FAHRENHEIT 9/11 aka FAHRENHEIT 911
Year: 2004
USA: Lions Gate Films
UK: Optimum Releasing
Cast: Michael Moore, George W Bush
Director: Michael Moore
Country: USA
USA: 112 mins
UK: 122 mins
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong language and real images of war horror
USA Release Date: 25 June 2004
UK Release Date: 9 July 2004
Synopsis
One of the most controversial and provocative films of the year, FAHRENHEIT 9/11 was the winner of the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival 2004 and is Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore's searing examination of the Bush administration's actions in the wake of the tragic events of 9/11.
With his characteristic humor and dogged commitment to uncovering the facts, Moore considers the presidency of George W Bush and where it has led us. He looks at how - and why - Bush and his inner circle avoided pursuing the Saudi connection to 9/11, despite the fact that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis and Saudi money had funded Al Qaeda. FAHRENHEIT 9/11 shows us a nation kept in constant fear by FBI alerts and lulled into accepting a piece of legislation, the USA Patriot Act, that infringes on basic civil rights. It is in this atmosphere of confusion, suspicion and dread that the Bush Administration makes its headlong rush towards war in Iraq - and FAHRENHEIT 9/11 takes us inside that war to tell the stories we haven't heard, illustrating the awful human cost to US soldiers and their families
FAHRENHEIT 9/11 has already caused controversy as the film's original backers, Disney - whose Miramax film unit produced the movie - pulled out citing concerns over its apparent political bias. Harvey and Bob Weinstein, the founders of Miramax, personally bought back the rights from parent company Disney.
Michael Moore is the Academy Award winning director of the landmark film, BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE (2002), awarded the 55th Anniversary Prize at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival as well as the Cesar Award for Best Foreign Film. BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE is the highest grossing narrative documentary of all time, and is credited with opening the door to the new wave of popularly successful non-fiction films.