Fahrenheit 9/11 (film)
"Fahrenheit 9/11" is a documentary film by Michael Moore, released in 2004 during a highly polarized U.S. presidential election year. The film critiques President George W. Bush, exploring his leadership and the rationale behind the Iraq War, which many viewed as controversial. With a blend of provocative news footage, investigative reporting, and humor, Moore presents a narrative that portrays Bush as dishonest and incompetent, suggesting that his justification for the war was a façade for personal motivations. The film also touches on the aftermath of the 2000 presidential election and highlights various connections between Bush and the bin Laden family.
Originally intended for release through Disney's Miramax, the film faced distribution challenges but ultimately reached audiences through a company established specifically for its release. "Fahrenheit 9/11" achieved significant acclaim, winning numerous awards, including the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and it became the highest-grossing documentary in history. While it sparked national discussions about the Iraq War and government policies, critics argued that it primarily resonated with a liberal audience, potentially failing to persuade those with differing views. Nonetheless, the film's impact solidified the role of documentary filmmaking as a political communication tool in the United States.
On this Page
Fahrenheit 9/11 (film)
Identification: Award-winning documentary critical of US President George W. Bush that faults his administration for misleading the public over the Iraq War
Director: Michael Moore
Date: Released June 24, 2004
Michael Moore’s unabashed critique of President George W. Bush was released during the 2004 presidential election year, when opinions about the validity of the Iraq War and the president’s leadership ability were significantly polarized. With its provocative news footage, creative assemblage, and investigative reporting tinged with humor, Fahrenheit 9/11 was praised by those on the left of the political spectrum, but deemed unpatriotic propaganda by those on the right.
For the title of Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore drew upon Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, the classic literary work about censorship and the suppression of knowledge. Instead of “451,” the temperature at which paper combusts, Moore uses “9/11”, a reference to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The film begins with the contested election of George W. Bush in 2000. It then examines his past military record, business career, and relationship with the bin Laden family and other Saudis. The film portrays Bush as a dishonest, incompetent, and conflicted president. Without subtlety, Fahrenheit 9/11 alleges that Bush’s stated reason for going to war in Iraq—to disarm the country of weapons of mass destruction—was a smokescreen for a more personal motive. The film includes footage of President Bush reading to elementary school students, and being interrupted by a staff member who informs him of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, DC.
A production of Moore’s Dog Eat Dog Films, Fahrenheit 9/11 was supposed to be released by Disney’s Miramax, until Disney backed out of the agreement. The film was then distributed by Fellowship Adventure Group, the company established specifically for Fahrenheit 9/11 by the owners of Miramax, Harvey and Bob Weinstein, along with Lions Gate Entertainment and IFC Films. Following its release, Fahrenheit 9/11 won twenty-six awards and twelve nominations worldwide, including Favorite Motion Picture from the People’s Choice Awards and the Palme d’Or, the highest honor at the Cannes Film Festival. The film became the highest-grossing documentary ever.
Impact
Regarded by many as the most thought-provoking and polarizing film of the year, if not the decade, Fahrenheit 9/11 generated a national discussion over the Bush administration’s reasoning behind the Iraq War, the validity of the USA PATRIOT Act, and the role of documentary films in politics. Many critics thought Moore was simply preaching to his previously well-established liberal audience, and that the film did little to change attitudes among centrist and conservative thinkers. President Bush was reelected in November 2004. Nonetheless, the film introduced the documentary genre as a tool of political communication for both major political parties in the United States.
Bibliography
Ebert, Roger. “Fahrenheit 9/11.” RoberEbert.com. RogerEbert.com, 24 June 2004. Web. 29 Aug. 2012.
Scott, Bowles. “Fahrenheit 9/11 Torches Box Office Records.” USA Today 27 June 2004. Print.
Vesely, Milan. “Fahrenheit 9/11.” Middle East 348 (Aug.–Sep. 2004): 18–19. Print.