Moore interviewed Berg for "Fahrenheit" [index to thread at reply #1859]

Salon.com ^ | May 27, 2004 | Rebecca Traister

[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.

[Miss Marple]

Put me on the ping list, please! I don't want to miss another installment!!

[PhiKapMom]

LOL!!! Ever since 9-11 and the people were arrested here in Norman and we found out about Moussaoui at the flight school, more and more info keeps coming out.

The Terry Nichols trial is what brought out the connection at the motel where Atta and Moussaoui met and had been used by McVeigh and John Doe #2 to meet some other Arabs. One has to wonder just who the others were. That I haven't seen reported.

How the Feds got by with covering up John Doe #2 is beyond me when they had eyewitness after eyewitness tell about him. Also Nichols connection to the Phillipine terrorists that happen to be part of the Al Qaeda group it looks like has not come out. But Nichols like McVeigh said he will go to his grave without revealing any information. He is probably going to get his wish. Nichols said his son would be in grave danger if he revealed anything. This man is willing to die to keep the secret just like McVeigh which speaks volumes to me!

I will state right here and now that OKC Bombing was not the sole responsibility of domestic terrorists. McVeigh and Nichols were as much a part of a foreign terrorists plot as if they were from a foreign country IMHO. Still believe the WTC first bombing and OKC are linked along with 9-11. Too many coincidences and too much cover-up.

FBI Director Meuller is still getting evidence from field agents of various agencies that were never turned over before. Believe the truth will come out eventually but would have to think this is an active investigation once again because of Berg.

Believe Jenna Davis, the reporter, is right!

[BurbankKarl]

Art Bell is usually on the ham bands at night....they are a real crackup....sometimes I listen to them on my Grundig

[cookcounty]

"Or why Berg felt so comfortable roaming Iraq alone, but so uncomfortable with the offer of a U.S. escort out of Iraq.

If he had taken the escort, the military would have searched his bags. They did very thorough searches of mine years ago when I ETSed back to the US from Germany.

He was obviously very afraid of what they might find.

[BlessedByLiberty]

Please keep me on your ping lists - and add me to this Berg one! You're the best!

[bonfire]

I went to bed. Had been up til 4:30 the night before.

Realtor coming soon but I can't tear myself away from this story! Plus, the thread is moving too fast!

[PhiKapMom]

Have my doubts if anyone is going to say much of anything now -- not one wants a visit! :)

[bonfire]

"I started putting the info I have on here with my suspicions! :)"


LOL :)

[Miss Marple]

Was that story embargoed by the government, or by the school? That is information that would be interesting to know.

[Peach]

I'm glad to see you are onto this story, and so is the local college, even if the story has been embargoed. That tells me there is way more to this story than anything else.

[MizSterious]

I think Jayna Davis was mostly right, but I don't think anyone, including Davis, has the full picture yet. I'm still astounded that none of the victims or their families seemed at all interested in finding everyone who was involved. Nichols and McVeigh got what they deserve, but others sure as heck did not.

[PhiKapMom]

You are good -- that's twice! The roommates came here in 1991 and I keep thinking that when I want to type 2001! Another theory is that my subconscience thinks Moussoui was here then too! :)

[bonfire]

Anybody see any AP "stories" yet???

Nope. Nothin'.

[Carolinamom]

When I had my last eye exam, the doc asked me how many hours I spent on the internet. I was ashamed to tell him!

[PhiKapMom]

There are about six or seven survivor families who have been trying to find out the truth -- one grandmother in particular who lost grandchildren does not believe the story of the Feds. She has been on TV before but most are silent. Cannot understand it!

