Michael Moore finds possible new distributor - The heads of Miramax

[Sandpiper]

This would be great. The heads of Miramax buy Moore's film and distribute it on their own as the ultimate FU to Eisner

Moore Eyes New US Distributor


Controversial director Michael Moore may have found a distributor for his new documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 despite Disney banning Miramax from releasing it - the Weinstein brothers themselves. According to American newspaper New York Daily News, Miramax owners Harvey and Bob Weinstein may buy the film as individuals. Last week the Dude, Where's My Country? author announced Disney had forbidden Miramax from distributing Fahrenheit 9/11, which criticizes American President George W Bush's dealings before the Iraq war and links his political family to that of terror chief Osama Bin Laden. The film is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival this month and has secured a contract with Optimum Releasing to be distributed in the UK. A source told the New York Daily News the Weinsteins could buy the film and sell the distribution rights to another company. The source says, "There's a precedent for that - they did that with Kids and Dogma." Miramax spokesman Matthew Hiltzik denies the film is unpatriotic, explaining, "It's very respectful of the troops."

http://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/#celeb2

[derby378]

1. Dude, Where's My Premiere?

Wonderful news if they can pull it off. As long as the film gets released in September...

[K-W]

2. They woldnt distribute it themselves.

But if they bought the rights they could find a non-disney distributer, as long as mirimax owns the rights, disney is the only company who can distribute it.

[silverpatronus]

3. according to variety...

i'll find the thread in LBN and post it here...disney apparently won't sell it to miramax.

[Uroboros]

4. According to Reuters...

"Miramax Films said on Wednesday it has reached a deal with Miramax's owners, the Walt Disney Co., allowing it to find a new distributor for director Michael Moore's controversial documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11," which Disney refused to distribute."

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtmltype=entertainmentNews&storyID=5123660

And as a side note; my company deals with Miramax on graphic related work and I've seen the movie poster for the film which works off the whole Disney controversy.

Miramax may have jumped the gun with the poster; but the movie will come out one way or another I'm sure.

[ShaneGR]

5. How much free advertising has he gotten out of this?

Mark my words, Disney will distribute this film, and make a fortune off of it too. And if Disney doesn't, some subsidiary of theirs will.

Brilliant media exposure strategy if you ask me.