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 wonder, did Moore make any comments about Nick Berg, in particular, before yesterday?
That is a very good question.
I'm not yet saying it "connects the dots", but the known factors you bring up and the lines you draw between them in this post are certainly huge possibilities.
WHAT DID MICHAEL MOORE KNOW ABOUT NICK BERG. WHEN DID HE KNOW IT?
The BBC has picked up on this story.
I think we should make a documentary.
Hey, those guys who wrote the book about Moore...maybe THEY would know something!
SUBPOENA FedEx records from Iraq to Moore!!
Good. If BBC gets it, it will get into some American press.
The father sued Rumsfeld.
We'll hear in about 20 minutes, but I found it curious that nothing was said during the Today show this morning, and add, Katie took the day off.
I see very general references to time and dates. No EDT vs.Baghdad DT. So I'm assuming that time references are from the perspective of MSB. He was also working the phones to federal authorities, so I'm sure that the suit was threatened and prepared for by the feds. As in "if this clown does file a suit, we won't be able to protect his kid anymore".
When the only cheerleaders claiming he was a "huge Bush supporter" was his father and family, it was truly suspicious. Gosh - I know everyone who would interview friends of mine would discover EVERYONE said I was a major league conservative and Bush supporter.
Nothing has ever fully meshed with the way Berg was portrayed by his father.
Yes.
I remember posting that same sentiment on the thread about Moore having spies in Iraq!
Ask Fred Barnes on FOX about his lies.
Alien ooze maybe.
This is one of the most interesting/fascinating/weird tales I have ever seen dissected on FR. Please count me in as very intrigued. I am pretty far along in concluding that Berg whose father was SUING THE US GOVERNMENT was just like his old man and doing his old man's business in Iraq til it was decided that he really would serve a better purpose.
It occurs to me that if someone wants contracts for working in a country currently occupied by U.S. forces, it might be helpful to be thought of as a supporter of the President and the war effort.
I would add the spies were for France also, thus the hand palm award at Cannes.
I DEMAND THE RELEASE OF THIS FOOTAGE!!!!!!!!!! NOW!!!!!!!!! Obviously Michael Moore doesn't want us to see it probably because it makes the thesis of his sick movie a farce. He's just hiding behind Nick Berg's weird papa.
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