[Howlin]

This is what Yahoo has:

• Filmmaker Michael Moore says he has footage of Nicholas Berg interview  
  Northwest Indiana Times - 10 hours, 36 minutes ago
  NEW YORK (AP) -- Filmmaker Michael Moore, whose incendiary new documentary lambastes President Bush's handling of the war, said Thursday that he has footage unused in the film of Nicholas Berg, the American civilian later beheaded in Iraq.
• Michael Moore Says He Has Berg Footage  
  Fox News - 19 hours, 15 minutes ago
  NEW YORK — Filmmaker Michael Moore (search), whose incendiary new documentary lambastes President Bush's handling of the war, said Thursday that he has footage unused in the film of Nicholas Berg, the American civilian later beheaded in Iraq.
• Filmmaker Michael Moore says he has footage of Nicholas Berg interview  
  KRON 4 - 18 hours, 59 minutes ago
  New York-AP -- Outtakes from filmmaker Michael Moore's controversial new movie "Fahrenheit Nine-Eleven" include footage of an interview with Nicholas Berg.
• Filmmaker Michael Moore says he has footage of Nicholas Berg interview  
  CBS 11 News - 20 hours, 51 minutes ago
  NEW YORK (AP) Filmmaker Michael Moore, whose incendiary new documentary lambastes President Bush's handling of the war, said Thursday that he has footage unused in the film of Nicholas Berg, the American civilian later beheaded in Iraq.
• Moore has film of US hostage Berg  
  BBC News - 1 hour, 45 minutes ago
  Michael Moore says he has an interview with slain US hostage Nick Berg that was not used in his latest film.
• Moore says he filmed interview with Berg  
  Toronto Star A&E News - 10 hours, 52 minutes ago
  NEW YORK— Filmmaker Michael Moore, whose incendiary new documentary criticizes President Bush's handling of the war, says he has unused footage of Nicholas Berg, the American civilian later beheaded in Iraq.
• Moore says he has unused Berg video  
  Star-Telegram - 7 hours, 22 minutes ago
  NEW YORK - Filmmaker Michael Moore, whose incendiary new documentary lambastes President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq, said Thursday that he has footage unused in the film of Nicholas Berg, the American civilian who was later beheaded in Iraq. Filmmaker Moore says he has Berg footage  
  USA Today - 19 hours, 52 minutes ago
  NEW YORK (AP) — Filmmaker Michael Moore, whose incendiary new documentary lambastes President Bush's handling of the war, said Thursday that he has footage unused in the film of Nicholas Berg, the American civilian later beheaded in Iraq.
• Moore 'interviewed Berg' - Film - www.smh.com.au  
  Sydney Morning Herald - 14 hours, 31 minutes ago
  Filmmaker Michael Moore, whose incendiary new documentary lambasts President George W Bush's handling of the war, said today that he has footage unused in the film of Nicholas Berg, the American civilian later beheaded in Iraq.
• Moore says he has Berg footage  
  Japan Today - 16 hours, 47 minutes ago
  NEW YORK — Filmmaker Michael Moore, whose incendiary new documentary lambastes U.S. President George Bush's handling of the war in Iraq, said Thursday that he has footage unused in the film of Nicholas Berg, the American civilian later beheaded in Iraq.

[PhiKapMom]

Count me in!

[proud American in Canada]

"In essence did one of Moore's adolescent approaches to "movie making" lead to the death of an American?"

Well said, and it sounds like the answer is yes.

It I hope investigations by proper authorities are underway as we speak.

This could be Michael Moore's undoing.

[Howlin]

I had not seen that! Thanks, Scott!

[countess]

#337 has a lot of interesting information. Berg's foreman, Hollinger, is a Marine and keeps the tower business on his farm, even though he is just an employee. Berg and Hollinger meet in Jan. 2003 and spend several months climbing towers all over the east coast. So, who are the other employees? I just don't see how two men who keep busy climbing towers in their own region need to go looking for more work in Iraq. Most people who are experts at a technical "craft" complain that they have more work than they can get around to doing.

And Hollinger says that they discussed politics and current events a lot. And Pro-Bush Nick was always reading his Jewish and Middle Eastern texts, but was totally naive about the dangers a Jewish man travelling at night in Iraq might face.

Every single thing we are asked to believe about this man's life is not outside the realm of possibility, but when one has to stretch to believe each and every detail it starts to get a bit ridiculous.