The world premiere of Kari Skogland's Toronto International Film Festival gala Fifty Dead Men Walking will take place, say the film's co-producers, Future Films and HandMade Films International.

The film has been the centre of row involving Martin McGartland, the former RUC Special Branch mole who infiltrated the IRA and whose eponymous autobiography inspired the work.

McGartland told Screen International the version of the film he saw with his solicitor on May 22, 2008 (at a private screening organized by Future Films) misrepresents his life and shows him participating in murderous bomb attacks and torture, both of which he denies.

In today's statement, Future Films and HandMade Films International say the film, although inspired by the contents, is not a representation of Mr McGartland's life. They say that due process has been followed throughout the production, including the licensing of rights to the source material.

'Mr McGartland was consulted by the filmmakers during the production, read the script, and watched the film in advance of any public screening. He was also given the opportunity to have the name of the lead character replaced with a fictional character name, which he declined.'

While McGartland was not available to respond to the Future-HandMade statement, he claimed yesterday that while the rights to the book were licensed, he has never waived his moral rights as the author.

'I definitely have a case in terms of infringement of my moral rights not only in the UK but all around the world. If my solicitor tells me it damages my reputation I will seek an injunction to see that the film is pulled and the DVD doesn't seen the light of day.'

The Future-HandMade statement ends: 'the world premiere will take place as scheduled at 9.30pm on Wednesday 10 September at Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall. Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess, Kevin Zegers and the film's director, Kari Skogland, will be in attendance.'

TIFF co-director Cameron Bailey said the festival had experienced a similar issue with the presentation of Shekhar Kapur's Bandit Queen (1994). Now as then, Bailey said, TIFF will ask the Canadian distributor - in this case TVA - to provide a letter of indemnification.

A sales agent contacted by Screen suggested that seller HandMade may benefit from the controversy.

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