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 did read that he had a backpack. Thanks for that.
That is a great tag line.
We need to use a lot of these tag lines re the Pro Islamofascist Moore.
"Could it be that they told Berg that they were going to make a fake video of how he was abused while being held by the US/Iraqi forces?"
That's the first explanation for the orange jumpsuit I've read that makes sense. It would also explain the calm demeanor.
Berg also had a computer w/a data base of some 60 findings on towers in Iraq. What happened to it?
Reading this post, something just came to my mind regarding Nick's calmness. It has been speculated that this is becaues he was drugged.
Is his body available for a forensic study of such questions? Was this checked into?
.
Fatboy should be subpoenaed to tell what he knows.
They left in a huff for another site, where they spend most of their time copying our posts and making fun of us and gripiing about how things were better in the good old days.
Michael Moore, who LOVES free speech - this is SO TELLING - why on earth wouldn't he want the Nick Berg interview in his movie? WHY INDEED.
Berg also had his computer w/data base on findings about some 60 Iraqi towers. Where is it now? It was not mentioned in the belongings recovered.
Could be!! And they're saying that one of the big Muslim cheeses is in that video...so they weren't going to let him go.
Ok,
How about this, (Reynolds Wrap Hat on)
Moore is "dealing" with Berg's family, for the rights of the footage that will be expanded into it's own "movie".
Furthermore, Berg was killed to send a message to Moore / the left about not releasing the movie in the US.
Likewise, a deal was made with Disney to halt their planned distribution.
It was the Moore/Berg connection that actually got the boy killed.
(Reynolds Wrap Hat off)
So do I watch too much late night TV or what?
I have been having that happen more and more -- the Freepers knows me and I know I have talked to them before but don't recognize the screen name. Creepy sometimes. Why not put the other screen name in the tagline?
I just read #337.
Wondering about the source, since it is the first interview other than with the father that mentions Bush support.
Like many here, it mutes that aspect a bit ... but verify source is the first thing now... and question as to whether it might have been staged a bit, as SWasp warns.
.
Any murder is subject to an autopsy. (But I don't know if a relative can have it overruled.)
This is getting more bizarre all the time. Two and two definitely do not add up!
Ha!
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