Moore: Film will ruin Bush
2004-05-16 21:16
London - US director Michael Moore says the White House is trying to keep his latest movie out of US cinemas because it could seriously damage President George W Bush's re-election hopes.
The powerful documentary is to be shown at the Cannes film festival on Monday.
Fahrenheit 911 outlines Bush's actions after the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.
It also explores commercial links between the Bush family and the family of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Oscar-winning Moore claims it will turn voters against "the dumbest man who ever ran for the presidency".
The maverick director alleges there is a conspiracy to stop the film being shown in the US before November's presidential election.
An unnamed senior Republican politician, "someone connected to the White House", got the firms that bankrolled it to drop their commitments, he said.
Production company Miramax is now seeking a deal to buy out the US rights to the film after parent group Disney reneged on a distribution deal, Moore added.
But he added that nothing has yet resulted that would allow the film to come out in the US.
"That's the intent in trying to stop this film - so people don't see it before the election," he said.