Politics is the theme of the day at Cannes May 17. Young Austrian Hans Weingartner --brings German film up to speed with 'The Edukators'. "Many young people yearn for radical political change, but there's a real lack of new suggestions," says Hans Weingartner. "We live in a society that's so individualistic that the idea of group action has become impossible, or nearly. 'The Edukators' tells a story of resistance – a story of poetic resistance."

Sean Penn was on hand for 'The Assassination of Richard Nixon', based on the true occurrence of a depressed furniture salesman who planned to crash his plane into the White House. Its the first film to get permission be filmed at an airport since 9/11. Sean Penn is Sam Blicke who has lost everything--house, family and job while Nixon's scandals are broadcast on TV. Ironically, his boss retorts that politicians are the biggest salesman of all.
“I haven't seen Michael Moore's film", said Penn, "but I respect him a lot and I'm certain that Fahrenheit 9/11 reflects the current situation. Personally I never thought I'd find myself in Cannes feeling regrets about Richard Nixon!”


Michael Moore left his baseball cap in the hotel room and dressed up in black suit and tie for press conference (with six bodyguards) and premiere. Essentially, he knows 'Fahrenheit 911' is destined for cineplexes in shopping malls: it's not an art house piece. He worked on doc until last week, hence the pictures of the prison ill treatment of Iraqi soldiers is new to doc. More can be added to the US version upon release in July.
Moore says that Bush gets all the laughs in the film and hopes he doesn't want 'screen credits'. Its is the President "who despises our troops. What he doesn't get is that immorality breeds immorality. It's like a fish that shakes from head to fin".
There are Mooreantics such as reading up the 'Patriot Act' outside of Congress in an ice cream truck, and standing with a young Marine who deserted the war, asking Congressman milling around to let their sons enlist. The film includes news clips from free lancers in the field and interviews-- such as with US soldiers in tents in Iraq who reveal what they really think about the war. Moore asks how is it possible with huge news teams in the field --why haven't we seen these images?
Moore goes to town with Bush family ties to oil and dysfunctional family relation with the Bin Ladens. The filmmaker ties the film to the message in George Orwell's '1984' --the need to keep people in constant fear so that they will ask for protection. He is confident about the American people though whom he believes have 'been sold a lie' by the powers that be 'who are really good it'--'once they have the information, they will do what is right'
The filmmaker claims his goal is not to get Bush to lose the election but to stop the war.


Moira Sullivan