Embattled 9/11 movie opens to priase (anti-American film praised in Venice Film Festival)

Associated Press ^ | September 5, 2002 | Associated Press

[zapiks44]

Embattled 9/11 movie opens to praise

- - - - - - - - - - - - ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sept. 5, 2002  |  VENICE, Italy (AP) --

A controversial movie about the Sept. 11 attacks was received enthusiastically at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday, with the audience reportedly giving the longest applause to a segment considered among the most hostile to the United States.

The French-backed project, "11'09"01", consists of short films by 11 international directors. The movie -- which includes segments directed by Sean Penn, Ken Loach and Mira Nair -- has been accused of being anti-American, which the producers deny.

At Thursday's screening, the audience of mainly film-industry and media guests applauded after each segment and at the end of the 135-minute film, the ANSA news agency reported.

ANSA said the longest applause was for British filmmaker Loach's segment, which features an exiled Chilean living in Britain who writes a letter to the families of the Sept. 11 victims. He tells them that in Chile on Sept. 11, 1973, a U.S.-supported coup d'etat ushered in an era of torture and death.

Another controversial segment is by Egyptian director Youssef Chahine. In it, the ghost of a U.S. Marine who was killed in a terrorist attack in Lebanon in 1983 is lectured about destruction caused by U.S. meddling in the world -- from Hiroshima to the Middle East.

"11'09"01" also will be shown at the Toronto Film Festival, on Sept. 11. It opens in France and a dozen other countries on that date. There are no immediate plans for a U.S. release.

Other films drawing attention in Venice on Thursday were "Dolls," by Japanese director Takeshi Kitano, and Polish director Agnieszka Holland's "Julie Walking Home." They are among 21 movies in competition.

Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni was honored for a celebration of his life's work. On Wednesday night, celebrities including Milla Jovovich, Julie Delpy and Elizabeth Berkeley showed up for an AIDS research fund-raiser on the sidelines of the festival. It raised more than $500,000 for the American Foundation for AIDS Research, or AMFAR, officials said Thursday.

The Venice festival began Aug. 29 and ends Sunday.

[zapiks44]

Apparently, the Middle-East isn't the only place where anti-American propaganda is hugely popular among the masses...

[Red Jones]

There are no immediate plans for a U.S. release.

I am so disappointed.

[Kermit]

No masses, just the usual suspects = "...the audience of mainly film-industry and media guests..."

[weikel]

He tells them that in Chile on Sept. 11, 1973, a U.S.-supported coup d'etat ushered in an era of torture and death.

BS Pinochet was a great man who saved Chile from communism and as long as you weren't a communist he basically ruled as a libertarian. The problem was the CIA didn't install Pinochet in the US. Pinochet in the US that would be nice buh bye income tax, welfare state and other annoying government BS.

[weikel]

Pinochet the man hated by the left more than any other.

[be131]

He tells them that in Chile on Sept. 11, 1973, a U.S.-supported coup d'etat ushered in an era of torture and death.

I don't see how anyone could argue with this statement. If you think the end justifies the means, you can try to make the case. The Chilean people obviously don't agree, since they threw Pinochet out as soon as they got the chance.

[Publius6961]

Envy has myriad faces.

I welcome the compliment.
Why would all the loser nations listed make films criticizing each other?
What would be the point?

That which is insignificant easily is ignored.
'Nuff said.

[pittsburgh gop guy]

But a man that the people of Chile have mixed feelings about. About half love him and half hate him. And some of the people from the poorest regions are the ones that love him the most, for he did a lot to try to improve the poorer regions of Chile.

As for this film, the producers can bite me. I am so tired of anti-Americanism in all its forms, and I am ready to kick some ass, and not just Muslim terrorist ass. French surrender monkey ass. German forget who saved them from themselves ass. The rest of Europe that forgets who saved their ass. South American don't really care but Yankee-go-home ass. And anyone else that I left out.

[weikel]

The ones who don't like Pinochet are either leftist or fools.

[pittsburgh gop guy]

"The ones who don't like Pinochet are either leftist or fools."

Or have relatives that were leftists or fools that had gone "missing."

I loved Chile when I was there earlier this year. Really surprised by how modern a country it is. Also surprised by all the people of Germanic descent that are there - and not just ones from the last 60 years, but some families that have been there for more than 100 years.

[weikel]

Communist, Nazis, Fundamentalist Islamics etc. These are evil people following evil ideologies. You cannot reason with them their zeal for their respective evil causes is based on faith not reason. They fight dirty and are utterly ruthless thus if you wish to stop them you must be just as ruthless as them. The only solution is to kill them before they kill or enslave you and any free society that wishes to survive should get this through their head and be swift, ruthless, efficient and brutal about it. Too many on the right wish to play nice with these groups but you have to be willing to act without pity in exterminating these vermin which is what Pinochet and Franco did and why the left hates them.

[Clemenza]

Bump for Augusto Pinochet, Savior of Chile and greatest Latin American leader of the post WWII era!