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.
One would think that after Nick's email/computer connection with terrorists, the gov. would have kept an eye on his comings and goings.
You know better than to have to ask that question.
Or is this even more twisted than that?
I'm thinking it just might be.
I know I have a headache from it already.
Me, too.
Not likely. Moore is the toast of the town and he doesn't need to have a failing internet site to push his "art".
Better would be that it was someone using a reliable connection from a previous engagement. Look for someone with a previous Salon connection to Moore and a guilty conscience. That's probably the guy/gal.
Maybe Moore got him killed instead of me and the ENEMIES LIST.
I believe he is either a teacher or is a retired teacher.
Nick set up the business, called Prometheus Communications.
Daddy Berg, IIRC, put that business's name in an ANSWER protest letter/petition.
....BUT GOOD!
:)
Check this out:
http://www.pineapple-girl.com/politics/2004_05_16_archive.htm
What do yu think about maybe Berg being one of Moore's cameraman/reporters/SPIES in Iraq?
bump
Yes,that's true...otherwise,Moore is just a stomach turner.
Perl?
And, if the the Gov or any one else goes after the film or Moore...Moore will squeal like a stuck pig that he’s is a political martyr being persecuted by Hillary VRWC....
Moore already set this up in after Cann stating the right would go after him with every thing we have got...we(Well I) thought Moore was just talking about his 911 film(and though it was just Moore hot air).... but maybe at that time Moore knew his and Nick Berg’s connection would come out and raise eyebrows ...and in part promped his comment about a comming all out attack by the right on him
I told you to go to bed about an hour ago, young man....
Salon....what was the guy's name that was editor, when they first started, balding, middle age....(brain vacuum here!)
Any how, he was on the tube a year or so ago, had done a very conservative, sensible piece....might have been a book on Cspan Booknotes. I was surprised. I'm thinking he left Salon.
I have no idea, but there were reviews of the movie posted here on FR. I think one from the NY Post and another one from a Toronto paper.
I'll do a search.
I found a couple of reviews. The link to NY Post's Lou Lumenick's review is below.
From what I have read, there is absolutely no record of that company anywhere.
Thank you. I never knew that.
This sure is like the old days; and this is what we do best, IMO!
I particularly like it because even when we don't agree with each other, we ALWAYS, without fail, pull together on these threads.
Earlier today I read that Michael Moore revealed that he had footage of Nick Berg that he was just sharing with the family. That was before I ever heard anything about this Salon article; but was that earlier story Michael Moore's response to being found out by Salon? If he truly wasn't going to say anything about that footage until word leaked out, that's truly damning. What a corpulent slimeball----the mainstream press HAS to pick this up!
I have no proof. I am guilty of repeating what I had heard without verification.
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