Fahrenheit 9/11

Fahrenheit 9/11

Company type	Documentary film
Industry	Film
Founded	2004
Founder	Michael Moore
Products	Documentary film about the Presidency of George W. Bush and the Iraq War

Fahrenheit 9/11 is a 2004 American documentary film created by Michael Moore, who directed, wrote, and appeared in the production. The film centers on the Presidency of George W. Bush, the Iraq War, and how the media reported on these events. Moore contends that major U.S. corporate news outlets endorsed the 2003 invasion of Iraq without delivering accurate or impartial scrutiny regarding the justifications for war and its human toll.

Its title alludes to Ray Bradbury’s 1953 work Fahrenheit 451, drawing a parallel between the ignition temperature of paper and the date of the September 11 attacks. One promotional slogan read, "The Temperature at Which Freedom Burns."

Debuting at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, Fahrenheit 9/11 secured the festival’s highest accolade, the Palme d'Or. While critics generally praised it, the film also ignited considerable debate about its factual reliability. Financially, it set a record as the top-grossing documentary at that time, generating over $220 million globally until surpassed by Michael Jackson's This Is It in 2009. A subsequent documentary, Fahrenheit 11/9, which focuses on the Trump administration, was released in September 2018.

Synopsis

The film opens by asserting that associates and political supporters of George W. Bush at Fox News played a role in influencing the outcome of the 2000 election through early declarations of Bush as victor. It further alleges that the management of the Florida recount constituted acts of electoral fraud.

The narrative then moves to the events of September 11 attacks, depicting Bush being notified about the first plane striking the World Trade Center while visiting an elementary school in Florida. Despite being informed about a second plane impact and that America was "under attack," Bush continued reading The Pet Goat with children for almost seven minutes.

Moore investigates longstanding connections involving the Bush family, the bin Laden family, the Saudi government, and the Taliban. He claims that shortly following 9/11, U.S. authorities evacuated 24 members of the bin Laden family without conducting interrogations.

The documentary scrutinizes Bush’s service record with the Texas Air National Guard and suggests that his unsuccessful oil ventures received partial funding from Saudi and bin Laden family sources through intermediary James R. Bath, whose role was omitted from official documents. These alleged conflicts imply that foreign interests were prioritized over American citizens by Bush’s administration. Additionally, Moore proposes alternative reasons behind the Afghanistan War, such as securing a strategic natural gas pipeline route to the Indian Ocean.

The film asserts that fear was deliberately amplified by the Bush administration via mass media channels, detailing counterterrorism initiatives including government infiltration into pacifist organizations and enactment of the USA PATRIOT Act.

Regarding the Iraq War, it contrasts life in Iraq before and after U.S. military intervention, portraying Iraqis as relatively content prior to conflict. The documentary criticizes U.S. media bias and war advocacy while highlighting abuses like those at Abu Ghraib prison.

Lila Lipscomb is featured mourning her son Sgt. Michael Pedersen, who died in 2003 near Karbala, questioning the justification for war.

Moore pays tribute to American soldiers, emphasizing that working-class citizens disproportionately enlist and face dangers on behalf of others. He insists that such troops should only be deployed when defending national interests is essential. The closing credits include Neil Young’s "Rockin' in the Free World" after Moore was refused rights to use The Who’s "Won't Get Fooled Again."

The film is dedicated to Moore’s friend lost on 9/11 as well as servicemen from Flint, Michigan, including Michael Pedersen, Brett Petriken, among others who died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Production

Originally, Mel Gibson's Icon Productions planned to finance Fahrenheit 9/11 with a substantial eight-figure cash investment and potential backend earnings. However, in May 2003, after Icon unexpectedly withdrew, Miramax Films and Wild Bunch took over the project. During contract talks, Weinstein proposed abandoning the project if Disney opposed it. Disney responded by asserting that the budget was merely bridge financing and expected Miramax to divest its interest publicly and refrain from releasing the film.

Despite these challenges, Miramax finalized production and conducted preview screenings that yielded strong audience reactions. Eisner was taken aback by Miramax’s persistence. Weinstein extended invitations to Disney executives to view the completed film; however, none accepted. Disney reiterated its refusal to distribute the movie and accused Weinstein of concealing it from production reports. On April 24, 2004, Production VP Brad Epstein viewed the film; although Weinstein reported Epstein’s favorable impression, Epstein’s official assessment was critical. Eisner confirmed that Disney’s board had decided to block the release. Weinstein sought assistance from Disney chairman George J. Mitchell, who declined to watch the film. Legal counsel David Boies was retained to explore resolution options alongside consultant Chris Lehane, who advised publicizing Disney’s decision through The New York Times.

