|
Moore's film on SA television
27/10/2004 09:52 - (SA)
|
|
|
 |
|
| Filmmaker Michael Moore. (AP File) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Johannesburg - As America gears up for its tightly contested 2004 election, the attention of global television audiences is moving to the land of the stars and stripes.
Now, just one day before the US polls open, M-Net viewers will see the headline-making documentary Fahrenheit 9/11.
The channel has changed its schedule to accommodate an exclusive TV screening of Fahrenheit 9/11 on November 1, at 20:35.
There will also be a five-minute introduction to the film at 20:30, led by Carte Blanche anchor Derek Watts, and, at 22:00, the screening will be followed by an in-depth live Carte Blanche studio discussion.
In this special, Watts and a panel of experts will talk about the relevance of the film and the firestorm it has ignited in the media.
Still on movie circuit
M-Net secured the rights for one exclusive South African TV screening of the film from distributors Paramount earlier this week. This is the first time in South Africa that a movie will be broadcast on television while it is still on the circuit.
Jan du Plessis, head of M-Net's programming division, describes the deal as a big coup for M-Net: "There's usually a window of 18 months for a film to move from cinema to television.
Now M-Net is screening it on South African television before it has even gone to video or DVD in the country. But Fahrenheit 9/11 has broken many rules and conventions and we're delighted that we got permission to screen it at such an opportune time."
Written and directed by outspoken American filmmaker Michael Moore, Fahrenheit 9/11 is described by www.imdb.com as "Michael Moore's view on what happened to the United States after September 11; and how the Bush Administration allegedly used the tragic event to push forward its agenda for unjust wars in Afghanistan and Iraq."
Released to audiences around the globe, the documentary won the prestigious Golden Palm at this year's Cannes Film Festival. But along with the widespread praise the movie has also attracted some fiery criticism and viewers will have to make up their own minds about the truthfulness and significance of Michael Moore's latest effort.
Other Michael Moore documentaries include Roger and Me and Bowling for Columbine.
Fascinating trivia about Fahrenheit 9/11
After its official showing at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival the movie was given what has been called "the longest standing ovation in the history of the festival".
Although the exact length of the applause is a matter of debate, journalists at the screening have reported it being in the area of 15 to 25 minutes.
The film is only the second ever documentary to win the Palm d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. It is the first American Documentary to win. The first was Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Louis Malle's Monde du silence, Le (1956).
Moore said his film is targeted at "the 50% of the American people who don't vote. Are they the elite? Are they the rich? Are they the well-educated? They are the poor, the working class, the single moms, the young people and the African-Americans."
Ranked number one in American box office receipts despite being on the fewest number of screens than its mainstream competition.
First ever documentary to cross the $100m mark in the United States.
Broke Rocky III's (1982) record for the biggest box office opening weekend ever for any film that opened in less than a thousand theatres.
- News24
|
