Michael Moore, collaborator

What tangled webs some cretins weave.

United Arab Emirates based Front Row Entertainment is planning to release Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 in the Middle East beginning on July 14 according to managing director Gianluca Chacra. The film will first be sent out on 18 screens in the United Arab Emirates and will be released in Syria (2 screens), Jordan (3 screens), Lebanon (10 screens) and Egypt (5 screens) six days later on July 20.

Other territories which Front Row will handle include Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia – however, all of the above countries are awaiting censorship clearance. According to Chacra, Saudi Arabia “does not have theatres as interaction between males and females is forbidden, yet, they’ve offered to have it on one screen with different shows for females and males. We’re scared most of these countries will have a problem (with censorship approval) due to the Saudi content in the film. Yet, with the Dubai Film Festival coming up, I think they’ll want to show the world they’re quite democratic and open-minded.”

In terms of marketing the film, Front Row is getting a boost from organisations related to Hezbollah which have rung up from Lebanon to ask if there is anything they can do to support the film. And although Chacra says he and his company feel strongly that Fahrenheit is not anti-American, but anti-Bush, “we can’t go against these organisations as they could strongly boycott the film in Lebanon and Syria.” As it is too early to have materials available from the film’s sales agent Wild Bunch, its US producer Miramax or distributor Lions Gate, Front Row created a teaser poster (pictured) but declined a free set of materials from a printing press run by Pakistanis as this could be deemed as an inappropriate source - “cinemas in the UAE are often frequented by US Marines who come over from Iraq on the weekends.” Front Row, which also worked with Moore’s Bowling For Columbine, is setting a precedent with Fahrenheit as it is the first documentary ever to be released theatrically in the territory. Bowling went straight to video and had a healthy run. Indeed, Moore is, explains Chacra, “considered an Arab supporter,” locally.

Question: Prior to 9/11, what terrorist organization had killed more Americans than any other?

Hezbollah.

Now can we question this pastry-addled rat bastard's patriotism?

More here. (Hat tip: InstaPundit.)

UPDATE 061904: Hezbollah fighters moved to Iraq for operations against U.S.