On May 5, 2004, The New York Times disclosed Disney’s obstruction of the film’s distribution.</ref>

As a result of these complications, international distribution agreements were secured first. Subsequently, on May 28, 2004, following negotiations, Harvey and Bob Weinstein personally acquired the rights from Disney by reimbursing $6 million plus all completion and marketing expenses. The settlement included a provision that 60% of profits would be donated to charitable causes.

The Weinsteins established Fellowship Adventure Group to handle distribution and partnered with Lions Gate Entertainment—who had previously distributed Miramax-backed films like O and Dogma—alongside IFC Films for the U.S. theatrical release. Fellowship Adventure Group also oversaw U.S. home video distribution through Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment. Moore expressed his appreciation for their efforts in ensuring wide accessibility for audiences.

After receiving an R rating from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), Moore appealed for a PG-13 classification; however, his attorney Mario Cuomo was excluded from the appeal hearing. The request was denied on June 22, 2004; Cuomo attributed this outcome to his barred attendance. Some theaters defied MPAA guidelines by permitting teenagers without adult supervision to attend screenings.

Release

The Fellowship Adventure Group handled the film's theatrical distribution through an agreement with Lions Gate Entertainment. During its debut weekend (June 25–27, 2004), it generated $23.9 million across the United States and Canada, securing the top spot at the box office and exceeding the total U.S. theatrical revenue of all prior feature-length documentaries, including Moore's own Bowling for Columbine. The film made its debut in the United Kingdom on July 2, 2004, followed by a release in France on July 7, 2004.

Moore credited some of the movie’s financial achievement to conservative factions attempting to dissuade theaters from screening it, which he believed inadvertently increased its visibility. In contrast, progressive groups such as MoveOn.org promoted attendance to oppose these boycotts.

Fahrenheit 9/11 was shown in multiple Middle Eastern nations including the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, and Egypt, but faced a ban in Kuwait due to regulations prohibiting insults against allied countries. It was never exhibited in Saudi Arabia, where public cinemas remained closed until 2017. Following critiques partly sparked by the film, Saudi officials initiated an advertising campaign targeting nineteen U.S. cities. In U.S.-occupied Iraq, screenings were organized by Democratic members of the Coalition Provisional Authority at Baghdad’s Republican Palace (Iraq).

In Cuba, unofficial copies were circulated across about 120 theaters before being broadcast during prime time on state television. Questions emerged regarding Oscar eligibility because of this early TV airing; however, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences clarified that unauthorized broadcasts would not disqualify the film. The distributor responsible for Cuba denied any formal television agreement. Ultimately, Moore chose to forgo Oscar consideration to focus on a pay-per-view release scheduled for November 1, 2004.

Critical reception

The documentary was met with largely favorable critiques. According to Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an 82% approval rating based on 237 reviews, averaging a score of 7.33/10. The site’s summary notes: "Highly partisan in its critique of the Bush administration, yet compelling for its humor and the discussions it provokes." On Metacritic, it earned a score of 67 from 43 critics.

Renowned critic Roger Ebert gave it three and a half out of four stars, characterizing it as "less an exposé of George W. Bush than a portrayal of what Moore perceives as a failed and perilous presidency," commending Moore’s use of visual elements to revitalize familiar themes.

Joe Morgenstern from The Wall Street Journal described the film as "meandering, unsettling, and occasionally inspiring," recognizing its powerful political commentary and somber reflection on lives lost in Iraq, while noting that some arguments were undermined by Moore’s inclination to reach grim conclusions based on tenuous evidence.

Entertainment Weekly included Fahrenheit 9/11 in its decade-end "best-of" compilation, emphasizing that Moore’s anti-Bush stance struck a chord with millions of liberals in 2004 and contributed to making it the top-grossing documentary ever.

Commercial success

With global earnings exceeding $222 million, the film holds the record as the highest-grossing documentary ever, according to Box Office Mojo. It premiered in the United States and Canada on June 23, 2004, before expanding its release to 42 more countries. In a 2012 interview with Al-Jazeera, Moore stated that the worldwide gross approached approximately half a billion dollars. This title was Lionsgate's top-earning release until The Hunger Games surpassed it in 2012.

Home release

Following its theatrical run, Fahrenheit 9/11 became available on DVD and VHS on October 5, 2004. It set a new benchmark for documentary home-video sales, moving around two million units on its first day, including 1.4 million rentals. Concurrently, The Official Fahrenheit 9/11 Reader was published, containing the film’s screenplay, supporting documents, viewer correspondence, critical reviews, and related articles.

