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Harvey Weinstein, the American film mogul, touched down in Cannes yesterday with a crack team of lawyers and PRs briefed to cushion a predicted backlash at SICKO, Michael Moore’s expose of the US healthcare system. The film was financed by the Weinstein Company and is set to screen on Saturday.
Earlier, Weinstein told journalists that the film’s negative had been spirited from the US to prevent government attempts to seize it. “It was like a middle-of-the-night operation from a spy novel, moving your negative to another country,” he said.
Moore’s latest polemic is expected to prove even more controversial than his 2004 Palme d’Or winner Fahrenheit 911 – an outspoken critique of US foreign policy.
The film has already landed Moore in trouble with the US Treasury. Officials are investigating the director for possible breaches of America’s trade embargo with Cuba. In February, he took former rescue workers suffering breathing problems caused by the September 11 attacks for treatment there to highlight deficiencies in the American system – allegedly without authorisation.
Moore has described SICKO as “a comedy about 45 million people with no health care in the richest country on earth.”
A statement on his website elaborates: “We pay significantly more than any other country in the world – and get less back. Americans life expectancy is lower than other developed countries and our infant mortality rates are higher. And our heroic Ground Zero 9/11 workers live in a society where the Bush Administration has shown more concern about their travel than their health.”
SICKO will be screened in an out-of-competition slot at Cannes and so is not eligible for the Palme d’Or prize for best film. It will be released in America on June 29.
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To all of those people who are sticking it to Moore, disagreeing with him or saying he is just doing it for the money etc , I dont care, its about time someone revealed the situation of medical and healthcare in the US.
I lived in the US with my American wife and our two children, I worked in Chicago and when the firm went under I was lucky to take only three months to find a new job but in that three months i had no healthcare. The worry you go through with children with no coverage is unreal.
I was lucky, but I have friends whose companies dont offer healthcare and its too expensive to pay for privately so they pray no one gets really sick.
Its a crime, so even if Moore twists and exaggerates its far less of a crime than the politicans and companies that benefit from keeping the system in private hands.
Paul, London,
Michael Moore makes broad points which need making, of which the travesty of 50m people with no healthcare in the US is certainly an important one. Unfortunately he chooses to make these points in a cynically sensationalist manner, often vastly distorting reality, in an ironic reflection of the Government propaganda he claims to abhor. The shame is that many people make these arguments much more eloquently, intelligently, and honestly than he does; unfortunately far more people get their arguments from Moore, perpetuating his deliberate distortions. I haven't seen Sicko yet, but if what James Christopher says about it's depiction of the NHS is true, then it seems this particular propagandist isn't for turning.
Michael, Oxford, UK
A country that claims to be the "BEST IN THE WORLD" should have broad enough shoulders, and enough maturity to take a good look in the mirror and at least attempt to be honest about what it sees..
Jean, London, UK
Thought for "Mike, Wilmington, USA". If your government put someone "away for good" for criticising it, would you still have the "freedoms" you claim Moore is abusing? Think carefully, if you are capable, beforre answering.
Garrick, Luton, UK
yet again moore exposes the dirty underbelly of usa society. billions spent on killing people but can they save their own? evidently not.
slums of La filled with migrant workers, mid west state ly empty due to poverty and high unemployment. moores tells us all. wake up and face the truth proganda and all.
Robert, London, UK
More food for the 'useful idiots'. When will they cop on that Moore is relying on their stupidity to line his own big fat pockets. We all klnow what a marvelous benefactor Moore is with all the millions he gives to the causes he cares so passionately about. Moore is a hypocrite of the very worst kind, anyone who pays to see his rubbish movies deserves to be fleeced of their cash....a fool and his money are soon parted and Moore is laughing all the way to the bank.
Vivica, London, England
Michael Moore does distort the facts and is a sensationalist but he is probably right as he was
overall in his film Fahrenheit 9/11.it's about time the US had a national health system and realized that a society that leaves everything to market forces is a brutal,backward and uncivilized
david, london, UK
Moore's a propogandist and nothing more.
He trashes the country he lives in while taking advantage of the freedoms it gives him to do so. Only an idiot would buy into his schtick. Only an idiot. I PRAY The US Government will make an example out of this clown and put him away for good.
Mike, Wilmington, US
moore is correct its a shame for our country that we have plus 40 million uninsured while we are spending billions of dollars killing people in iraq.
willem, los angeles, california, usa
The reason the US infant mortality rate is high it's because we have a huge population of women from cultures that do not believe in or are too messed up on booze and/or drugs themselves to have regular check-ups during their pregnancy.
Did we have universal health insurance during the Clinton 8 years?
And by the way, why doesn't Moore, Weinstein and their left-wing cronies go and live in that paradise called Cuba?
irene polivka, Basking Ridge, New Jersey