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 just told somebody that I can *see* it on the page, in black and white, but I just cannot wrap my mind around it.
And I think that's because if I honestly believe it, it's going to be bigger than anything we can imagine.
Soros. MoreOn.org. Berg. Moore. And all the rests.
It's beyond weird...but oh so intriguing. If anyone has any connections, this would make one hell of a movie or book. Though, I suspect, one would have to change a few things so as not to be sued by the Bergs.
And I want to know if Nicholas Berg was identified by some method other than the fact a deceased person, sans head, was found on a bridge with a passport. I mean DNA testing, no less.
Oh..........okay. :-)
"I NEVER am on the side of the tinfoilers/conspiracy butters,but there is something REALLY weird about this whole Berg thing"
Ditto that!
They aren't...except philosophically.
Maybe Moore dropped a dime on him.
I actually did,the last time we went to Cosco. :-)
This seems to be the pivot question you have asked.
There s a gap between NB's interview and the camera crews activities in Iraq.
Moore is sitting on evidence and claiming that it will be handled outside of formal bounds. So far.
Expect Moore to get a pink slip any day now. And expect him to squeal like a stuck pig. He can milk this for publicity but at some point he's going to have to fork over the footage.
The revelations or silence will be deafening.
Okay. :-)
AMEN!! He was NOT working for the good guys. I think Nick Berg could have been working for Michael Moore as his spy....anyone connected to MM is DIRTY.
Is his head missing?
If you read it, it will be posted again at some point. The camera thing would be a BIG DEAL, if it were true. I'd like to know who's making frantic late night phone calls tonight.
I hope you got enough for the rest of the year.....it looks like it's going to be a doozey!
Salon.com seems to be the ONLY outlet with this story......wonder why?
I PRAY you are right. I also think Soros is doing some OIL speculating to get the prices up and to stay up.
The question I asked when this first happened was how does a 26 year old guy, out of work afford 2 trips to Iraq? I want to know where his money came from. His parents said they didn't want him to go, so I'll assume they didn't pay for it.
Don't you sleep? :)
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