8/7/2006

Antoinette Wood

The controversial director screened the film this weekend, ignoring requests not to.

Director Michael Moore is ruffling feathers again but this time it's not because of the president.  
  
The Traverse City Film Festival had two screenings of Moore's documentary, "Jesus Camp" which examines a summer camp for born-again Christian children. The documentary drew ire from Magnolia Films, the company concerned that association with the outspoken director would damage relationships with conservative circles. They urged the organizers of the festival to drop Moore's film. Magnolia acquired North American distribution rights to the documentary last week.  
  
But Moore screened the film anyway saying he had no intention of showing the film but producers begged him to. "Then they sent me the film this week to show it in the festival," he said. "Then, one day before its screening, after all its tickets have been sold, they sent me and the press a fax saying they want the film pulled."  
  
The screenings went on as planned Friday and Saturday. Many considered Moore's handling of the subject matter to be fair and objective. Magnolia Films president Eamonn Bowles said, "It's very neutral, right down the middle, and different people take away different things from it."  
  
"Jesus Camp" has won top jury awards at this year's Tribeca Film Festival and AFI SilverDocs Film Festival.