# Fahrenheit 9/11 wins Palme d'Or at Cannes! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 23, 2004, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640 "2004-05-23T11:25:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/1 "2004-05-23T11:25:15Z")
I posted this in Cafe Society, but gobear mentioned putting it in the Pit, so here it is. I have no comment myself at this time other than I’m very happy about it. Results stolen from another site \*\*Cannes 2004 **WINNERS** \*\* _Palme d’Or_ **Fahrenheit 9/11** _Grand Jury Prize_ **Old Boy** _Jury Prize_ (TIE) **Tropical Malady** and \*\*Irma P. Hall for her role in The Ladykillers \*\* _Best Director_ **Tony Gatlif, Exils** _Best Actor_ **Yagira Yuya, Nobody knows** (he’s 14 years old!) _Best Actress_ **Maggie Cheung, Clean** _Best Screenplay_ \*\*Comme une Image (Look At Me) \*\* The Competition Jury was comprised of: Hong Kong helmer Tsui Hark, Finnish critic Peter von Bagh, vet director Jerry Schatzberg, Belgian comedian Benoit Poolevoorde, British thesp Tilda Swinton, actresses Kathleen Turner and Emmanuelle Beart, writer Edwidge Danticat, and headed by Quention Tarantino. **Fahrenheit 9/11** was the first documentary to win Cannes’ prestigious Palme d’Or since Jacques Cousteau’s “The Silent World” in 1956. ======== Full 2004 Cannes Film Festival lineup: _OPENING FILM_ **Bad Education,** Spain, Pedro Almodovar _CLOSING FILM_ **De-Lovely,** U.S. Irwin Winkler _INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION_ **La Nina Santa** - Argentina, Lucrecia Martel **Clean** - France-U.K., Olivier Assayas **Comme Une Image** - France, Agnes Jaoui **Exiles** - France, Tony Gatlif **Life is a Miracle** - France, Emir Kusturica **The Edukators** - Germany, Hans Weingartner **2046** - Hong Kong, Wong Kar-wai **Le Conseguenze Dell’Amore** - Italy, Paolo Sorrentino **Innocence** - Japan, Mamoru Oshii **Nobody Knows** - Japan, Hirokazu Kore-eda **Old Boy** - South Korea, Park Chan-wook **Woman is the Future of Man** - South Korea, Hong Sang-soo **Tropical Malady** - Thailand, Apichatpong Weerasethakul **Fahrenheit 9/11** - U.S., Michael Moore **The Ladykillers** - U.S., Joel Coen, Ethan Coen **The Life and Death of Peter Sellers** - U.S.-U.K., Stephen Hopkins **The Motorcycle Diaries** - U.S.-U.K., Walter Salles **Shrek 2** - U.S., Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, Conrad Vernon _OUT OF COMPETITION_ **Cineastes a Tout Prix** - Belgium, Frederic Sojcher **House of Flying Daggers** - China-HK, Zhang Yimou **10e Chambre: Instants d’Audiences** - France, Raymond Depardon **La Porte Du Soleil** - France-Egypt, Yousry Nasrallah **Five** - Iran-France, Abbas Kiarostami **Our Music** - Switzerland, Jean-Luc Godard **Bad Santa** , US, Terry Zwigoff **Dawn of the Dead** - US, Zack Snyder **Kill Bill Vol. 2** - U.S., Quentin Tarantino **Mondovino** - U.S., Jonathan Nossiter **Troy** - U.S., Wolfgang Petersen _SHORT FILMS COMPETITION_ **Accordeon** - Michele Cournoyer **Closer** - David Rittey **Der Schwimmer** - Klaus Huettmann **Flatlife** - Jonas Geirnaert **Gerard Mon Amour** - Madeleine Andre **L’Evangile du Cochon Creole** - Michelange Quay **La Derniere Minute** - Nicolas Salis **Quimera** - Erik Rocha **Thinning the Herd** - Rie Rasmussen **Trafic** - Catalin Mitulescu _UN CERTAIN REGARD 2004_ _OPENING FILM_ **Bienvenue en Suisse** - Switzerland, Lea Fazer CLOSING FILM\* **La Rage au Coeur** - Youssef Chahine _MAIN PROGRAM_ **Terre et Cendres** - Afghanistan, Atiq Rahimi **Somersault** - Australia, Cate Shortland **Hotel** - Austria, Jessica Hausner **Passages** - China, Yang Chao **A Tout de Suite** - France, Benoit Jacquot **Nelly** - France, Laure Duthilleul **Marseille** - Germany, Angela Schanelec **Control** - Hungary, Antal Nimrod **10 on Ten** - Iran-France, Abbas Kiarostami **Don’t Move** - Italy, Sergio Castellitto **Cronicas** - Mexico, Sebastían Cordero **Dark Night** - Portugal, Joao Canijo **Schizo** - Russia, Gulshad Omarova **Moolaade** - Senegal, Ousmane Sembene **Sword in the Moon** - South Korea, Kim Eui-suk **Poids Leger** - Switzerland, Jean-Pierre Ameris **Dear Frankie** - UK, Shona Auerbach **Whisky** - Uruguay, Juan-Pablo Rebella, Pablo Stoll **The Assassination of Richard Nixon** - U.S., Niels Mueller ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/2 "2004-05-23T11:26:29Z")
What a travesty. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/3 "2004-05-23T11:30:31Z")
The only reason I was so tolerant of Bowling for Columbine is that he didn’t seem to put forth any answers. I thought it was fairly honest of a guy like Michael Moore to ask and ask and ask and then let the viewer decide his or her own answer. I hope Fahrenheit 9/11 has at least one broadly redeeming quality like this. What’s the latest news on whether or not we’ll see this in the theatres? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/4 "2004-05-23T11:39:21Z")
