Posted on 05/27/2004 9:26:51 PM PDT by Rennes Templar
May 27, 2004 | Filmmaker Michael Moore filmed an interview with American Nicholas Berg in the course of producing his documentary film "Fahrenheit 9/11" before Berg left for Iraq, where he was taken hostage and killed, Moore confirmed to Salon in a statement Thursday. The 20 minutes of footage does not appear in the final version of "Fahrenheit 911," according to the statement.
Word of the footage reached Salon through a source unaffiliated with Moore or his film "Fahrenheit 9/11," which is reported to feature stark images of U.S. civilians and soldiers grappling with conditions in war-torn Iraq, as well as examining the relationship between President George W. Bush and the bin Laden family. It received the Palme d'Or, the Cannes Film Festival's highest honor, on Saturday.
In a statement widely circulated by Moore's people after an initial request for comment by Salon, Moore said, "We have an interview with Nick Berg. It was approximately 20 minutes long. We are not releasing it to the media. It is not in the film. We are dealing privately with the family." Moore's camp declined to comment further on any aspect of the interview. Because the footage is not in the film, a spokeswoman for Miramax Films, the production company behind "Fahrenheit 9/11," said the company had no comment.
It was not clear from Moore's statement whether footage from the interview with Berg had ever been included in early cuts of "Fahrenheit 9/11." Reports about a film industry controversy surrounding distribution of the film first hit the news on May 5, a week before Berg's death. The film officially screened for the public and the press for the first time during the Cannes festival on May 17.
The news that Moore spoke to Berg while he was still in the United States only adds to the mystery surrounding the young man's presence in Iraq and tragic death. The interview was shot before the 26-year-old Berg left for Iraq late last year as a private contractor in the hopes of helping to rebuild the ravaged country. Though it was unclear what Berg spoke about in his interview with Moore, or how the two men met, unrelated reports following his death indicate that he headed for the Middle East with plans to work to improve the country's technological infrastructure and communication abilities. He ran his own company, Prometheus Methods Tower Service, in a suburb of Philadelphia.
Berg did not find employment in Iraq, and when he attempted to return to the United States he was detained by Iraqi police and questioned by American forces. He was released after his family complained. But shortly after, he is believed to have been kidnapped by Islamic terrorists. Video of his beheading was released on an Islamist Web site on May 11. Salon was unable to reach the Berg family for comment before publication.
Moore's film chronicles the United States' military, political and business involvement in the Middle East in the years before and after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. His previous politically charged films, including "Roger & Me" and "Bowling for Columbine," have created controversy and won him praise (including an Oscar, for "Columbine"). "Fahrenheit 9/11" has already sparked a media storm; in early May, Miramax's parent company, Disney, announced that it would not allow Miramax to distribute the film, which is highly critical of Bush and his administration.
Miramax has yet to make a deal with a distributor, though the film's warm reception at Cannes and the publicity surrounding the film have made it a hot property that is generating a lot of interest in Hollywood. "Bowling for Columbine" grossed $21 million, making it the highest-grossing non-IMAX documentary of all time.
A source close to "Fahrenheit 9/11" said that a new distributor will be announced shortly, and that the film is expected to be released in theaters during the first week of July, as originally planned.
I meant to ping you to my previous reply regarding the Kenya embassy bombing.
OH ICK, Look what is the first thing that pops.
"Clinton faces diplomatic challenge in Uganda
Clinton in Ghana Monday
Speech in Ghana draws enthusiastic response
March 24, 1998
A warm welcome in Ghana
Ghana's leader: When people flourish, so do nations Crowd rushes Clinton KAMPALA, Uganda (CNN) -- U.S. President Clinton arrived Tuesday in Uganda, his second stop on an unprecedented 12-day, six-country tour of Africa. After a warm welcome in Ghana, Clinton's two days in Uganda could present the most delicate diplomatic challenges of the trip.
Clinton is expected to hail Uganda's recent economic recovery, while nudging President Yoweri Museveni to open up his country's "no-party" political system.
