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 have been wondering about that; as I said up the thread, about as likely as all those people who knew or worked for the Clintons being dead.
What'll you bet it shows Nick Berg saying stuff about how he's excited to go to Iraq and he's not afraid of all the friendly people.
I wish to see the young mans voter registraion as well as
whether he voted and who he voted for in 1996, 2000, 2002.
HELLO???? What's that about???
I am not surprised by this. I'm very glad to hear that verified, nevertheless.
I'm still going over old articles looking for some reference to his tools. I can't find any so far. Maybe they just didn't mention them, but honestly, how can you repair or build these towers without any tools?
I tend to see the world through rose colored glasses after midnight, but be assured I'm back to my ol' sceptical self this morning.
You can't find out to see who he voted for, but you can check out his party registration since PA is a closed primary system.
"Well one can se fairly sure that the interview with Nick Berg isn't something Moore thinks he can use to push his agenda or it would be in the film."
The film was completed before Berg came into the news.
Fred Barnes not only wrote a column about how Moore lied about having an interview w/Barnes, Fred also announced it on FN and said he'd NEVER even met Moore...ever. Moore is such a congenital liar that he doesn't even notice that his pants are on fire.
"There is more evidence here showing suspicious activity of Michael Moore and Nick Berg than there is between President Bush and the bin Laden family flight out of the country. I think we should make a documentary.
"Hey, those guys who wrote the book about Moore...maybe THEY would know something!"
Your statement above, might send a gigantic shiver into the Whale known as Michael Moore.
Please look at my tagline. What if several thousand Freepers used that tagline for a few weeks/months?
When the name "Ted Koppel" is mentioned, the term "Intelligent" does not come to mind, does it?
And you show that support in our town by contributing to the party! It might be why the father can say his son was a Bush supporter...the father has the contribution records.
I can go with that; I sure do feel like I've "seen" some of these posters around here before! But after six years, I'm beginning to lose my edge!
Oh, good!!!!
He was in Oklahoma City which is where he loaned his password to Zacharias Moussawi (20th hijacker).
I think that Berg has been a "player" since before he went to Oklahoma.
You need to have PKM tell you about Berg at OU with some of the Islamokazis.
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