> [@](#): > > What a travesty. Yes, it’s awful that… wait, why? Movie unseen, the problem = ? > [@](#): > > What’s the latest news on whether or not we’ll see this in the theatres? [Roger Ebert writes](http://www.suntimes.com/output/entertainment/cst-ftr-cannes18.html) of Moore, “He said he expects to sign a U.S. distribution deal this week at Cannes.” By the way, and I hope this doesn’t ruin the bashing, but only one judge was French. There rest were four Americans, a Brit, a Finn, a Belgian, and a Hong Kong…ian. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/5 "2004-05-23T11:39:46Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > The only reason I was so tolerant of Bowling for Columbine is that he didn’t seem to put forth any answers. I thought it was fairly honest of a guy like Michael Moore to ask and ask and ask and then let the viewer decide his or her own answer. I hope Fahrenheit 9/11 has at least one broadly redeeming quality like this. > > What’s the latest news on whether or not we’ll see this in the theatres? I haven’t had a chance to keep up closely with this, but last I heard, the Weinsteins were going to buy back the movie from Disney with their own money, and they’re working on getting different partners for the various outlets (one for theatrical release, one for video/DVD, one for worldwide distribution and whateverever else). An announcement is supposed to be made soon. I heard that Focus wanted to distribute it but there was a problem. Some say Moore wanted too much money, but I’m not taking that at face value. He wants his movie seen, and he didn’t make it for the bucks, so any rumor that smacks of “making Moore look bad” gets taken with a grain of salt until I hear confirmation, at which point I’ll decide how I feel. Focus is a good company. They were responsible for bringing us several excellent films, such as 21 Grams, Lost In Translation, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/6 "2004-05-23T11:48:48Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > [Roger Ebert writes](http://www.suntimes.com/output/entertainment/cst-ftr-cannes18.html) of Moore, “He said he expects to sign a U.S. distribution deal this week at Cannes.” I have to admit that I feel really bad for why this makes me feel good. On the one hand, Moore seems to be strangely popular with young people 18-24. He is also vehemently anti-Bush. This means that he could sway a key, typically non-voting demographic, and have a substantial effect on the election if this film is released before November (but not too soon, since that same demographic quickly forgets and fades back into apathy.) On the other hand, Moore is also known for [at least somewhat] dishonest filmmaking. I don’t what people voting based on half-truths or misconceptions. I’m not going too far in judging the film until I see it though. I’m hopeful (and it is likely) that he has matured both as a filmmaker and as a storyteller since his last film. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/7 "2004-05-23T13:35:48Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > By the way, and I hope this doesn’t ruin the bashing, but only one judge was French. There rest were four Americans, a Brit, a Finn, a Belgian, and a Hong Kong…ian. That matters not in the film & entertainment industry. IMHO any chance the majority of them get to take a stab at Bush would only delight them. As I stated in the Cafe Society thread, if they had rewritten _Gigli_ and inserted some “Bush Sucks” comments, it may have won as well. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/8 "2004-05-23T14:09:37Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > That matters not in the film & entertainment industry. IMHO any chance the majority of them get to take a stab at Bush would only delight them. As I stated in the Cafe Society thread, if they had rewritten _Gigli_ and inserted some “Bush Sucks” comments, it may have won as well. Right. That’s why these people decided to dedicate their careers and at least to some extent their lives to film…because they hate Bush. They don’t care about the cinematic experience or the artistry of filmmaking, they just saw it as a quick and easy way to advance Bush-bashing. What amazing foresight these men and women from so many parts of the world had to enter the film industry years ago and build up their reputations just so they’d be ready for the great day when they could finally realize their dreams and hand a prestigious award to a movie solely because it criticized George W. Bush. ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/9 "2004-05-23T14:22:05Z")
A Bush bashing film went over well in France? I’m shocked!!! Just shocked, I say! ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/10 "2004-05-23T14:57:40Z")
I wonder how much artistic merit played in the award. Play-along Hollywood politics wasn’t enough for Embedded? If I were to judge it in that setting, I’d judge it as a film telling a story. Movies about historical events always indulge in ‘artistic license’ of some sort. \*Matter of fact even movies based on previously recorded fiction get tweaked. \* On the other hand, if someone used the film for a citation in GD… ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/11 "2004-05-23T15:00:35Z")
> [@Abbie Carmichael](#): > > A Bush bashing film went over well in France? > > I’m shocked!!! > > Just shocked, I say! Are you insane? this has nothing to do with France! If it had been a pro-bush film that won would you be saying that? if it won the Best film award at the Sundance film festival you’d just resort to “Hollywood liberals” tripe. you’re pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/12 "2004-05-23T15:20:27Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > As I stated in the Cafe Society thread, if they had rewritten _Gigli_ and inserted some “Bush Sucks” comments, it may have won as well. Funny, I was under the impression that there _was_ bush-sucking in _Gigli_. [sub]gobble, gobble[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/13 "2004-05-23T15:25:58Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Right. That’s why these people decided to dedicate their careers and at least to some extent their lives to film…because they hate Bush. They don’t care about the cinematic experience or the artistry of filmmaking, they just saw it as a quick and easy way to advance Bush-bashing. What amazing foresight these men and women from so many parts of the world had to enter the film industry years ago and build up their reputations just so they’d be ready for the great day when they could finally realize their dreams and hand a prestigious award to a movie solely because it criticized George W. Bush. Right, and the members entertainment industry have kept their noses out of political activism and wouldn’t stoop to taking a swipe at any administration with which they don’t agree. Are you really that naive? ---
