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.
What motivation would Moore have for lying about having the interview footage? So far it doesn't make him look good.
WHO? This is a pretty loaded comment to just tack on the end of the article devil-may-care!
Well, I found one, from Saturday, May 8
West Chester contractor missing in Iraq
Still looking.....
The name is on this thread somewhere. I can't even remember who posted it, but it was last night!
Moore filmed Berg before he left for Iraq. Adds to one theory that Moore did not meet with Berg so much as recruit him to do some filming or take some pictures, for starters of the Abu Gharib prison.
Is the Berg was pro Bush, pro military stance being put forth simply a cover for (1) Berg's real purpose to going into a war zone (2) cover the tracks of others who may be, directly or indirectly, complicit in his murder?
Conspiracy laden snickers aside, reasonable people are being asked to accept that Berg, described as merely an adventurer, just happens to travel continents rife with active terrorism looking for work or to "help" the poor or to look for work in a war zone and who happens to loan his email account to Z Moussaui, happens to be filmed by the likes of Michael Moore, something his sister claims she didn't know about?
Sorry but credulity does not stretch that far.
Bingo.
Now we know that Moore interviewed Berg last year. Last year he was an unknown to us.
Now we have another dot out there in incredible to believe that it is a coincidence land.
"Stranger than that: Why would Moore or his crew interview Berg for "Fahrenheit 9/11" for 20 minutes, when Berg's family insists the slain contractor was pro-Bush and supported the American military action in Iraq?"
Thats the question. What did Moore know? Did he influence Berg to go over there, after persuading him that the war was evil? 26 is an impressionable age. Did Moore tell him that if he got some info from the insurgents he could get a role in a future movie?
And Bergs father hates GW. The apple usually doesn't fall too far from the tree.
Please put me on the Nick Berg ping list.
Think about it: if a guy like Michael Moore interviewed you for 20 minutes, and you are this "adventure seeking" free spirit who thinks galavanting around Iraq & getting arrested makes life seem "like a mystery novel" - why wouldn't you at least EMAIL your family - "hey man! I got interviewed by that documentary guy you all love & I hate...."
He seemed quite detailed in his emails, and if he left the Michael Moore encounter out, there was a good reason.
Picked up on the 24th of March by whomever.
Told family he was leaving the country on 30th of March.
Suit filed on 5th of April. (I still think this suit had nothing to do with his release -- time zone wise.)
Released on the 6th of April.
Last contact with the family on the 9th of April.
Last seen leaving hotel on the 10th of April.
Body found the 8th of May.
Video released on May 11th, around lunchtime if I recall correctly.
Is that right?
Duh...that was April 9 in the story when his parents last heard from him...sorry, I am so anxious to get out of here today for the weekend. Geez, I even double-posted...
Apparently his body was found on the 8th:
Sydney Morning Herald
May 29, 2004 Saturday
SECTION: News And Features; News Review; Pg. 33
HEADLINE: Who Killed Nick Berg?
(snip)
While this video shows a human body having its head chopped off, it does not necessarily portray an act of murder. Berg's headless body was found dumped on a Baghdad roadside on Saturday, May 8.
Three days later, the "live beheading" clip was uploaded from London to the Malaysian website www.al-ansar.biz. The statement in the video is signed with al-Zarqawi's name, dated May 11. After Fox News and CNN had downloaded the video, it disappeared from the site.
758 posted on 05/28/2004 1:32:03 PM PDT by Nita Nupress
Nita, isn't that the day the body was found? I wonder if they could tell how long he'd been dead.
Done.
And it isn't hard work; this is the FUN part of FR, IMO! I love it when we all work together!
Done!
"I knew he was decapitated before," said the father, Michael Berg. "That manner is preferable to a long and torturous death."
Body found the 8th of May.
Curious that they would have held him for almost a whole month before killing him or at least saying they had him.
Rennes, who posted that link to the Philadelphia Muslim guy late last night, do you remember? The one about the crack vials?
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