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.
Exactly. It's very hard for me to imagine such evil people really existing in America.
Can I make a suggestion for your list of needed information? I want to know more about his paternal Aunt and her Iraqi husband, the Uncle that Nick "grew close to" according to Michael Berg. When, where, how did she pass away? Where is the Uncle living now? Where did they meet? Where did they worship?
Went looking for the DEFINITION of Prometheus. That's fine...Greek Mythology. (Nothing wrong with a Jewish American Boy picking a name out of Greek mythology)
Then continued to search "Prometheus" and wound up at a site called "The Apples of Hesperedes". I recognized the site immediately.
I had found it previously while searching "belly of the eagle"....a phrase which was contained in an old Bin Ladin tape..I believe the first one where there is no video.
Now add Moussaoui and his password story. Geez...what a vicious circle.
So, it's back to see what else was on that Bin Ladin tape.
Thanks, I did read it when it was a shorter thread. Boy it grew fast.
I sure would like to see these liberal nuts exposed, and then charged for any treasonous crimes they may have committed.
Got to be gone for a bit...granddaughter needs some play time. Back after while.
Thanks, I did read it when it was a shorter thread. Boy it grew fast.
I sure would like to see these liberal nuts exposed, and then charged for any treasonous crimes they may have committed.
Hollister met NB in Jan2003, according to reports.
Suppose NB was actually anti-Bush and was simply trying to create an image with this one man.
We truly need more info than this single-source stuff.
.
What's the frequency, Karl? :-)
A lot of people still can't wrap their minds around the Rosengbergs another traitors since them.
There is nothing that the elite limo left fascists like Moore, Ms Heinz, the Rockefellers, the Kennedy's and on down the line would not do to defeat GW.
Then, throw in the money from George $orA$$, and the world wide communication capability that his thugs have. You have the perfect link for Answer, Move On, The Tides Foundation, Follywood liberals like Moore, and the rat pack in Congress now. Then, add their mediot friends at ABCNNBC BS and most of the printed press printing lies about GW/Rummy and spiking stories like the murder of Nick Berg. You end up with an incredible group working in unison to electronically lynch GW and his cabinet.
Since the 1992 election of the Clintoons, I have been in the position that nothing the left does to stay in power or remove Republicans surprises me.
I can't believe Fox News isn't on this. Hopefully they're digging and just want to get the story nailed.
I haven't read all the way through this thread yet so maybe this question has already been asked. I want to know why Moore would even tell the world he has this footage. My guess is that he wouldn't announce this unless it helps him or his cause.
This is a carefully crafted persona to hide the true repressive, fascist tendencies of Moore (and the other fascist Rob Reiner) who thrive in Holier-than-thou-Wood.
Add Paul Newman, Robert Redford and other fascist liberals pretending to be Tree Huggers or for the chilrun to your list.
Moore has an over-weening craving to be important at any cost.
The general consensus here is that Moore didn't reveal that he had this footage until he was called on it by Salon because the footage definitely doesn't help his cause. The grim possibility is that he had Nick Berg working for him in Iraq, making him indirectly complicit in Berg's death.
Oh, dear..... thanks for the ping.... I've been playing catch up, still only about 1/3 through the thread but I agree, too much about this is too strange.
PhiKapMom -
Have you read The Third Terrorist yet by Jayna Davis? I can only saw wow.
And, the third terrorist was working at Logan International Airport at a food handler on 9/11. And told his four psychiatrists that if something happened at that airport, he would be blamed.
Michael Moore's lunatic lib following will get closer to him.
However, this news if the links are true, will drive more moderates away from Moore.
That is how conservatives win elections in America. When the left wing lunatics repulse and drive away the moderates, we win the elections.
By the way, Rush in the past few minutes just discussed the proposed al Qaeda encampment at Bly and the connection with Captain Hook, who was arrested in London.
Unless the film was insurance.
Moore could have been astute enough to film a cover story before sending Nick to Iraq to dig up dirt. All Moore would have to do is film some kind of bogus "interview" of Nick auditioning for the film. Then if he gets killed in Iraq while doing a group hug with al Quaeda terrorists, all Moore has to do is pull out the "audition" film. It would serve as a good cover story to explain any connections that may pop up between the two of them later.
What am I missing? A gross overestimation of Michael Moore's IQ level, I know...
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