**Author:** ![LilShieste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@LilShieste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilShieste)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/14 "2004-05-23T15:47:25Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > Right, and the members entertainment industry have kept their noses out of political activism and wouldn’t stoop to taking a swipe at any administration with which they don’t agree. It’s one thing to stand up on stage and “denounce” the Bush administration (or the Clinton administration, or take your pick)-- like, say, the Dixie Chicks. It’s a completely different thing to carry out what you, and others, are suggesting… in fact, it’s almost seems a little paranoid, to me. Considering the plethora of crappy movies that have been coming out lately, here in the U.S., maybe _Fahrenheit 9/11_ actually deserved the award. :eek: LilShieste ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/15 "2004-05-23T15:52:34Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > The only reason I was so tolerant of Bowling for Columbine is that he didn’t seem to put forth any answers. I thought it was fairly honest of a guy like Michael Moore to ask and ask and ask and then let the viewer decide his or her own answer. I hope Fahrenheit 9/11 has at least one broadly redeeming quality like this. I agree with you about BfC. I was surprised it wasn’t an anti-gun screed, and it seems a lot of people still don’t get that. I saw at least one recent article about “Farenheit 9/11” that called BfC an anti-gun film. It really looks like F911 is purely an anti-Bush flick, but hopefully it will have some kind of “let the view decide” element to it as well. I don’t really need to hear any more Bush-bashing, it’s preaching to the choir for me. Unless new (and believably truthful) accusations are made, it’s a waste. Something that leaves conclusions up to the viewer would be a much better film, likely. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/16 "2004-05-23T15:53:04Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > Right, and the members entertainment industry have kept their noses out of political activism and wouldn’t stoop to taking a swipe at any administration with which they don’t agree. Are you really that naive? so the film can’t possibly be any good or have any truth, right? ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/17 "2004-05-23T16:11:44Z")
> [@TwistofFate](#): > > so the film can’t possibly be any good or have any truth, right? It’s possible, although from the news associated with the film it sounds like it’s purely a anti-Bush political hack job. However, don’t get me wrong. Moore has every right to express his views in his films (at least he does in the free part of the world). Just as I have every right not to support his views by not paying to see it. On the same token, can you agree that there is at least a chance that political motivation entered into how this film was received (and judged) in Cannes? ---
**Author:** ![LilShieste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@LilShieste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilShieste)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/18 "2004-05-23T16:22:47Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > On the same token, can you agree that there is at least a chance that political motivation entered into how this film was received (and judged) in Cannes? I can, and will, agree that there is a chance that that is the case. I would just like people to not blindly dismiss the film as such, without going to see it (or waiting for more reviews… when it is officially released). > [@Revtim](#): > > It really looks like F911 is purely an anti-Bush flick, but hopefully it will have some kind of “let the view decide” element to it as well. > … > Something that leaves conclusions up to the viewer would be a much better film, likely. Agreed. I will be very pissed if I pay money to see the film, and only come out of the theater thinking I just watched a MoveOn ad\*. LilShieste - - Yeah, there are some of these ads I like, but I lump most of them with in the Truth ads. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/19 "2004-05-23T16:30:12Z")
The news report that I heard today said that the film may never be shown in the USA because Disney have told MIramax not to distribute it in America. Apparently they own the rights. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2004, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640/20 "2004-05-23T16:45:40Z")
[This CNN piece](http://money.cnn.com/2004/05/05/news/fortune500/disney_moore/) indicates that while Disney will prevent Miramax distributing the movie, Moore can make other arrangements if he wishes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fahrenheit-9-11-wins-palme-dor-at-cannes/246640.md?page=2)