until March 2022.
As a result of the tragedy, several organisations have banned the use of all inflatable rides on their premises, including the Tasmanian Department of Education.
The Accident (pictured) was released on the global streaming giant last month and has since earned a score of 5.7 out of 10 on IMDb
From left to right: Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan and Jalailah Jayne-Marie Jones died on December 15, 2021 when a bouncy castle was lifted 10 meters into the air and three days later Chace Harrison (right) succumbed to his injuries.
Flowers and messages of support in Tasmania on the first anniversary of the tragedy
The Netflix series The Accident is directed by Klych López and Gracia Querejeta and written by Leonardo Padrón.
In the Spanish telenovela, Daniela Daniela (Ana Claudia Talancón) and Emiliano (Sebastián Martínez) throw a birthday party for their son Rodrigo.
However, the situation takes a tragic turn when the wind picks up and a terrible accident causes the bouncy castle to blow over, killing three children.
The IDMB description reads: ‘A tragic accident changes the lives of three families, sending them into a terrible spiral of guilt, resentment and violence that forces them to test the limits of pain, endurance and grace.’