BEIJING, Dec. 27 -- U.S. director Steven Spielberg's controversial new movie "Munich," about the 1972 Olympic massacre and its aftermath, got an unlikely endorsement last week ¡ª the widows of two of the 11 slain Israeli athletes said the film neither dishonored their husbands' memories nor tarnished their country's image.

    "The movie respects the athletes," said Ilana Romano, widow of weight lifter Yosef Romano. She and Ankie Spitzer, who was married to the fencing coach Andre Spitzer, are the only Israelis to see the movie in Israel before its official release late next month.

    Romano and Spitzer, both personally touched by the tragedy, gave what amounts to an endorsement.

    "We didn't feel it was an affront or a negative thing, or an equation between the terrorists and the people who were trying to eliminate them ¡ª not innocent people, but people who would try to make another Munich," Spitzer said.

    Spielberg's co-producer, Kathleen Kennedy, and the movie's screenwriter, Tony Kushner, arrived in Israel earlier this month to hold a private screening for the two widows. That was followed by an emotional discussion that lasted several hours, the women said.

    Spielberg's film, co-financed by DreamWorks and Universal, stars Eric Bana, Geoffrey Rush and Daniel Craig. It opens in Israel and the rest of the world Jan. 26.

    Spitzer said her one concern was that those exposed to the story for the first time would not be able to separate fact from fiction. "I know that part of it is based on historical events and part is based on fiction, and I don't think that the regular viewer is going to understand."

    (Source: Shenzhen Daily/Agencies)