Michael Moore and his movie 'Sicko' in Cannes

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http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,23663,21759822-5012929,00.html

 

Michael Moore festival's hottest ticket

By Marc Burleigh in Cannes

May 18, 2007 09:04pm

Article from: Agence France-Presse

 

THREE years after triumphing at Cannes, Michael Moore returns tomorrow

with his latest documentary, already regarded as the hottest ticket at

the film festival.

The world premiere of Sicko, a biting and polemical look at

the US health system, is considered such a must-see by thousands of

critics and reporters that it is being shown in the festival's biggest

theatre - even though it's not even in the official competition.

His last film, Fahrenheit 9/11 took Cannes's Palme d'Or trophy in

2004 for its scathing criticism of the White House and US President

George W. Bush's reaction to the September 11, 2001 attacks and the war

on Iraq.

The festival premiered his Bowling for Columbine in 2002.

This time, Moore is taking on not only the US Government's national

health policies, but also the ultra-powerful private health insurance

companies.

Already, he has found himself in hot water for one of his trademark

stunts depicted in the new documentary, in which he allegedly took a few

emergency workers from Ground Zero in New York to Cuba for medical

treatment.

US authorities have started a probe against him for the February trip to

the communist island, which is essentially off-limits to US citizens

without special permission.

Moore himself was coy about the trip, telling The Hollywood

Reporter trade magazine, “What if we didn't intend to go to Cuba at

all? ... You'll see what we were really doing and what was really going

on” when the film is finally shown.

“I think that somehow by making some sort of example of me, that helps

them (US authorities) with a certain community in terms of voters,” he

said.

A spokeswoman for the Weinstein Company that produced Moore's film said

the documentary “has been placed in a secret location outside the country

(outside the US)” because of fears it might be taken by US

officials.

Harvey Weinstein, owner of the Weinstein Company, said in a statement

that a letter sent to Moore by the US treasury department “suggests that

the Bush administration is proactively trying to discredit the

film”.

Moore has repeatedly struck out at Bush, and during his Fahrenheit

9/11 visit to Cannes, he said he hoped his film would block the US

President's re-election - a gambit which failed.

Sicko is to screen in a red-carpet seance in Cannes tomorrow in

the festival's principal 2000 seat Lumiere theatre usually reserved for

Palme competition films.

Weinstein, who is famed in the movie business for generating controversy

to create publicity for films, and plain-speaking Moore will both be on

hand to present the documentary.

But it's back at home in the US the two will face pressure for the

work.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America has already

issued a statement attacking Moore's record.

“A review of America's health care system should be balanced, thoughtful

and well-researched,” the statement said.

“You won't get that from Michael Moore.

“Michael Moore is a political activist with a track record for

sensationalism.

" He has no intention of being fair and balanced.”