Television broadcasts

Initially planned as a three-hour "The Michael Moore Pre-Election Special" on iN DEMAND, the broadcast was canceled by iN DEMAND in mid-October 2004. Moore subsequently organized simultaneous airings on November 1, 2004, at 8:00 p.m. (EST) through Dish Network, TVN, and Cinema Now. Elements from the canceled program were incorporated into "Fahrenheit 9/11: A Movement in Time," which aired that same week on The Independent Film Channel.

Internationally, the documentary was shown on basic cable channels in Germany and Austria during early November 2004; it premiered on Channel 4 in the UK in January 2005; and was broadcast by various national networks across Hungary (2005–2006), Denmark (DR in April 2006), Norway (NRK in August 2006), New Zealand (TV ONE in September 2006), the Netherlands (Nederland 3), Belgium (Kanaal 2), and Brazil (TV Cultura in October 2008).

Soundtrack

The official soundtrack for Fahrenheit 9/11 was released by Rhino Entertainment on October 5, 2004.

Palme d'Or

At the 57th Cannes Film Festival in April 2004, the film was entered into competition for the prestigious Palme d'Or. Following its May debut, it received a standing ovation lasting between fifteen and twenty minutes; Miramax Films' Harvey Weinstein remarked that this was the longest ovation he had witnessed in over a quarter-century.

On May 22, 2004, it earned the Palme d'Or award, marking the first time a documentary had won since Jacques Cousteau and Louis Malle’s The Silent World in 1956. During his acceptance speech, Moore made political statements:

I have a sneaking suspicion that what you have done here and the response from everyone at the festival will assure that the American people will see this film. I can't thank you enough. You've put a huge light on this... I dedicate this Palme d'Or to my daughter, to the children of Americans and to Iraq and to all those who suffer from our actions.

Some U.S. conservative commentators, including Jon Alvarez of FireHollywood, argued that the award reflected a perceived French bias. Moore responded by noting that only one juror was French while four were American members of an international jury.

In response to allegations of political influence behind the award, Moore recounted that juror Quentin Tarantino assured him: "We are not here to give a political award... We awarded the art of cinema."

Cannes festival director Gilles Jacob later commented that although Moore’s talent was evident, the prize was granted more for political significance than purely cinematic merit. Tarantino defended their choice years afterward, stating: "That was a movie of the moment... it deserved everything it got."

People's Choice Award

The documentary received the People's Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture, marking a significant accomplishment for a film of its genre.

Golden Raspberry Awards

Approximately nine months following its Palme d'Or victory, Fahrenheit 9/11 indirectly influenced the 25th Golden Raspberry Awards, where George W. Bush, Donald Rumsfeld, and Condoleezza Rice were "honored" with Worst Actor, Worst Supporting Actor, and Worst Screen Couple awards respectively, due to their roles in the events of 9/11 and the Iraq conflict. Additionally, Britney Spears, who appeared in a pre-recorded segment endorsing Bush, received the Worst Supporting Actress award.

Controversies

Debuting just weeks prior to the 2004 United States presidential election, the film attracted considerable criticism. British-American journalist Christopher Hitchens accused it of presenting inaccuracies and misleading information, leading to responses from various commentators. Former New York City mayor Ed Koch, known as a Bush advocate, dismissed the documentary as propaganda filled with "numerous blatant falsehoods."

Moore's expectations for the 2004 presidential election

Released in June 2004, less than half a year before the 2004 election, Michael Moore expressed his desire to see "Mr. Bush removed from the White House," though he stopped short of openly endorsing candidate John Kerry. Moore hoped the film would impact voter sentiment, stating, "This may be the first time a film has this kind of impact." Nevertheless, some experts questioned its influence, suggesting it primarily reinforced pre-existing anti-Bush views. Moore intended the documentary as a catalyst to mobilize voters against Bush and boost participation. Despite its commercial success and cultural influence, George W. Bush secured re-election in 2004.

Because Moore permitted television broadcasts before Election Day, the film was deemed ineligible for the Best Documentary Feature category at the Academy Awards.

Lawsuit

In February 2011, Michael Moore filed a lawsuit against producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein seeking US$2.7 million in unpaid earnings, alleging they employed "Hollywood accounting tactics" to withhold payments. The Weinsteins refuted these allegations, stating Moore had already been paid US$20 million and dismissed his claims as "nonsense." The matter was ultimately resolved through a confidential settlement.

Subsequent film

On September 6, 2018, Moore released Fahrenheit 11/9, a documentary exploring the 2016 United States presidential election and the subsequent Trump administration. The title cleverly reverses the original film’s date from 9/11 to 11/9.

Further reading

• – Detailed information on the film’s funding.

External links

• Notes and sources on Moore's official website