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.
Thanks for the link!
His e-mails definitely sound legitimate enough (that is, details about his business activities, etc.).
Dang, your MSNBC link is not loading for me. Synopsis?
Yes,he is married.Amazing,isn't it?
To who?
Rosanne Barr? ;^)
The President reading to the children on 9/11--Moore and his ilk can make fun of that all they want, but to a lot of people, including me, it seemed the best way to handle it. It personified "cool under pressure." What was he supposed to do? Throw the books up in the air and start screaming, "We're doomed, DOOMED, all of us are DOOMED!!" Would that have finally satisfied the Badyear Blimp?
It's a subscription site but here is the google link where it is posted
Sorry about that, reply #1246 was supposed to be directed towards you.
I have always thought that about it, too. Imagine if he had leaped up and run out of the room, leaving stunned and frightened kids and teachers behind him - I bet Moore would have LOVED a picture of that one!
Trinity, PKM was right. When the Berg story broke, our local teevee was all over this, and they prowled the OU campus like ants at a picnic--and no one remembered the guy. The prof quoted in the article originally said (on camera) that he didn't remember Berg, but lamented his unfortunate death. Many students echoed similar sentiments. Funny how stories change, yet I wonder WHY.
Housing shortage: that is utter nonsense, no matter what they are saying in your quote. Ask people who LIVE here, like PKM. I live nearby, but have business in Norman frequently. Someone at the school paper is spinning...now the question is, WHY?
Posted on FR HERE
As of Saturday, February 28 [2004], the March 20 Call to Action has received over 2,000 endorsements. Below is a partial listing. Click here to endorse.Call signed by (partial listing):
A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism) Coalition
(snip)Michael S. Berg, Teacher, Prometheus Methods Tower Service, Inc.,
Me too.........I'm on board. This CANNOT be coincidence.
I'm off to Europe tomorrow for the book's release in the UK, Ireland, Germany and Austria. If you live there, come on by to one of the events. In the middle of all this I've been shooting my next movie, "Fahrenheit 9/11," and I'm happy to report that it's looking good and is on schedule for release late next summer.
It would seem that the hype about Moore's film not being allowed to be released in the US is just part of his manipulation of the media. He WANTS it to come out at the optimum time for anti-Bush sentiment and has planned it that way.
Wow, terrific find, FE. I think you could be absolutely right!
Some of those posts help establish some timelines, others establish connections. I hope the posts are left standing. People can read them or scroll past them if not interested in some of the finer details.
Stockholders = ANSWER, MOVEOUT, GEORGE $OREA$$ AND MICHAEL MOORE?
Cornell University statement on Nick E. Berg
All members of the Cornell University community are shocked and saddened by the devastating news of the death of Nick Evan Berg, who was a student here for two and a half years.
Nick enrolled as a freshman student in the College of Engineering at Cornell in the Fall of 1996. He spent the Spring 1998 semester in Uganda through Cornell’s Study Abroad Program. He took a voluntary leave of absence from the university after completing the Fall 1998 semester.
Nick Berg is remembered by his professors and classmates at Cornell as an excellent student who made the Dean’s List every semester that he studied here. His adventuresome nature took him to Uganda, where he studied development issues. He was a serious, caring individual who expressed the desire to help people and have a positive influence in the world.
We extend our deepest condolences to the Berg family and to Nick’s many friends and colleagues during these difficult days.
http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/May04/Berg_statement.html.
That is curious. Especially because the professor quoted in the story went into all sorts of detail. How could you not remember the guy and then suddenly remember all that detail about bricks and stuff? Was he enrolled under a different name?
Can we find any other e-mails?Here are FOUR of them that Quilla found, currently posted on www.nickberg.org:
Please send your stories about our friend Nick Berg to
stories@nickberg.org
Nick Berg
A Friend, Philosopher, Dreamer, and Achiever
A taste of Nick Berg's business - Prometheus Towers
Email from Nick BergA taste of Nick's adventures
Prometheus Towers in Africa
Email from Nick BergPrometheus Towers in the Middle East
Email from Nick BergPrometheus Towers in Iraq
Email from Nick Berg
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