During his stay in Uganda, Clinton is expected to make a brief visit to neighboring Rwanda to pay tribute to the estimated 800,000 victims of the 1994 genocide, when Tutsis and their allies were slaughtered by Hutu extremists."
Could be. It's tough finding details for the "documentary". MM has two websites in addition to michaelmoore.com, dogeatdogfilms.com and theawfultruth.com. The last two weren't loading for me for a few hours but they seem to have come back online now.
Yeah-that makes more sense. The whole deal was a set up from the get-go and the jihadis ruined the phony "conversion" when they killed Nick.
Agreed. I didn't realize the significance, until the liberals scratched the scab off of it. Now the puss is flowing out like a ruptured sewer line.
I could share with you all of the tricks of the trade, but why should I? LOL!
Michael Moore says, "I've got three weeks left until completion [of the film Farenheit 9-11]."
It would be interesting to know when Moore said this. The newspaper article quoting him is dated (as it shows above) 4-21-2004. Nick Berg's body was found one day short of three weeks from the date of the article.
I don't know why I find this interesting. I just do.
Monday, April 07 2003 @ 10:47 AM EST
Contributed by: tomw CBSNEWS.com - Army Marine Sgt. Michael Pedersen, 26, of Flint, Mich., joined the Army right out of high school and was a great father to his 7-year-old daughter, his widow said April 5.
A Flint, Mich., native who was one of six soldiers killed in the crash of an Army Black Hawk helicopter during a fire fight in Iraq, was a helicopter crew chief with the Army's 3rd Infantry Division based in Fort Steward, Ga.
"He was a quiet person," said his wife, Chanel Pedersen, 24. "A great father. He loved his daughter. He was an excellent soldier."
She said she met her husband while growing up in Flint. She said they attended the same high school before they married in 1997, but had been separated at the time of his death.
In recent days, Chanel Pedersen said she has told their daughter, Destiny, that her father won't be back.
"She's doing fine. I explained to her that her father is with Jesus," Chanel Pedersen said. "We're pretty much coping."
You have both given me a big laugh. I could use that right now. Thanks.
1031
Thanks.
Oh I see.........don't ever say you don't have to draw me a picture.......LOL.
Got it now, and it makes sense!
And has anybody read when/where he went to Israel?
Is the NYSlimes on the list of rags we have to excerpt?
In the film, Moore revisits his hometown of Flint, Michigan, whose economic distress after General Motors plant closings was the subject of his first documentary, "Roger & Me."
Moore talks with resident Lila Lipscomb during her daily routine, hanging an American flag in front of her house. He returns later as Lipscomb heart-wrenchingly reads the final letter from her son, Michael Pedersen, killed in action in Iraq.
As her patriotism turns to bitterness against the federal government, Lipscomb journeys to Washington, D.C. Near the end of "Fahrenheit 9/11," Lipscomb stares at the White House and says, "I finally have a place to put all my pain and anger."
For all his Bush criticism, Moore said he would he would like to visit the White House himself.
"I would love to have a White House screening of this film," Moore said. "I would attend it. I would behave myself."
Me too-I'm hanging on to this, like a tick on a dog.
Because we all want to know why Michael Moore interviewed him and why that footage is NOT in that film.
I find it odd that, with all the other rants there, Moore never mentions Berg, period.
You are correct they [Abu Ghraib photos] happened in November. One question that has plagued me about those pictures - were the people involved in either the filming or the soldiers themselves working for Moore?
>>>>
It is a given that the anti-war, human shield, Code Pink, ANSWER-type folks did not just fade into the sunset with the fall of Saddam. It really is entirely possible that they had found and exploited the military weaknesses of those involved with cell Block 1A. The rabid Anti-Bush leders surely would have been in routine touch with Michael Moore.
One more 'coincidence' that has not been mentioned on this thread, at least as far as I have read, is that there is a left-wing bring-radio-communication-to-the-third-world company that is also named Prometheus something, I bet Michael Moore and Michael Berg both know about this organization, and that Nick Berg happened to decide to have a career in climbing radio towers as a result of his father's interest in this company.
ON please.
I'm sure.
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