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.
Someone here found Prometheus Communications on a pay-for business data base. I believe it was Bloomberg's.
Someone here found Prometheus Communications on a pay-for business data base. I believe it was Bloomberg's. ...
Phooey... I should have said it wasn't registered anywhere officially, though - like in a state... rather like you might "create" a Mary Kay business name for yourself, I gather.
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Daddy's lawsuit insisting Nick be released into Iraq's general population was the tongue down the throat.
"Nick Berg (jr) was a known supporter Bush and his actions"
For over a decade we have heard the left wing seminar callers call Rush, Sean, and local conservative talk show hosts and claim to be Republicans and conservatives. Then they rip into republicans, conservatives and the past 4 years GW.
This year, Jim Rob has yanked the plug on many of deeply rooted Trolls in Free Republic. They claimed to be life long and real conservatives. Yet, everything they posted or replyed was right out of the DNC handbook of how to attack GW.
When we hear a statement like the above from a lying lunatic Lib like the senior Berg, we must ask a basic question about lying lunatic libs.
"When do lunatic libs stop lying?"
I had forgotten about that.
I think you may be referring to what MM wrote on his own website a few weeks back. Seems to me it was posted here, and emailed to me by a deluded lib friend. (who believed it). I remember about him having a spy in Iraq too. I think that may be the source of the info.
It was during that time that Hollinger learned his boss was an ardent supporter of President Bush and the United States efforts in Iraq. He also noticed Berg was always reading books pertaining to Jewish and Middle Eastern history.
So, at least one person besides M. Berg has said this. I'm still suspicious, though. Ever look at Prometheus' website? It looks pretty liberal to me.
Didn't know about that.
Where's Berg's vehicle? Where's his possessions? Where are the people he knew in Iraq?
Lots of info missing.
Someone earlier on this thread offered a scenario that the "interview" was setting up Berg going off as one of Moore's spies that he has bragged he sent over.
This poster theorized the taped "interview" would be along the lines of how easy it was going to be to sneak into Iraq and pull the wool over the dumb Bush crowd, by going in as a supposed Bush/war supporter.
The theory went that if Berg was working for Moore, then upon completion of his mission they would juxtapose this with footage of his travels in Iraq pulling off the plan that they had earlier discussed.
IIRC, from previous press reports, Nick Berg was released on April 6th. He was offered a free flight back to the US from Baghdad. Nick Berg refused saying that he wanted to go back to the US via Kuwait on his own voilition.
Perhaps Berg warned Kerry not to call too much attention to the situation, realizing that the more press looked at it the more questions would be asked.
I read somewhere that Nick's dad, a retired teacher, was Nick's business manager. Where did I read that Nick had made approximately $70,000 while he was in Iraq? Correct me, please, if my memory is shakey.
I read that, too. In some of the first stories on the day the video came out.
"Lots of info missing."
Somebody wants this whole story to just dissapear. The media have dropped this beheading like a hot potato.
.......anyone else have a helicopter flying over their house?? :)
Quite possible. I want to know who was filming for Moore. I bet the FBI does as well.
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